Harry Potter and the Curse of the Seventh Horcrux
by cytpotter
Summary: What if when Hagrid went to get Harry on the night Voldemort killed James and Lily he found two Potter children in the ruins at Godric's Hollow? This is the story of that scenario. Cannon to book six. This is my version of book seven.
1. Prologue and Chapter 1 The Letter

I am not J K Rowling. And though some of the prologue is from the first book in Harry Potter no copy write infringements are meant.

This story is mine I just borrowed the charactors for a while!

* * *

><p><strong>Harry Potter<strong>

**and the**

**Curse of the Seventh Horcrux**

**Prologue**

As Professor Dumbledore and Professor McGonagall stood waiting for Hagrid to come with little Harry Potter, it seemed like there was much for the wizarding world to celebrate. Lord Voldemort was supposedly gone and years of fear and hiding were over. The Boy Who Lived was going to live here at 4 Privet Drive with his aunt and uncle and the wizarding world could settle back into a time of peace.

A loud roar filled the air as Hagrid and a huge bike fell from the sky, landing on the street in front of Professors Dumbledore and McGonagall.

"Ah, Professor Dumbledore, Sir," said Hagrid as he got off the bike, " You didn' tell me that James and Lily had two lil' ones!"

"Hagrid, what did you just say?" exclaimed Professor McGonagall.

"Well…. Hagrid, maybe you had better tell me what happened," said Professor Dumbledore, clasping his hands together, his index fingers coming to rest on his chin and his clear blue eyes staring over his half moon spectacles.

"Well, Professors, I went to James an' Lily's place like you said, an' I borrowed Sirius' bike, an' I wen' into the house an' there was little Harry there jus' like ya said, so's I picked him up an turned to go an I heard a lil' cry an' there under a bunch a rubble, hidin' under this invisibility cloak was another Babe. So's I brought 'im too," said Hagrid, showing them the cloak in his pocket.

"But Hagrid, James and Lily only had one child, little Harry, didn't they, Albus?" asked a stern-faced McGonagall.

"Hagrid, thank-you, I was worried something like this might come up. You see, James and Lily were in hiding for a long time, and being in hiding, communication with them was limited, as you can well imagine. I am afraid that to stand here and discuss this further is not wise. I am going to leave Harry here as I had planned and the other little one, we shall take with us for the time being." replied Dumbledore.

So that is exactly what they did. Dumbledore left little Harry Potter with the Dursley's and took the other child with him to Hogwarts. Once in his headmaster's tower, he took the child out from under his cloak and lay it on his desk. The child was tiny; only a few weeks old at best. Dumbledore sighed. "Oh Lily, why did you not tell me?" But he knew. The pregnancy must have been a surprise and with Harry so young too, only 14 months old now. James and Lily must have been terrified and not knowing whom they could trust, they told no one. Hopefully.

Dumbledore sighed again as the little baby started to cry. "Flip, I am in need of your assistance," and immediately a bent old house elf appeared.

"Yes, Professor Dumbledore, Sir. What can I do for you?" squeaked Flip, eyeing the crying bundle on the headmaster's desk.

Of all the house elves, Flip was Dumbledore's most trusted. "Flip, I need you to take care of this baby for awhile. Keep the little one up here and must I say it? Tell no one!"

"Oh, yes, Sir!" replied the house elf, picking up the baby, who was almost as big as him. He began to rock it gently back and forth.

"I must go see someone. I'll be back soon," and with that Dumbledore stepped into his flue and was gone.

Dumbledore knew that the only way to keep this child hidden and safe was to make sure no one knew about it. He knew that the Dursley's were out of the question. He had to force them to take Harry. Who could he find to take this child? He would have to call in a huge favour to have the child's name and date of birth erased from the Registry of Births and Deaths Department at the Ministry of Magic. Then he had to find somewhere to send the child. Lily's great uncle was too far removed to make it safe for Harry Potter to live with, but this unknown child…

**Chapter One**

**The Letter**

"Uncle Herbert, where are you?" called a small girl with short red, almost mahogany colored, hair and glasses. She had been looking for her uncle her whole life it seemed. He was always going off and not telling her where he was going. She stopped to gaze around. Other than this small clump of scrub brush, the prairie seemed to stretch to the horizon. To the west was where she caught the school bus to the tiny one-room schoolhouse. With only thirty-five students in the whole school from Primary to Grade twelve, and only two teachers, you definitely didn't get lost in the shuffle. Over to the south were the barn, tractor shed and tiny 3-room house she shared with her Uncle Herbert. Aunt Helen had died when she was only four and she knew nothing of her parents, except that they had died when she was just a baby. So it was just her and Uncle Herbert.

"Oh Uncle, where are you?" called the little girl again, shaking her head in frustration. Uncle Herbert was a recluse if ever she had seen one. Oh, he was nice enough, always making her laugh at something, but he had a weird side too. He would go into the tractor shed, shut the doors and stay for hours. He also liked to bend his elbow on occasion and when he did, oh my, some of the wild tales he'd tell. Flying broom sticks, people disappearing right before your eyes and wands doing real magic, he would say.

The little girl sighed and pushed her glasses up on her nose. What if her uncle had pulled one of his disappearing acts again? What was she going to tell the strange man standing in their kitchen? Slowly, she turned to go back to the house. I'll just have to check the barns again, she thought.

As she was coming out of the clump of bushes, she saw the man she had told to wait in the house come outside. "Can't find him?" he asked and smiled a knowing smile. "I've known your uncle for years and he is very good at losing himself."

The girl looked at the man more closely. He was an older gent with a drooping mustache and receding gray hair, but his clothes caught her attention the most.

He needs a wife to dress him, she thought. Pinstriped pants, rubber boots and a shirt that was outdated in the 70's.

Together, they turned and walked toward the tractor shed and barn.

"How do you know my Uncle? I don't think I've seen you here before," asked the little girl.

"I know your uncle from way back. We used to play… ah… a game together," said the man, looking quickly at the little girl by his side. "Your name is, let me think…ah, Trailer Potsworth."

"No!" giggled the girl, "My name is Taylor Porter. Oh, the door is locked," said Taylor as she pulled on the tractor-shed door. Not surprising she thought. Now what?

"Here let me try," said the man and he took hold of the door, gave an odd flick with his other hand and mumbled something and the door opened.

The next few days were a blur to Taylor. Her uncle, oh her poor dear uncle, had died of a heart attack. Mr. Nelson, the man who had come to see her uncle that day, had stayed with her until after the funeral. What now? What was she going to do? Child Welfare had already come by once and Mr. Nelson had put them off for now.

"Taylor, come on, eat some porridge," Mr. Nelson said over the paper he was reading.

Taylor looked down into her bowl of porridge and wondered what was going to happen to her. Surely Mr. Nelson wasn't going to take care of her. She glanced up again, looking at the paper. He always reads the same week old paper she thought. Of course, getting a new paper every morning way out here was impossible.

Suddenly there was a tap on the window and a large owl was standing on the windowsill. Mr. Nelson got up, went over to the screen and slid it open. The owl flew over to Taylor and landed on the table.

Taylor received a peck on the hand from the owl. Apparently, she had not recovered from the shock of his arrival quickly enough to suit him.

"I think he wants you to take the letter from him," said Mr. Nelson looking a bit surprised.

The letter was addressed:

_Miss T. Porter_

_3789 North Road_

_Little Wood, Alberta, Canada_

"Oh, my," Mr. Nelson said looking at Taylor closely. "I didn't think you were old enough to go to a wizarding school yet."

The owl flew back out the window after Taylor took the letter. She held it in her hands, looking at it and turning it over. "Hogwarts, School of Witchcraft and Wizardry", she read from the purple wax seal on the back. She was even more confused.

"I guess your Uncle never told you," sighed Mr. Nelson shaking his head slightly. "Well, you are a witch, Taylor, and even though Canadian witches and wizards usually go to the Academy for Magical Learning here in Canada, it is not unheard of for them to be invited to a school in Europe. Still, though I thought you had to be…" his voice trailed off and he was looking very thoughtfully at Taylor.

"A… A …WITCH!" exclaimed Taylor looking incredibly surprised. "But I thought those were just stories Uncle Herbert made up. I mean witches aren't real, are they?"

"Yes, Taylor. Witches are real. So are wizards. Your uncle was one and so am I. However, your Uncle tried not to be one. I can't imagine why, but I think it was because your Aunt Helen was a muggle." said Mr. Nelson as kindly as possible.

Taylor looked at him, and then her eyes were drawn to the paper laying face up on the table. The writing was somehow different, and the pictures were… were moving!

As Mr. Nelson had explained to her, witches go to a special school to learn all about magic and spells. He had told her that he believed that her parents had lived in Europe and seeing as they had died there, that was why she had been invited to go to school there. Something about some person he couldn't name dying and evil times before it, but all was okay now. He had told her also that the journey would be a lot quicker as a witch. She'd just have to catch a, some thingy, and she would be at the Ministry in London and he'd look after her paper work. He had also said he would look after selling Uncle Herbert's farm and things so she wouldn't have to worry about paying for her school books. "Hopefully." he had muttered.

So that is how a very scared, but excited Taylor found herself standing in a little office just off the big lobby. Along with a witch with grey frizzy hair and a tall wizard with a long white beard and hair, sparkling blue eyes and half-moon glasses. The tall wizard was saying, "I'm sorry Mrs. Longfellow, but Professor McGonagall was unable to come here now and even though she is the Registrar at Hogwarts, I can assure you that Miss Por…ter, is enrolled at Hogwarts."

"Well, this is unusual. However, in light of the fact that you, Professor, are here and you say that Miss Porter has a place to stay until term begins." said the grey, frizzy-haired witch.

"Yes, ah Mrs. Briggs, so kind of you to come to the Ministry on such short notice. This is Miss Taylor Porter, who I was telling you about," said the tall Professor to the short, plump woman who had just come hurrying in the door of the office.

"Oh, Professor, I was happy to come when I got your owl this morning." said Mrs. Briggs, smiling breathlessly. "So nice to meet you Taylor, I am Mrs. Briggs and you are going to stay with me until you go to school at Hogwarts. Sorry Professor, Madame Secretary, but I left a cauldron simmering and I really have to go." Again she smiled at the tall wizard.

"Not at all," the wizard said, giving a slight nod and smiling at Mrs. Briggs.

"I shall see you at Hogwarts, Miss Porter. Until then enjoy yourself and listen to Mrs. Briggs."

And with that, Taylor was off again, this time to a wall full of fireplaces in the main lobby, where Mrs. Briggs asked her if she had ever traveled by something called Floo powder. "No, I haven't. Sorry, Mrs. Briggs," said Taylor.

"That's okay, dear." said Mrs. Briggs with a kind smile. "We can go together until you get the hang of it." And with that, she put her arm around Taylor's shoulders, nodded to a couple of witches standing in the lobby, picked up some green powder, stepped into the fireplace with Taylor and said, "Briggs Cottage."

* * *

><p>AN I am so excited to finally be posting this story! I started writing this story in January of 2007! So the first 20 chapters were actually written BEFORE Deathly Hallows came out! As well I named this story before the title of the seventh book came out! I'm not sure that it is the best title for this story but I decided to stay with it! :) Also the ending of this story was written before book seven was released... so this is really my idea how book seven could of gone! I have made every attempt to keep this story as cannon as possible. If you see anything that is not cannon please tell me! and I will either correct it or explain why it is slightly un-cannon.

I have tried my very best to make sure that there are no spelling or grammar errors in this story (except my A/N which I write before posting!) I have a friend who is checking this story for me too! Thanks Barb! So if you see anything please let me know!

So sit down, relax, read and hopefully enjoy! We are in for a long ride! Reviews are all greatly appreciated! This story is my baby that I have been working on for 4 years! I hope you will enjoy it!

So until next time, cytpotter

(yes I re-posted this chapter hopefully now the mistakes are all gone. If you see anymore please let me know!)


	2. Two Feet at a Time and a Wand

Of course anything that you recognize is J K Rowlings. The rest is mine!

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter Two<strong>

**Two Feet at a Time and a Wand**

When the world stopped spinning and Taylor's feet finally touched firm ground again, Mrs. Briggs guided her out of the fireplace and said, "I guess I should have warned you about that. Traveling by Floo powder takes a little getting used to. Ah well, you will get used to all things magic soon enough. Sit here for a minute, dear. Professor Dumbledore tells me that you just found out that you are a witch, how exciting! He also told me that you are from Canada and that you lost your uncle just a few weeks ago. You poor dear. Was your uncle a muggle? Oh well, you will catch up with the rest of your class soon enough. I have a great-niece on poor Mr. Briggs side. He passed away almost 20 years ago now. She is in Ravenclaw. You'll meet her on the Hogwarts Express. I was in Hufflepuff myself; Oh, that was so long ago. Why Professor Dumbledore was only in his first year as a teacher. I always thought that he was so handsome, not the marrying type though, if you know what I mean, and there was Mr. Briggs…" Mrs. Briggs sighed as she looked over at Taylor, who was sitting at the table where she had helped her to sit. "Don't mind me dear. I just love to talk. That's what Mr. Briggs used to say."

Taylor and Mrs. Briggs had a nice dinner, much like it used to be at home, except this wasn't Uncle Herbert; and this wasn't the farm. It seemed strange but Mrs. Briggs never waited for an answer to any of the questions that she asked. However, this suited Taylor just fine. The memories were still too painful to talk about anyway.

It was a very nice cottage, as Mrs. Briggs called it. A little bigger than the house she grew up in and it had what looked like a lovely garden outside. Mrs. Briggs loved to talk and she told Taylor all about her family who, it seemed, lived all over Europe and did many amazing things.

The sun had dipped below the treetops when Mrs. Briggs finally showed Taylor to her room on the second floor. "This used to be my poor Mr. Briggs' study, but it will make a nice bedroom for you. Feel free to read the books if you like. I'm not much of a reader myself, just the Daily Prophet and maybe the Quibbler once in a while, but, oh, how Mr. Briggs loved his books… Well get a good night's sleep dear, cause it's off to Diagon Alley tomorrow. Make sure you find your list of school supplies to take with us. Night, deary," and with that Mrs. Briggs smiled and shut the door. Taylor could hear her making her way back down the stairs.

Taylor's head reeled as she slowly sat on the bed in the corner of the room. Mrs. Briggs had talked about more magic things and places than she had ever heard of. I wonder what or where Diagon Alley is, Taylor thought as she pushed her glasses up. How am I supposed to find a pair of dragon-hide gloves? And the books they listed… Taylor's eyes were drawn to the books that lined three and a half walls of her room, floor to ceiling. She stood and trailed her fingers along them, books with names like _Magic and the Common Wizard_, or _How to De-Bug Your_ _Floo_. Oh my, Uncle Herbert, I wish you had told me, she thought again for the thousandth time since she had found out that she was a witch. Not that Taylor wasn't good in school. Hadn't Mr. Nelson said that potions was just like cooking? She was a good cook, having done all the cooking for Uncle Herbert. She had grown up on a farm so she knew something about plants and growing them. Maybe witches and wizards didn't grow wheat or barley, but it couldn't be that different could it? One of Uncle Herbert's favorite sayings was, "We all put our boots on one foot at a time."

Taylor bent down and started to rummage through her suitcase. It wasn't much, but everything she owned - a few changes of clothes, and a couple of pictures of her Uncle Herbert, Aunt Helen and herself as a toddler. Her fingers automatically went to the pendant that hung around her neck. It had belonged to her aunt. Uncle Herbert had given it to her shortly after Aunt Helen had died. When he gave it to her, he said, "Keep this near your heart and those you lost will never be far away." She clutched the pendant tightly, feeling very small and alone.

The next morning, the sun was just starting to paint the tops of the trees with its first rays when Taylor awoke. After the initial feeling of confusion of where she was had passed, she put her glasses on and laid there, looking out the window and watching the sun come up over the trees. It was a beautiful sunny morning. The birds were singing, the sky was blue, and there was the hum of insects going about their work.

Taylor was suddenly struck with the naked truth: she was all alone. The last two weeks had just flown by. It didn't seem possible that it was that long ago that she had gone out looking for her Uncle, and yet it felt like a year had passed. The tears that she had fought off for so long threatened to fall. "Alone. Alone," the birds' songs seemed to say. Come on Taylor, get over it, she told herself angrily. What had Uncle Herbert always said? "Tears don't make the rain go away." She giggled. That had to be the stupidest saying in the universe! Oh uncle, what am I going to do? Her fingers reached up and found the pendant around her neck. It always made her feel a little better when she felt sad or alone.

"Taylor, dear, are you up?" called Mrs. Briggs.

"Yes, I'll be right down," answered Taylor and she gave her head a shake. It wasn't like her to lie in bed and feel sorry for herself. She took her glasses off, wiped her eyes and cleaned her glasses on her pajama top. She picked out a clean t-shirt and pulled on a pair of pants, noting the hole in the knee. I'll have to fix that before I go off to school she thought as she put on her sneakers, one foot at a time and smiled. She had gotten used to getting ready in a hurry because on the farm there were always things that needed to be done before breakfast and school.

"Good morning Mrs. Briggs," said Taylor, arriving in the kitchen less than five minutes after Mrs. Briggs had called. "Can I help you with anything?"

"Oh, no, dear, I just wanted to make sure you were up. I hope you like toast and hash browns for breakfast. All Mr. Briggs ever wanted for breakfast was porridge and curds. I can't stand curds myself but… the things you do for your husband. You'll understand someday." Mrs. Briggs said knowingly, as she put a pile of toast on the table and lifted the frying pan off the stove with a flick of her wand.

Taylor watched, wide-eyed in amazement, as the frying pan glided over to the table and stopped in front of her. "Just say when," Mrs. Briggs said as the hash browns poured onto Taylor's plate.

"Thank you, that is enough." Taylor replied. Mrs. Briggs sent the frying pan over to her plate then back to the stove.

"Wow, can you teach me that?" exclaimed Taylor, as an owl swooped in through the open window with a paper, dropped it on the table and flew back out.

"Ah, the Daily Prophet. I have a 5-year subscription I just got last March. Don't you worry, you'll be making things fly with your own wand soon enough. I still say they should teach a course on how to use magic around the house at Hogwarts, but that would be too practical! Posh! Oh, don't listen to me deary," sighed Mrs. Briggs "I just think that some of the young folks today could use a little more… shall we say, domestic training." With another sigh, Mrs. Briggs started to read the paper and eat her breakfast.

After the breakfast dishes were cleaned up, magically, Mrs. Briggs asked Taylor if she had her list of school supplies. She did, so they went over to the fireplace and Mrs. Briggs picked up a hand full of green powder. She placed her hand on Taylor's shoulder again, stepped into the fireplace and said "The Leaky Cauldron."

There was a flash of green fire and they spun away once more. This time, though, Taylor was more ready for the unusual sensation. If only she hadn't eaten breakfast! By the time the world stopped spinning and they stepped out of the fireplace into the dark interior, Taylor was wondering if maybe flying on a broomstick might be more her speed.

"Welcome to the Leaky Cauldron, Mrs. Briggs." said a stooped man at the bar.

Taylor looked around, her eyes adjusting to the dim light. 'It's a bar.' was her first impression, or what she thought a bar might look like. There were a few people sitting at tables; a couple of witches at one table, a neatly dressed wizard at another and what might have been a hag at another. Taylor looked away. It wasn't polite to stare after all.

"Oh, hello Tom. How are you today? I am taking Miss Porter here to buy her school supplies. She starts at Hogwarts this year, you know." Mrs. Briggs said, with a touch of pride in her voice. 'As if the whole world should know that I'm starting school.' Taylor thought and she smiled to herself.

"Bea! Is that you? Why, I didn't expect to see you here today." exclaimed one of the witches sitting at the table. "Did you say that this young lass is starting at Hogwarts this year? Do you know who else is starting this year? Well, Bea, you'll never guess," the witch said, almost bouncing in her seat. "Harry Potter! Yes! The-Boy-Who-Lived!" The witch was so excited that she was clutching her chest.

"Yes! I saw him in here just a few weeks ago with Hagrid." said the other witch, just as excited. "He has that scar and everything! Shaped like a lightning bolt it is!"

"Oh, Flo, Joyce, really? Oh my soul! Well isn't that just amazing news, Taylor!" Mrs. Briggs said excitedly.

Taylor, who had been listening but not knowing who they were so excited about, managed to say, "Oh yeah," before Mrs. Briggs and her two friends resumed talking very excitedly about this Potter kid.

"Oh, my, I'd love to stay and talk but I have to run. Taylor and I have a lot of things to pick up if she is going to be ready to go to school next week. I'll see you at our next bridge game!" With that, Taylor and Mrs. Briggs headed out the back of the Leaky Cauldron into a small courtyard. Mrs. Briggs flicked her wand at a brick in the wall, which rolled back and revealed a narrow, winding street full of people in robes and shops full of magical things. Taylor's eyes grew large and her head turned this way and that, trying desperately to take it all in as she followed Mrs. Briggs down the street.

"Now, let's see. You will need robes, books, potion supplies and your wand, of course." Mrs. Briggs said as she counted the items on her fingers. "Well, why don't we start with the wand. You can go and get fitted for your wand, while I go to Gringottsand get the money Professor Dumbledore set aside for you. He said it was from your uncle's farm, deary." Mrs. Briggs put her hand on Taylor's shoulder and patted it gently.

Taylor was finding it hard to feel sad in a place with so many witches and wizards, all shopping in the stores full of things, many of which Taylor had never seen before. They passed by a shop with a broom in the window and a sign proclaiming it to be the fastest ever, a shop with owls and a shop selling cauldrons.

"Ah, here we are. Ollivander's. They make the best wands there are." Mrs. Briggs said as she pushed open the door and entered the shop. "Mr. Ollivander, so nice to see you. I've brought Miss Porter in to get her wand. She starts at Hogwarts next week you know."

Taylor smiled in spite of herself. 'You'd think the way Mrs. Briggs talked, that I was doing something special, not just going to school with all the other young people I've seen in Diagon Alley.' she thought.

"Yes, well we shall be able to look after that with no problem, Mrs. Briggs." said Mr. Ollivander and he smiled at Mrs. Briggs. "You still have your first wand then? Ten inches, willow, with a unicorn hair. Still working fine?"

"Why, yes, Mr. Ollivander. You only make the best, do you not?" Mrs. Briggs said with a knowing smile. "I have to go run some errands but I will be back. I'm sure you will sort a wand out for Miss. Porter in no time." She turned to Taylor and said "I won't be long. Have fun!"

Mr. Ollivander gave his wand a flick and a measuring tape started to measure Taylor as he said "Of course, you understand, the wand chooses the witch, Miss Porter, not the other way around." After he was done measuring, Mr. Ollivander handed Taylor a wand and looked at her expectantly. "Nine and a half inches. Swishy, made of willow, with a dragon heartstring. Well give it a try." he said.

Taylor raised her eyebrows then gave the thin piece of wood in her hand a flick, just like she had seen Mrs. Briggs do. Suddenly, the measuring tape was flying across the room and papers were blowing up in the air.

"Nope." said Mr. Ollivander as he took the wand back. Time and time again Mr. Ollivander handed her a wand only to grab it back from her a second later, the entire time saying, "No, that one won't do." or "Oh my, not that one."

Soon there was a huge pile of wands on the counter, and the shop was a mess with wands creating all sorts of unwanted magic. Mr. Ollivander was still muttering to himself but was starting to become more excited. "No" he was saying, "but that wouldn't work." He stopped and stared hard at Taylor, as if really seeing her for the first time. "I don't know about this but if the wand chooses the witch…" He handed another wand to Taylor. Suddenly, there was warmth in Taylor's hand and a few sparks flew out the end.

"Oh my, very curious." said Mr. Ollivander, still looking at Taylor.

"What's wrong? What is so curious?" Taylor asked starting to feel very uncomfortable.

"Well, the wood that is in your wand…yew, eleven inches, supple, very powerful and in the wrong hands…I think maybe we should expect much from you, too…"

Just then Mrs. Briggs came back in. "Not done yet deary?" she asked.

This seemed to bring Mr. Ollivander out of his reverie. "Miss Porter has just found a wand. I'll just put it back in the box for you." However, he continued to watch Taylor closely as Mrs. Briggs paid for the purchase and they left the shop.

Finally outside, and out of the sight of Mr. Ollivander, the hairs on the back of Taylor's neck laid down and the creepy feeling that he had recognized her from somewhere started to melt away.

Next, they went into a bookstore called Flourish and Blotts. They picked up the books that were on Taylor's list. Mrs. Briggs looked at all the new books that were in the store display and talked to the shopkeeper for a half hour. Taylor didn't mind. She loved to read and books were something she had few of when she was back on the farm.

After they left Flourish and Blotts they went to Madam Malkin's Robes for AllOccasions and spent over an hour there. It turned out that the seamstress was an old friend of Mrs. Briggs. Next they picked up quills, ink and parchment. Then on to get a cauldron, scales, a telescope and potion ingredients. With arms loaded with packages, they headed back to the Leaky Cauldron, stepped into the fireplace and finally arrived back at the cottage just as the sun was setting.

Taylor was exhausted. She had just lugged the last of her newly acquired school supplies up to her room and flopped on the bed. Her eyes slowly traveled over all the new things that were piled on the floor until they came to rest on the slim box that contained her wand. Even though she was now safe in her room, the feeling that Mr. Ollivander somehow knew her made her feel uncomfortable.

When Taylor went down to supper, Mrs. Briggs was still talking about some witch who had blown her kitchen up. "If only they would teach practical magic around the home." she said again.

"Mrs. Briggs," said Taylor when she had stopped talking for a moment. "Who is Harry Potter? And why so much fuss over one boy?" There was complete silence for a few seconds and Mrs. Briggs face was incredulous.

"Why, dear, he is The-Boy-Who-Lived!" she exclaimed. "Surely you have heard of that story?" Taylor shook her head. "Oh my, I never dreamed you didn't know about Harry Potter!"

Suddenly a fearful expression came over Mrs. Briggs face and she spoke softly. "I suppose you have never" she looked at Taylor worriedly, "heard of He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named!"

"Who doesn't have a name?" asked Taylor confused.

"Oh dear, oh dear, where should I start?" Mrs. Briggs wrung her hands as she talked. "Well, some years ago now, a while before you where born, there was a terrible wizard. He did horrible things." Mrs. Briggs shuddered. "He was very evil and witches and wizards everywhere were terrified of him; so afraid that they didn't even speak his name! Instead they called him He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named! Anyway, he went around hurting people. Not just witches and wizards either, but muggles, too. Then for some twisted reason no one knows, he went to James and Lily Potter's house and killed them! Tried to curse little Harry, too! But for some unknown reason, it didn't work. It killed _him_ instead! And that is why Harry Potter is known as The-Boy-Who-Lived. He has a scar on his head where some say the curse hit him and bounced back to He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named."

"So why, if he died over ten years ago, don't people say his name now? He's dead isn't he?" asked Taylor.

"Because people are still too afraid. You don't understand. It was a terrible time when he was alive: people disappearing and dying on a daily basis. I don't think many will ever get over it." Mrs. Briggs said sadly.

"But why couldn't he kill a baby?" Taylor wondered.

"That's the miracle, deary. No one knows why."

The next couple of days were quieter. Taylor would get up, help with breakfast, then she and Mrs. Briggs would usually go out to the garden to pull weeds or pick something. In the heat of the afternoon they would sit under an old oak tree and talk about people who Taylor had never heard of. In the evenings, Taylor would read from her new schoolbooks or from one of the many books on the shelves in her room.

On the last afternoon before she headed to school, Mrs. Briggs helped Taylor put her school things in an old trunk they had found out in a shed. "Now deary," said Mrs. Briggs, "make sure you have everything packed because it will be very early in the morning when my niece and great-niece arrive to take us to the train with them."

* * *

><p>AN Well there is another chapter posted! Two and a prologue on the first day! :) Though I will say that the updates should come at a fairly steady pace as I have this story mostly completed. Please leave a review! Even if it is to say you don't like this story. I would very much like to hear your oppinion!

I want to thank my bata, barbc... without all her help this story wouldn't be posted yet!

Plus I just wanted to say. Good luck to Prince William and Kate! Today is their speacial day!

Well until next time, cytpotter


	3. The Train and a Hat

I do not own Harry Potter or any of the charactors or text that you recognize they belong to the great JKR! The story and other charactors I do own!

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter Three<strong>

**The Train and a Hat**

The sun was just beginning to lighten the sky to the east, when Mrs. Briggs called up the stairs to Taylor. "Come on Taylor, it's time to get up."

Taylor was already up and dressed. She hadn't slept very well. She was so excited and nervous all at once. "I'll be right down." she called, making sure the bed was made and nothing was left on the floor. She didn't want Mrs. Briggs to have to clean up after her when she was gone.

Taylor heard voices as she made her way down the stairs and into the kitchen. "…and so we decided to come this far by flue powder and then hire a muggle cab from here to the train station, Aunt Bea." said the pretty young witch, standing beside an older witch who had just finished giving Mrs. Briggs a hug.

"Why hello, you must be Taylor. We have heard so much about you," said the older witch. She looked to be in her early forties. "I am Wendy Heath, and this is my daughter, Janet. She is in her fifth year in Ravenclaw. We would have liked to have come over to meet you sooner but Aunt Bea said you needed some time to rest after your trip across the world and your awful loss. I'm so sorry, dear. I know how hard it is to lose someone you love." and she gave Taylor a motherly hug and smiled sadly at her.

"Ah, thank-you," said Taylor a little shyly, pushing her glasses up on her nose. She was unsure of how to take the sympathy, even if it was genuinely given. But it was hard to think of much else other than the big day ahead of her.

"Well, what would you like for breakfast this morning, Taylor? Wendy, Janet dear, have you eaten yet?" Asked Mrs. Briggs, as she bustled around her kitchen scrambling eggs and making toast. It seemed Mrs. Heath and Janet hadn't had breakfast, much to their Aunt's delight. All Taylor could eat was a piece of toast. Her stomach was already in knots and she hadn't even left the cottage yet.

Soon the dishes were in the sink ,washing themselves, and the trunks were outside by the curb. Mrs. Heath had called a muggle taxi from her house the night before. Her husband was muggle born, she had said. 'As if that explained everything' Thought Taylor. At exactly 7:45 the taxi pulled up, the driver loaded the trunks into the car and they were off to the train station. Mrs. Briggs and her two nieces talked and laughed the whole way. All Taylor could do was nod, or shake her head. She was so nervous.

When they arrived at the train station Mrs. Heath retrieved a couple of trolleys to put the trunks on and off they went into the station. Taylor was very glad that Mrs. Briggs and her nieces were with her when they started talking about going to platform nine and three quarters. She was just about to ask, when they came to the column between nine and ten and Mrs. Heath and Janet walked right through it? Taylor stopped in surprise. 'What the…!' She thought.

"It's ok, deary," said Mrs. Briggs with her kindly smile. "I guess it can be quite a shock. This is how we keep muggles away from the Hogwarts Express. Come on, I'll go through with you." and she took hold of Taylor's elbow and they stepped through the column together.

On the other side was a great red steam engine and the platform was crowded with people, trolleys and cages with owls in them. People were calling to one another and there were parents hugging their kids; all trying to put their stuff on the train. Janet had just disappeared into the train with a brown haired boy who was helping her with her trunk. Mrs. Briggs was smiling and nodding her head like it all brought back fond memories.

"Let's get your trunk on, dear." Mrs. Briggs said to Taylor, as Janet hopped off the train and made her way toward them. When Taylor's trunk was safely on the train, with Janet's help, she came back down and stood with Mrs. Briggs and Mrs. Heath, who were saying good-bye to Janet.

"Now then," said Mrs. Briggs, as Janet waved once more and went to join her friends on the train. "I want you to write to me if you need anything, ok? And don't worry, you will make out just fine, deary."

"Alright," said Taylor whose mouth had gone suddenly dry. She was really going to miss this nice old witch who had taken her in, as if she was her own.

"Cheer up, deary. You are going to have a wonderful time and you can always come back to stay with me at Christmas if you want." and with that Mrs. Briggs gave her a bone-crushing hug.

"Thank-you, Mrs. Briggs. I have really enjoyed the last week and you have been so nice." Taylor was almost on the verge of tears. 'Get a grip on yourself, Porter' she told herself. Man, for an old girl, Mrs. Briggs could sure hug hard though.

"Well I'd better get going." Taylor said as the train whistle sounded and with a last good-bye and a wave she got on the train and went to find a seat; a little scared but suddenly determined to see just what she could do in this new world.

Far away at Hogwarts, in the headmaster's tower, a witch and a wizard were discussing Miss Taylor Porter.

"But Albus, are you certain? If this is indeed the Potter's other child, she is too young. She would only be ten years old, for goodness sakes! Surely no one that young would have magical powers developed enough to come to Hogwarts. She would be at a huge disadvantage right from the start. Then to have been raised as a muggle, also!" said the witch shaking her head in disbelief.

"Minerva, I am absolutely positive that Miss Taylor Porter, as she is now called, is indeed the Potter's other child. I am also positive that although she is only ten, as you so correctly pointed out, her powers are indeed well enough developed to attend Hogwarts this year. I have made this exception of age for a number of reasons. First and foremost is for her safety, some things have happened as of late that have brought me to believe that Miss Porter will be far safer here at school than alone in a muggle orphanage in Canada. As for her muggle upbringing, do I need to point out a certain Mr. Potter, who will be coming on the Hogwarts Express today, too?" the wizard said as he sat down behind his desk, a wise smile upon his face and his blue eyes twinkling over his half moon spectacles, as if he knew far more than he had just told Minerva.

"Would you care for a sherbet lemon?" he said offering the witch a bowl.

The landscape outside the window was rapidly growing wilder and wilder. The compartment that Taylor sat in had three other First Years in it and they had passed the time talking about what they knew about Hogwarts and magic. There was Susan Bones, Mandy Brocklehurst and Sally-Anne Perks. When the food trolley came along, Taylor remembered that Mrs. Briggs had said she had put some sandwiches and a drink in her trunk. The other girls got something from the trolley, but Taylor didn't really mind. Coming from a farm she was, after all, used to sandwiches and being responsible for getting meals ready. Sandwiches were just easier most of the time. They started talking about the school houses after they were finished eating and they all agreed that they didn't want to be in Slytherin. Taylor mostly listened, only asking the odd question, but she did learn a lot.

A while after they had eaten, there was a knock on the door and in came a round-faced boy and a girl with bushy brown hair. "I'm Hermione Granger. Have you seen a toad? Neville has lost his." When everyone had answered, no, they turned to leave.

"Wait," Taylor said. "I'll help you look," and she followed Hermione and Neville down the hall. "I'm Taylor Porter."

"Nice to meet you, Taylor," Hermione said. Neville just nodded, as they continued to check in the compartments.

The next compartment that they came to had two first year boys in it. The one with red hair had his wand out, as if he was about to do magic. Taylor, though, was watching the other one with black hair and glasses. Then, as she realized she was staring, she noticed the thin scar on his forehead. Before she could take her eyes off him, he looked up. Green eyes met her stare. Suddenly her heart was racing, but she didn't know why. With an effort, she tore away her gaze and tried to concentrate on what Hermione was saying to the red haired boy. She had just introduced herself and Neville, and was saying, "This is Taylor Porter." Taylor barely managed a "hi."

Taylor's eyes were again on the boy with the green eyes. The red headed boy was saying his name was Ron Weasley. What was wrong with her? Taylor was trying to think, but her mind didn't seem to want to work.

Then the boy with the green eyes spoke. "I'm Harry Potter."

Taylor wondered, later, if it hadn't been for Hermione and Neville, if she would have ever been able to take her eyes off of the green-eyed boy, Harry Potter. As it was, when Hermione and Neville got up to leave, Taylor just followed them out as if she was in some sort of trance. Somehow Taylor made it back to her own compartment and sat down. Come on, Taylor said to herself, he's a boy! She gave her head a shake. This seemed to clear her mind a little or maybe it was the fact that she could no longer see Harry and his green eyes. She pushed her glasses back up on her nose, not having realized that they had slid down.

It was growing dark outside when Susan Bones thought they should put their school robes on, for they would be arriving at Hogwarts soon. Even as Taylor dressed in her new robes and the other girls were talking about how they thought they were to be sorted into their houses, her mind kept going back to those green eyes. She had thought of little else since she had come back to her compartment. It's not as if she had ever met him before. How could she? Didn't Mrs. Briggs say that he was from England? What was it then? Why was she so surprised to see him look like he did? As if he was someone she should know? Her head was even starting to hurt as she ran this around and around in her mind.

"Come on, Taylor it's time to get off." said an excited Sally-Anne Perks, bringing Taylor back to the present. She followed the rest of the students off of the train.

"Firs' Years this way," Taylor heard someone calling and she followed Susan, Sally-Anne and Mandy through the crowded platform. The nervousness that had disappeared while she was thinking of Harry returned. Taylor's first impression when she finally looked up to see who was calling to them was: that is the biggest man I've ever seen!

"Firs' Years, follow me now." he was calling. Taylor and the rest of the first year students followed him down a path to the lake were there were boats waiting to take them across. Taylor got into a boat with the girls she had been on the train with. The view of the castle was amazing as they glided across the lake by magic. It was huge, with light coming from many of its windows and dozens of tall towers. The biggest place Taylor had ever seen!

They followed Hagrid, that was what someone had called the big man, out of the boats and up through a passageway and over the lawn to the castle door where he knocked and it was opened right away by a dark haired witch in deep green robes. "Follow me." she said and into the castle they went. The Entrance hall was huge, with torchlight glinting off the walls of stone. They followed her into a small chamber off of the Entrance hall.

"Welcome to Hogwarts. I am Professor McGonagall. In a moment you will be sorted into your houses. They are Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw and Slytherin. While you are at Hogwarts your triumphs will earn your house points and any rule-breaking will lose your house points. At the end of the year, the house with the most points wins the House Cup. Wait here until I come back for you. The Sorting Ceremony will take place shortly." With that, Professor McGonagall went out and shut the door.

Taylor glanced around at all the other First Years. Their faces looked as worried as she felt. Some of them were whispering to each other. She was standing near Hermione who was busy explaining to a terrified looking Neville how she had read a book called _Hogwarts, a History_, which told about all kinds of interesting facts about the school, but failed to mention just how the students were sorted into the houses. Taylor was looking for Harry. She was going to ask him how they were to be sorted. After all, she thought, someone who was as famous as Harry Potter must surely know. She spotted him just as Professor McGonagall came back into the room and moved over towards him.

"Form a line now," Professor McGonagall was saying. "It is time for the Sorting Ceremony to begin."

Taylor just had time to get in line behind Harry, as the whole group of First Years followed Professor McGonagall out of the door into the Entrance Hall and through another set of double doors into the Great Hall. Taylor's jaw dropped open. The hall was massive. Four tables stretched almost the whole length of it with students sitting at them. Up at the front of the Great Hall there was a table with the other teachers sitting at it and the line of First Years were walking up the middle between the tables with the older students watching them. Taylor's heart was hammering so loudly that she was sure everyone else could hear it too. When the line came to a halt at the front of the hall, she watched as Professor McGonagall put a stool with an old looking wizard hat on it at the front of the line.

There was a hush that fell over the Hall. Everyone seemed to be waiting for something. Suddenly the wizard hat started to sing. Taylor listened trying to remember all it said. When the hat had finished, the red haired boy from the train whispered to Harry that he was going to kill his brother, as his brother had told him he'd have to do magic to be sorted into the houses. Harry nodded. 'So much for being near someone famous to get the inside information' Thought Taylor.

Professor McGonagall pulled out a scroll and began calling out names. Taylor felt the panic she had felt earlier grip her again. What if she was put in Slytherin? What would Mrs. Briggs say? What if the hat told her that she didn't belong here; where would she go? Then Taylor heard Hermione's name called and… Gryffindor was where she went. A Hunter, Gregory, went to Hufflepuff. Then Neville's name and he went to Gryffindor too! Sally-Anne from the train also went to Hufflepuff.

"Porter, Taylor," called Professor McGonagall.

Taylor's heart seemed to stop. She had been looking at the floor, but as she looked up when her name was called, her eyes collided with those green eyes and time stopped. "Miss Porter!" Professor McGonagall said, and Taylor almost tripped over her feet trying to get to the stool.

The old hat was placed on her head and the last person she saw was Harry, standing there looking so scared.

Everything went black, then she heard a voice and it said, "Let's see now, hmm. Where to put you? I see determination, good and a lot of talent, too, oh and there seems to be lots of courage also. Well it must be… GRYFFINDOR!" yelled the hat.

Taylor was so relieved as she took the hat off and headed for the Gryffindor table. They were clapping and welcoming her to their house. She had no more than sat down however, when she heard "Potter, Harry." Suddenly the whole hall was whispering, "What did she say? _The_ Harry Potter?" Taylor watched as the hat went over Harry's head. Even the teachers seemed to be leaning forward, watching more closely.

"GRYFFINDOR" the hat yelled again and the table where Taylor was, erupted in cheers. Taylor clapped hard right along with them. She was really happy that she and Harry were going to be in the same house. It just felt right somehow.

The rest of the First Years were sorted into the houses and Ronald Weasley, the red-haired boy, came to Gryffindor too.

Taylor listened as the tall wizard with long white hair and a beard, that he had tucked into his belt, was speaking. It was Professor Dumbledore. She remembered him from when she had arrived at the Ministry in London. As he finished speaking and sat down, plates of food magically appeared on the table. There were potatoes cooked every way Taylor knew how and vegetables, and chicken, and roasts of pork and beef. There were even a number of dishes that she wasn't sure what they were. The whole time that she ate, she listened to the other students talk. By the time the meal was done and they had eaten dessert, Taylor knew who all the teachers were and had met the Gryffindor ghost, Nearly Headless Nick. She had also met most of her fellow Gryffindors. Taylor had listened particularly hard when she heard a soft "ouch" from Harry and he had asked Percy Weasley, who happened to be a school prefect, who was sitting next to Professor Quirrell. 'I wonder what that was about.' Thought Taylor, as she watched Harry out of the corner of her eye.

Professor Dumbledore stood up again and told them about the Forbidden Forest being out of bounds and no magic in the halls. Also about Quidditch trials and finally that the third floor corridor was out of bounds to all who did not wish to die a terrible death! Some nervous laughing and questions followed this statement. Then a full but very tired Taylor was following Percy with the rest of the First Years, out of the great hall, through the Entrance hall and up the wide marble staircase. She could hear Hermione talking about the moving stairs as they climbed up flight after flight of stairs all the way up to the seventh floor and stopped in front of a portrait of a fat woman in a silk dress.

"Password" said the portrait.

"Caput Draconis," said Percy and the portrait swung open. 'Wow' thought a sleepy Taylor 'Neat'.

Taylor crawled through the hole into the common room. It was furnished with comfy looking chairs, a couple of tables in the corner and a big fireplace that promised a warm fire on cold nights. Percy was pointing one way to the girl's dormitory and the other way for the boys.

Taylor followed Hermione and Lavender up yet another set of stairs into their dormitory room. 'This is one of the towers I saw as we crossed the lake' Thought Taylor, as she looked around and saw her trunk beside one of the five four-poster beds with red curtains hanging from them. Taylor was too tired to do any more than take off her school robes and put her pajama's on. She was trying to listen to what the other girls were saying as she crawled into the warm bed and put her glasses on the bedside table. The last thing she remembered was Hermione saying that they would be starting their classes tomorrow.

* * *

><p>AN I wanted to say thank you to those of you who put this story on alert! T


	4. Trust and a Promise

Harry Potter and company belong to the great JKR! I am just borrowing them for a while! This story and other charactors all belong to me! Hope you enjoy!

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter Four<strong>

**Trust and a Promise**

The next morning Taylor was awake before any of the other girls in her dorm. The sun was just starting to come up over the Forbidden Forest. Taylor reached over and picked up her glasses from her nightstand. She preferred to watch the sunrise when she could see it properly. She rose silently and went over to the window. The scenery that stretched out before her was simply amazing. The lake that they had come across the night before was as still as a mirror. The grounds, still shaded by the forest, were lush with grass and foliage. Taylor could see birds, owls she assumed, flying to and from another tower off to the left. She could just make out the roof of a building with smoke curling from its chimney right down by the edge of the forest. Taylor breathed deeply and closed her eyes. This place felt like she had come home at last. She was starting to wonder what today's classes were going to be like when she could hear the other girls starting to stir. Hermione was the first one up and she had a book already with her when she went to the washroom. Taylor smiled as she dressed in her school robes. It would be great rooming with Hermione if she was as smart as she was enthusiastic.

Taylor followed the rest of the girls down to the common room and out through the portal. There was some discussion then as to which way they should go until an older girl came out and they followed her down to the Great Hall for breakfast. Taylor was seated in the Great Hall when she first saw Harry; the first thing she noticed was the pointing and whispering of the other students as he went by and took a seat almost opposite her. She looked down at the bowl of cereal in front of her and decided then and there that she was not going to be one of those gawking at him as if he were a monkey on display at a zoo.

Magic, Taylor learned quickly was not just waving a wand and saying 'abracadabra'. She had Charms with a little Professor Flitwick; Herbology with Professor Sprout out in the greenhouses; Astronomy up in one of the highest towers at night; History of Magic taught by a ghost, Professor Binns; Defence Against the Dark Arts with a turban-wearing Professor Quirrell; and Transfiguration with Professor McGonagall. Before every class, Taylor always looked for Harry, never really staring at him. She just wanted to make sure he made it to class, or so she told herself.

The worst class though, was Potions. Not because of what potions were, but because of the teacher; a greasy-haired, hooked nose teacher by the name of Professor Snape. In the first class he had picked on Harry something awful, and the way he had looked at Taylor when he had called her name… with black eyes full of hate. It was a wonder that she even got through that class. It was only having Hermione beside her whispering under her breath, "Just ignore it. He's only trying to get a rise out of you." that got her through. Taylor had never thought it possible to hate someone so quickly. She had never encountered such hostility before, especially from a teacher. It was unheard of in the tiny school she had come from out on the prairies.

Taylor couldn't remember ever being so glad that it was Friday afternoon. She was sitting in the Gryffindor common room with Hermione, Lavender and the girls from her dorm, supposedly to do homework.

Lavender, however, was asking Parvati Patil about her and her twin. Taylor was only half listening as she tried to do her Transfiguration essay.

"So, Taylor, what about your family? Are you from a wizarding family or muggle born?" asked Lavender.

"Huh?" asked Taylor as she looked up from the paper she had been writing on, her quill still resting on the parchment making a small ink blob.

"Well, I don't think it matters which you are," Hermione spoke up. "My parents are both muggles, however, Percy told me that Penelope Clearwater from Ravenclaw is a muggle born and she is a prefect." She finished with her know-it–all voice, as if that settled it.

"Ah, well," Taylor began. She really didn't know what to say. "I was raised by my aunt and uncle. I didn't know he was a wizard until he died last month. My aunt was a muggle. I was told after he was gone. I don't know anything about my parents except that they died when I was just a little baby. I guess they may have been muggles." Taylor really didn't want to talk about her Uncle; it was all still too painful. She picked up her Transfiguration book and tried to read but her thoughts kept returning to her uncle and how little she actually knew about her past. Before he had died, it still hurt to think about that, she had asked him different times who her parents were and how they had died, but he always had found a way around answering the question. He would either make her laugh with one of his silly tales or change the topic altogether. At the time, she would just go along with him and drop the subject, thinking that there would be another time to ask again. A scary thought came to her. What if Uncle Herbert hadn't known who her parents were? Don't be silly she thought angrily, Aunt Helen was probably the one related to her parents and if so, maybe Uncle Herbert hadn't known them very well, she reasoned. Then they would be muggles, because that was what Aunt Helen was, a muggle. That's what Mr. Nelson had told her after Uncle Herbert had died anyway. Maybe that is why he never told me I was a witch, because he didn't know, and that was the reason he didn't tell me he was a wizard. Taylor sat with her mouth open, her Transfiguration book hanging loosely from her hands. Why hadn't she thought of that before?

"Taylor, are you alright?" asked Parvati, looking at her with concern.

"Huh, oh, ah, yeah," Taylor said. "I've got to, ah go, ah... get a book from the library," she stammered, needing desperately to be alone. She grabbed her books off the table and stuffed them into her schoolbag, then rushed out through the porthole and down a set of stairs, along a corridor, down more stairs, until when she finally stopped and slid down the wall, tears rolling down her checks, she was lost. She didn't care at the moment, all she could think about was how lost she felt, not in the school, but in life. She didn't know who she was. Dammit Uncle Herbert, she thought, as a fresh set of tears ran down her face and fell onto her knees that were drawn up tight to her chest. Why couldn't you have told me who I was before…

What if he didn't know, said a small voice in the back of her mind. But he had to have known, if he didn't, then no one knew. The thought was so overwhelming that she felt as if she were drowning in it. She hugged her knees tighter to her chest and began rocking back and forth, trying desperately to break free of the stranglehold it had on her.

Taylor didn't know how long she sat huddled on the floor in the deserted corridor. It might have been five minutes, a half hour, or several hours. Soon, though, she realized she wasn't alone anymore. She opened her tear-swollen eyes to see a pair of pale blue slippers peeking out under bright blue robes. Her breath caught in her throat. She recognized those robes, how long had he been standing there? Taylor's eyes slowly and fearfully traveled up the robes to the white beard tucked into the belt, up to the bright blue eyes peering over the half moon spectacles.

"Why, hello, Miss Porter. May I be so bold as to ask you why it is that you are huddled on the floor outside my office?" Professor Dumbledore asked. His voice was soft and gentle, his eyes filled with concern as he gazed down at Taylor.

"I, ah, I didn't realize I was outside your office, sir," Taylor said trying to think of a way to explain herself.

"Yes, well, you see that stone gargoyle over there?" Professor Dumbledore asked pointing just down the hall. Taylor nodded. Somehow she hadn't noticed it before. "That is the entrance to my office."

"Oh," said Taylor. She was trying to get up but her body was so stiff from sitting in that cramped position for so long. "I'm sorry, sir," she said, fear gripping her. What was he going to do?

Professor Dumbledore put a steadying hand on Taylor's elbow as she made it unsteadily to her feet. He could see the fear in her eyes and how upset she was. "Why don't you come up to my office for a moment and we shall talk," he said turning towards the stone gargoyle.

Taylor felt like running away, but Professor Dumbledore still had hold of her elbow, as if he had sensed that she would run from him. Together they approached the gargoyle and Dumbledore said, "Chocolate covered cherries", and the stone gargoyle sprang into action and slowly started turning, winding a set of stairs upwards. As they stepped onto the stairs, Taylor was sure this was not going to end well. Why would the headmaster take her to his office if not to punish her? What sort of punishment did wizard headmasters dole out anyway?

When they reached the top of the revolving stairs, Professor Dumbledore opened the big wooden door with a brass knocker on it and stepped through, obviously expecting Taylor to follow. She hesitated for a split second but she could hear a voice saying in her mind "and courage too", so she stepped through the door. Her eyes wandered around but quickly settled on the Sorting Hat that was on a shelf above the big oak desk, behind which Professor Dumbledore was having a seat.

Taylor pulled her gaze away from the battered old hat to look at Professor Dumbledore who was quietly watching her, his eyes filled with concern. "Now, Miss Porter, I must again ask you what is wrong?" his voice was gentle and filled with concern.

Taylor took a deep breath and felt her fear leave her. She couldn't imagine, looking into those blue eyes, why she should ever fear him. "I, ah, well sir, ah," she stammered even though she wasn't afraid, would he understand why she felt so lost?

"I am afraid that you are going to have to say more than that Miss Porter," said Professor Dumbledore but his eyes had a twinkle to them. Then they darkened a bit and he asked with heavy concern in his voice, "I hope the problem is not that you do not want to be here at Hogwarts."

"Oh, no, Professor, Sir. That is definitely not the reason I was so… so," again Taylor was not sure how to tell him.

"_Upset_, might perhaps, be the word you were looking for," again his voice was full of concern but the twinkle was back in his eyes.

"Yeah, upset would cover most of it, Sir. Well I was, ah, upset because Sir, I don't know who my parents were, or where I'm from, or… or if they were muggles or not." Taylor finished in a rush, suddenly glad she had told someone.

"Uh huh, I see, and is that all?" Professor Dumbledore asked, his voice still full of concern and something else that Taylor couldn't quite identify, _worry_ perhaps?

Taylor met his eyes again and after a moment's hesitation, told him everything that had been on her mind all afternoon, about her uncle and aunt being gone, and the problems she'd had trying to get answers from her uncle about her parents. When she finished she was looking at the floor, feeling suddenly very vulnerable for having spoken so openly with such a stranger, especially when that person happened to be the headmaster of a wizarding school. I've really done it this time, she thought. I've opened my mouth and put both my feet in up to my knees, another saying of Uncle Herbert's ringing out loudly in her mind.

Professor Dumbledore was silent for a minute or two after she had finished speaking. His mouth was drawn into a line, his eyes sharper, as if he was calculating just how he should respond. When he did speak, his voice, although just as filled with concern, had that edge to it again as if he were worried about something. "Miss Porter, I can understand how very important it is to you to know who your parents were, but I think that sometimes the things we think are important to us can be a grave burden once we find out the truth. So I am going to ask you to not go looking for these answers but to trust me enough that when I feel you are ready, I will see to it that all your questions about your parents are answered to the best of my knowledge; and if I might say so, that is a considerable amount." his eyes took on that twinkle again as he said the last part.

Taylor stood perfectly still, looking at Dumbledore, trying to grasp just what he had said. Questions exploded in her mind. Did he just imply that he knew her parents? Why is it so important that she not know? And a hundred others like them.

Unable to stop herself she blurted out, "Professor, Sir, did you know my parents?"

Professor Dumbledore sighed and said, "Taylor were you not listening to me?"

That he had used her first name got her complete attention. All the questions died as she met those piercing blue eyes. "Yes, sir, I was listening. I just don't understand. Why is it such a secret who my parents were?" Taylor replied as she continued to look into those eyes.

"Taylor, do you trust me?" asked Dumbledore softly, never breaking eye contact.

"Yes, Sir," she said confidently. Somehow she just knew she could trust him.

"Then I must ask you to please not go looking for these answers. I promise I shall let you know when the time is right." said Dumbledore. Taylor could tell by the tone of his voice that this was the end of their conversation on the matter. "I think you should be getting along now Miss Porter. The tables in the Great Hall should be groaning beneath the weight of the food by now; don't you think?" the twinkle in his eye and the answering growl in her stomach settled it.

Taylor was filled with a million questions as she tried to find her way down to the Great Hall for supper, but that crushing feeling of being lost and not knowing who she was, was gone. She couldn't explain it but just knowing that someone knew the answers made her feel OK again, like when Uncle Herbert was alive. Maybe that wasn't right, but that was how she felt. So as she entered the Great Hall to find most of the students already eating, she felt even better. It had only taken her twenty minutes to get there. Harry, she noted with a smile, was already starting his dessert.

Professor Dumbledore sat listening to the sound of the stone stairway until long after it had ceased to make any sound. When he had come along the corridor and had seen a tiny bundle huddled against the wall he was concerned that someone had been jinxed in some way, until he noticed that it was rocking slightly back and forth. It was nothing though, compared to the worry that he felt when he recognized the student, Miss Taylor Porter. It was the next thing to fear. He had stood and watched her for several minutes, wondering just what was wrong and how he was going to deal with it if Miss Porter wanted to leave Hogwarts. He had been very relieved to find out that she didn't want to leave the school. However he was deeply troubled to hear her asking the questions about her parents that he could not answer; not now, she was too young. So much depended on the Potter children, and they were just children after all. Dumbledore stood up and paced his office long into the night, pondering yet again if he had made the right decision for the wrong reasons.

* * *

><p>AN And here is another chapter! There is only one more short chapter to get the back ground for my story out of the way and then the true story will begin, so please bear with me!

Thank you to those of you who have put this story in their alerts! But I would so Love to hear your oppinion on it! A review would be so greatly appreciated! This is after all my 'baby' that I have been working on for 4 years! I think I am being very brave putting it out there for anyone to read! So if you have any questions or comments, likes or dislikes I would very much like to hear them! All reviews will recieve a response!

Thank you to my bata barbc!

So until next time, cytpotter


	5. A Troll of Friendship

Again anything you recognize is from the great JK Rowling! Everything else is mine!

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter Five<strong>

**A Troll of Friendship**

It was Saturday again; a week after her talk with Professor Dumbledore, and Taylor was enjoying the view from her dorm window as the rest of the girls slept. The sun was just starting to paint the eastern sky lighter shades of purple. The stars were winking out of sight as the sky grew lighter. She loved the sunrise. This past week had been better. Classes were still challenging but she was learning. She smiled as she remembered the first flying lesson. She'd been able to get the broom off the ground on her first try. The same as Harry, she smiled to herself. What had happened next nearly stopped her heart though. Harry had taken off after Draco Malfoy because he had Neville's ball thingy. Then Malfoy threw the ball and Harry had dived after it, catching it just before it hit the ground! What flying, she'd thought, until Professor McGonagall had come along and taken Harry into the school. She was so relieved to find out later that Harry hadn't been expelled.

Taylor remembered the look on Hermione's face when she had overheard Harry and Ron making plans to meet Malfoy for a duel at midnight. Hermione hadn't let her alone all evening, talking about how irresponsible those two were being. Hermione had only settled down to do some homework when Taylor suggested they wait up for Harry and Ron and stop them from going. That had turned out well, Taylor thought sarcastically. They weren't able to stop Harry and Ron from leaving the common room and then the four of them couldn't get back in because the Fat Lady was gone from her painting. The next thing to happen was they found Neville asleep in the hall; he hadn't been able to get in the common room either because of the Fat Lady. Then when they reached the Trophy Room where Harry was supposed to duel Malfoy, it had been a trap and Filch, the caretaker and his cat Mrs. Norris had shown up instead. "Run," Harry had shouted and they ran! All the way to the corridor on the third floor, that was restricted! And for good reason, there was a three-headed dog in there and it almost had a snack of First Years! Taylor couldn't help but smile though, at what Hermione had said to Harry and Ron when they had finally made it safely back to the common room, "We could have been killed or worse yet… expelled." Taylor chuckled to herself.

The weeks went by fast. Taylor found she had lots to keep her busy. The schoolwork was great. She really enjoyed her classes, except Potions of course. She had received a couple of letters from Mrs. Briggs and had sent her some too. It was nice to receive mail by owl post at breakfast. She had noticed Harry didn't receive any, though, except the broomstick he got one morning so he could play Quidditch. Taylor was trying hard to keep her mind off of Harry but it wasn't working very well. Taylor liked Hermione, but she could be so bossy at times, and Ron and Harry didn't seem to like her very much.

Then again, they don't pay any attention to me, Taylor mused as she sat in the girls' bathroom. She'd been trying to talk Hermione into coming to the Great Hall for the Hallowe'en feast for over an hour. Taylor wasn't making any headway. Hermione was so upset. Ron had said something to her after their Charms class that afternoon, and Hermione had been crying in the girls lavatory ever since. "Come on Hermione, let's just go up to the feast, I'm sure Ron didn't mean to hurt your feelings," Taylor said. Hermione just shook her head again.

Suddenly they heard the door open, and when Taylor and Hermione turned to see who it was. They both let out a scream. Standing just inside the door way was a huge troll, a wooden club in his hand. Taylor looked around but there was nowhere to run, they were trapped! As the troll started to come towards them, Taylor was trying to think of a way out as they backed up into the corner. Then just as the troll came within striking distance with his huge club, Harry and Ron came running in the bathroom door.

"Duck," yelled Harry as the troll's club smashed into the sink beside Hermione.

Taylor felt the floor vibrate as the club hit it. Hermione's hand grabbed hold of Taylor's, and they both dodged towards the cubicles. The troll turned as they ran.

"We've got to distract it," shouted Harry and he grabbed a piece of broken sink and lobbed it at the troll. It turned towards him.

"Oy, dung breath," yelled Ron as he threw something at it too.

The troll roared in frustration as the sounds echoed off the bathroom walls and it raised its club for another swing. "Come on, Hermione," yelled Taylor as she tried to pull Hermione to her feet. She had sunk to the floor in fright, but still had a tight hold on Taylor's hand.

The troll's club came smashing down again but it seemed to be confused as to which target to swing at. It hit the cubicle beside where Taylor and Hermione were. Taylor was still trying to pull Hermione to her feet. "I can't get her up," screamed Taylor, fear really setting in now as the troll looked at her with its beady eyes.

The next second, Taylor saw Harry grab hold of the troll's club as he raised it for another swing. Harry reached out and stuffed his wand up the troll's nose. Harry jumped off and Ron gave his wand a swish and said, "_Wingardium Leviosa!" _The troll's club rose up into the air and fell down. There was a sickening thud as it hit the ugly creature on the head.

The troll fell to the bathroom floor, out cold.

That's when Professor McGonagall, came rushing into the bathroom. "What the…" exclaimed McGonagall. "What do you think you are doing Mr. Potter? Mr. Weasley?"

"Please Professor, we went looking for the troll. They were only trying to save…" Hermione's voice quivered and she looked at Taylor, her eyes pleading.

"They were saving us," said Taylor in a small voice

The look on Harry and Ron's face was incredible. They couldn't believe that Hermione and Taylor were willing to lie to a teacher and take the blame for this.

"Well I never would have thought you capable of doing something so foolish Miss Granger, Miss Porter! To go after a troll! Five points each will be taken from Gryffindor. And you Mr. Potter and Mr. Weasley, I give you each ten points… for pure dumb luck," Professor McGonagall said, clearly still very angry but a bit impressed none the less.

The four of them hurried out of there as fast as they could. They went all the way back to the Gryffindor common room not saying a word. Just before they went in through the painting of the Fat Lady, Taylor and Hermione stopped. There was a moment of awkward silence; the girls were staring at the floor. "Thanks," the four of them said all at once. Taylor and Hermione looked up at Harry and Ron, and the four of them laughed as they went in through the porthole.

That was the beginning of a friendship that would carry them through the worst of evil and the darkest of times.

* * *

><p>AN Well there you have it! That is the background of Taylor Porter, from when Hagrid found her and how she became friends with Hermione, Ron and Harry. The next chapter will be the start of their seventh year and the adventures that will come with it! I hope you have enjoyed it so far! Though this story is just really getting started now!

Please leave a review and tell me how you liked my take on how the story of Harry could of started! I would consider it a reward for posting 2 chapters in 1 day! :-)

Thank you to my bata barbc!

Until next time, cytpotter


	6. Remembering a Promise

Of course I am not JK Rowling and Harry Potter belongs to her, I am just borrowing him for a little while! :)

If you have read this far then I thank you! This is truly the start of my story! The background stuff is all done and we can move into the stuff that truly spewed from my imagination!

Hope you enjoy! :)

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter Six<strong>

**Remembering a Promise**

It had been nearly seven years since that Hallowe'en night when the four of them had fought that troll, Taylor thought as she sat at the table watching her three best friends- well, four actually. A person had to include Ginny Weasley as a best friend too.

They were all at the Burrow, Ron's parents' place, because Ron's older brother Bill was marrying Fleur Delacour… in three days. They were all invited. Ginny was even a bridesmaid.

Taylor looked at Hermione, who was talking about the difference between brewing a potion to enlarge the flowers for the wedding or just using an engorgement spell.

Some things never change. Taylor's mind went back to their second year. That had been a very trying year for Harry but, Taylor thought, what year wasn't? Professor Lockhart, now that was a piece of work, and so many witches had fallen for his horrid charm. That was the second time Harry had to face Lord Voldemort, but of course he was Tom Riddle in that diary then. Ginny had almost died because of that diary, Taylor remembered. They had learned a lot about the wizarding world in general that year; well Hermione, Harry and I had, thought Taylor. Ron already knew about most of those prejudices. Harry knowing how to speak Parseltongue still might come in handy though. It sure had that year. That skill had allowed Harry to get into the Chamber of Secrets and kill the basilisk and stop Riddle. Taylor still wished that she could have helped Ron and Harry out more, but McGonagall had almost found them on their way to the girl's bathroom. They had decided she needed to distract McGonagall so that Harry and Ron wouldn't be seen escorting, at wand point, a very unwilling Lockhart to the Chamber so they could try and rescue Ginny.

"Hey, Taylor!" yelled Ron, flicking his wand and sending water spraying all over a startled Taylor.

"Ahh, Ron you, you jerk!" yelled Taylor jumping up from her seat, soaking wet, bringing her mind very quickly back to the present.

"Wow, Taylor, where were you? I've been trying to get your attention now for the past two minutes!" a very exasperated Hermione was saying as Harry and Ron laughed, and Ginny tried to keep from laughing but was failing miserably.

"I was just thinking," said Taylor still trying to wipe all the water off of her face. "Ginny, do you have a towel or something?" her voice tight with anger.

"Oh for goodness sake, here I'll dry you off. When do you turn of age any way," Hermione said as she took out her wand and dried Taylor off.

Taylor made a face at Hermione. She knew how to do the drying spell as well as Hermione, but underage witches weren't allowed to do magic outside of school. "You know as well as I do when I turn of age Hermione," she shot back.

"OK you two, we don't need to go down that road again," said Harry shaking his head at Taylor.

"Yeah, yeah, OK Harry, I know; toe the line," said Taylor but her angry mask had slipped away and she began to smile. It was a sore spot for Taylor though, the restriction on underage magic. The rest of them knew it too. There was nothing that could be done about it, and the last thing they wanted right now was to have the Ministry of Magic poking around here. "I was just thinking back to our second year, that's all," replied Taylor as she tried to put the underage thing out of her mind.

"Oh yeah, that was a wonderful happy year," Ginny said her voice dripping in sarcasm.

"You know I don't mean it like that, Ginny. I was just trying to go over things to see if we have missed anything," Taylor said, looking at Ginny.

"What do you mean missed something? We were all there; how could we have missed something?" asked Ron sounding confused.

"You're talking about some sort of a clue, we might have forgotten about, right?" asked Hermione, getting Taylor's line of thinking right away, her voice becoming thoughtful.

"Yeah, there has to be something we are missing, some clue…" Taylor's voice trailed off. She was thinking again.

"What, besides the fact that Dumbledore is dead, and I," Harry's angry tirade began, but he amended it before anyone could interrupt him, "or _we_, have to find the Horcruxes; destroy them, and then I have to kill Voldemort!" stormed Harry, getting up and starting to pace angrily around the kitchen.

"Harry, you know that is not what I meant," Taylor said carefully eyeing Harry. He was so explosive these days. She was so worried about him; well, all of them, actually. This was not going to be easy.

"Harry, just sit down. We have to go about this rationally. You can't keep going off half cocked every time one of us tries to help think of things," Hermione replied in her best _let's be reasonable_ voice.

"Yeah, sit down Harry. Maybe we should go over each year and maybe we've just forgotten something. I mean maybe Dumbledore left some sort of clue," Ginny said as she took hold of Harry's hand and guided him to a chair, then sat next to him, still holding his hand.

"I don't think this is going to get us anywhere," grumbled Ron, but he smiled when Hermione sat beside him and took his hand.

Taylor sighed; she didn't begrudge any of her friends the happiness they had found together. Ron and Hermione had been going together since Dumbledore's funeral. Harry and Ginny had reached a truce of sorts until after the wedding, when they would, or more precisely _Harry_, would go his separate way.

They spent the next half hour talking about their first and second year, the diary was definitely a Horcrux, but they couldn't think of anything else in those years that would be a clue of some sort.

"Well in the third year we thought that Sirius was trying to kill you Harry, I mean at first anyway," Ron said

"That's not quite correct Ron. We thought Sirius was going to kill Harry right up until we went to the Shrieking Shack and found out Scabbers was, in fact, Wormtail," Hermione said as she smiled at Harry, remembering when he had found out that Sirius was his godfather.

"Harry," said Taylor her voice suddenly excited, her eyes lighting up as she remembered, "wasn't that the year you got the Marauders Map from Fred and George?" Fred and George were Ron's older twin brothers.

"Yeah, they gave it to me so I could go to Hogsmeade because I wasn't allowed to go otherwise. Why? The map isn't a clue. We've used it a lot and there isn't anything special about it, other than showing us Hogwarts and the people in it," Harry said as he looked at Taylor, wondering where she was going with this.

"But, Harry, don't you see? The map shows us passageways to the Shrieking Shack and Honeydukes, but where do the other passages go?" Taylor was really excited about this new idea. Maybe there was some of Hogwarts that hasn't been searched.

"I don't know. Fred and George said they were caved in," Harry said, still not convinced that this was getting them anywhere.

Hermione jumped up and grabbed a quill and some parchment. "You're right, Taylor. We should have thought of this before. We need to find out when those passages caved in. We should ask Lupin. He'd know. He helped make the map, after all." Hermione was jotting things down.

"I think we should search the Shrieking Shack, too," said Taylor to Hermione as they looked excitedly at each other. Hermione was nodding her head in agreement.

Ron looked at the two of them and shook his head. Hermione and Taylor always got like this when an idea hit them. They'd put their heads together and talk in that excited way and usually come up with something good. Ron smiled. Hermione was happiest when she was totally absorbed in thinking about a problem. The two of them, Ron remembered, had been doing this for as long as he knew them.

"What? You think that Vo…Voldemort used those passages to…" Ginny began, but Harry held up his hand and she stopped.

Harry drew out his wand and said, "_Muffliato!_" Then looked meaningfully at Ginny.

Ginny understood instantly. If this was going to be important information they couldn't risk it being overheard, even in the Burrow. The spell Harry had just performed was an excellent spell to keep secrets from being heard by anyone else. I should have thought of that sooner, Ginny thought. "You think that Voldemort might have used those passageways to hide something; maybe a Horcrux?" Ginny asked again.

Harry looked at Hermione, then Taylor, as if he was judging their reactions.

"Now that we have thought of it, yes, we think that might be a very good place to start," Hermione replied looking straight back at Harry. Taylor was nodding her head in agreement.

"But those passageways probably caved in after Lupin and the others made the Marauders Map; it only stands to reason they did, if they are on the map," Ron said, clearly not convinced this was getting them anywhere.

"What if they were already caved in? If Lupin, Sirius and ah… and James," stuttered Taylor, I almost said something I shouldn't, thought Taylor quickly. "If they just found the entrance to those passageways, and they were already caved in. Then there is a possibility that Voldemort did hide something in them," Taylor finished in a rush, heat rising up her checks. Harry was watching her with his eyes narrowed. He knew what she had almost let slip.

"It will all depend on what Lupin has to say. If the passageways were open when they made the map, then Voldemort definitely didn't hide anything in them, and we won't have to go check it out. That's the biggest reason, isn't it; us going back to Hogwarts to look?" Harry said, his voice becoming belligerent again. He knew why Hermione and especially Taylor wanted to find something at Hogwarts to search for, so he would go back for their last year of school. Well, he wasn't going back. There was nothing for him to go back for. Dumbledore was dead. He still had trouble with that and he didn't think that there was anything at the school that would help him find the Horcruxes. They had already searched hadn't they?

The five of them spent the next hour and a half going over their fourth, fifth, and sixth years. They got a couple of ideas that were worth thinking some more about. One was the Room of Requirements where Harry had hidden the Half Blood Prince's potion book that he had used last year. That room was full of all kinds of things, or maybe they should see what the Room might produce if one was to look for information about Horcruxes. Another thing they wanted to do was go see the portrait of Dumbledore in the Headmaster's office, and ask it, or him - they weren't sure how to address Dumbledore as a portrait - some questions too.

Hermione was just jotting down the last idea when there was a noise in the fireplace and Mrs. Weasley stepped out of the flue, looking a bit sooty from the trip. Hermione quickly slipped the parchment into her shorts' pocket and gave her wand a flick to dispel the silencing spell.

"I hope you all have had an enjoyable afternoon," Mrs. Weasley said brightly smiling at them. "Ron please go out to the garden and fetch me some fresh tomatoes and cucumbers. I am going to make a salad for supper."

Taylor jumped up, "I'll get them for you Mrs. Weasley. Do you want any green onions or peppers to go with your salad?" Taylor wanted an excuse to be alone for a bit. All the talk about last school year had painfully reminded her of the promise Dumbledore had finally fulfilled about her parents.

Mrs. Weasley frowned at Ron but said, "Ok, Taylor, if you would like to. Please see if there are any carrots left that the gnomes haven't gotten." Mrs. Weasley was already at the sink waving her wand to cut up other vegetables for supper.

When Taylor was finally outside she leaned back against the house and breathed deeply, trying to make the knot in her stomach loosen up. She always got this way when she thought about what Dumbledore had told her about her parents, and the fact that she had promised never to tell anyone. Taylor remembered that evening like it was yesterday. It had been the first Saturday of their sixth year. She had received a note telling her to go the Headmaster's office after supper was finished. Taylor remembered being so excited; Dumbledore was going to keep the promise he had made to her back in first year. She had done as he asked and never asked anyone about her parents, and if someone did ask she told them they had been muggles. She wasn't entirely sure why she said they were muggles; it just seemed like the right thing to tell people to keep them from asking more questions. Most witches and wizards never dwelled long on the families of muggle-borns or their muggle parents.

Taylor moved away from the wall and walked into the garden looking at the vegetables and picking them as she came to them. Her mind still on that night. She remembered going up to Dumbledore's office, opening the door, and seeing Harry standing there. He had smiled at her when she went to stand beside him. She remembered feeling incredibly curious as to why Harry was there too. Surely Dumbledore planned to tell her about her parents in private. If Dumbledore waited six years for it to be the right time, and her parents' identity was such a secret, why have Harry there? Just goes to show you how off-base you can be, Taylor thought as she looked for another ripe cucumber.

It was Dumbledore's eyes that told Taylor that this wasn't going to be the happy tale she wanted it to be. When Dumbledore spoke, his voice was weary, resigned as if he wished he didn't have to tell her the truth even now. "Taylor, thank you for coming, I know you have waited a long time for the promise I made to you to be fulfilled, but first I must finish talking to Harry. You shall, however, find this is the beginning of your tale too, Miss Porter." Dumbledore turned his eyes to Harry, and spoke with the same tone. "Harry, at the end of last term, I told you all about the prophecy, and Voldemort's obsession with it. I take it you have talked about this with Miss Porter, Miss Granger and Mr. Weasley," Harry nodded but he had glanced sideways with a questioning look in his eyes. Dumbledore continued, "I didn't, however, tell you everything there is. I felt that it was not the right time with Sirius having just died, so please forgive me yet again if I have made the mistake of trying to protect you. But I believe that I can not hold off any longer. You two deserve to know the truth even if no one else can." Taylor had glanced at Harry, but Harry was looking angrily at the Headmaster. "The night that Hagrid took you to the Dursley's, Harry, I had already arranged for them to take you, such as that was, but when Hagrid arrived at the Dursley's, he had not one, but _two_ babies with him."

As Taylor stood in the garden in the waning sun of the late afternoon, she trembled slightly, as she had in the headmaster's office. Dumbledore's words still ringing in her ears as if he were here saying them right now. "James and Lily, your father and mother, Harry, had another child, unknown to anyone, even myself." Harry had been white when Taylor turned to look at him, her eyes wide, her body trembling. Those green eyes, in a face I should know, was all that went through Taylor's mind. Harry had exploded, Taylor couldn't remember much of what he said, her mind had been bogged down with the fact that her parents now had a name, James and Lily Potter. They now had a face too, with green eyes and mahogany hair.

When Harry had finally stopped yelling and Taylor realized that Dumbledore was again speaking, her ears started to work again. Dumbledore was telling them about the importance of never telling anyone about their newfound relationship as brother and sister. Harry had interrupted and asked, "How can Taylor be my sister? Mom couldn't… I mean there wasn't time to have another…" his voice had trailed off. Dumbledore then told them that they were about eleven to twelve months apart, and that, yes, that was very humanly possible.

"But her name, I mean it's P. O. R. T. E. R. not Potter," Harry had said, still sounding like he didn't believe; didn't want to believe, Taylor had thought. Dumbledore had just nodded his head then told them that he had gone to great lengths to erase everything that he could about Taylor's past; her parent's names, her name, and her date of birth. "So Taylor is really only 15 not 16?" Harry had asked. Dumbledore again nodded then told them how he believed it was safer for her to be here at Hogwarts even though she had been a year younger, and having erased her date of birth, it had been easy to work around the age limit set for the school. "But her name," Harry began. Dumbledore had looked at Taylor with the saddest eyes that she had ever seen and when he spoke again his voice was filled with sorrow, "Taylor, I am sorry but I do not know what name James and Lily gave you. At the time I thought it safest to _not_ find out and send it with you. I feared that somehow one of Voldemort's followers would find out about you, so when I sent you to your great-Aunt and Uncles', I told them that you were just an orphan. They gave you your name. I suspect, however, that your uncle guessed who you were and having the wit that he had, gave you the last name of Porter.

Taylor remembered standing there rooted to the spot on the floor, trembling, not uttering a word. It had been Harry who asked all the questions and Dumbledore had answered them. Taylor couldn't find her voice. Her mouth just wouldn't work, and her mind was in such a whirl that she doubted if she could have formed a coherent sentence anyway. They had stayed in the headmaster's office for a little while longer Harry asking more questions about how and why Dumbledore had kept this from them for so long. Before Dumbledore had told them they had better be getting back to their Common Room, he made them promise to never tell anyone, not even Hermione and Ron about being brother and sister. They had agreed. They didn't have a choice.

* * *

><p>AN Well what do you think? This is the first chapter of how I seen Seventh year happening. Like it? Hate it? Have any questions? See any mistakes? Grammer or story wise? Please tell me! I'd love to hear your oppinion! As I hinted at before this is a long story! And it truly is just getting started! It gets better... or I think it does as this first bunch of chapters was some of my very first attempts at writing. Remember I wrote them all before Deathly Hallows ever came out and I decided to keep them. I'll let you know when we reach the "after" chapters! :)

Thank you to my bata barbc! And thank you for reading, until next time, cytpotter


	7. The Burden of Knowledge

No I am still not JK Rowling and I am not making any money off this story.

Sorry for taking so long to get this chapter out. I am trying to post 2 chapters a week, but I just didn't get a chance to this week.

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter Seven<strong>

**The Burden of Knowledge**

Harry stood with his back against the Burrow. He had followed Taylor out of the house a while after she had come out to the garden. He watched her as she was supposed to be picking a cucumber. Her hair was the same shade of mahogany that his Mom's had been, he thought as the sun danced in Taylor's hair, making it appear very deep red at the moment. Of course Taylor's hair was cut short, unlike his Mom's, which had been long, he remembered from the pictures he had of his mother. Taylor's hair had always been cut short, boyishly short actually. Harry frowned. He wondered why a girl who had such pretty hair would keep it cut so short. Ginny's long beautiful hair came to mind. Harry gave himself a mental shake. He hadn't followed Taylor out here to think about her hair. It was what she had almost let slip that had brought him out to talk to her. Harry's frown deepened. Sometimes he almost wished Dumbledore hadn't told him about Taylor being his sister; he didn't feel any differently about her now. He had thought of her as a sister anyway, just like Hermione. "You don't feel any differently about her now that you know; are you sure of that?" a small voice in the back of his mind whispered. He pushed the thought angrily aside. He couldn't afford to let himself feel anything more deeply for Taylor. Besides, how much more could he feel for her; she was one of his best friends. "What about your feelings for Ginny? They are definitely different," that same small voice whispered again.

Harry pushed himself off the wall and walked towards Taylor. She was just bending to pick another cucumber. He could tell her mind was a million miles away, or more precisely almost a year back in time in Dumbledore's office. He stopped beside her and she didn't give any indication that she knew he was even there. Harry was suddenly struck with how dangerous that could be for them and it made his voice sharper than he had intended. "Taylor! We need to have a talk."

Taylor gasped and jerked to her feet, spinning around to face him. The vegetables that she had picked fell to the ground. Her eyes were wide with surprise. Harry was amazed again by how much like their father's eyes they were.

"You scared the living daylights out of me, Harry," Taylor cried, hitting him on the arm with her hand. Her breathing was starting to return to normal. She bent to pick up the vegetables she had dropped and said, "What would you like to talk about anyway, Harry?"

When she straightened up with the vegetables for Mrs. Weasley in her arms, Harry said, "I think we should have a talk about us," and he gave her a meaningful look, "but not out here."

She stared hard at Harry for a moment, trying to decide if he was angry or not, then she said, "I'll just take these vegetables into Mrs. Weasley and I'll be right back out, OK?" As she finished speaking, she was already heading for the house. She gave the vegetables to Mrs. Weasley, smiled at Ron who was peeling potatoes, and gave a wave to Ginny and Hermione who were putting things into a cauldron on the table. They were mixing up an enlargement potion for the flowers for the wedding. Then she slipped back outside, where Harry was waiting for her.

They moved away from the house and under an old tree in the backyard. Taylor sat down on the grass and curled her feet under her. Harry sat with his back against the tree. He pulled out his wand and did the Muffliato charm so they could talk without worrying about being overheard.

Taylor was the first to speak, her voice resigned, "I know what you are going to say. I need to be more careful so I don't let it slip that we are related. I hate this Harry. I know Dumbledore has, ahh… had good reasons, to keep it a secret, but I still don't like it. Well on to happier notes; sorry I missed your birthday yesterday, but Mrs. Briggs wanted help de-gnomeing her garden so I couldn't make it over. I'm sure you got your present anyway. I gave it to Hedwig to take to you," Taylor finished with a big smile.

Harry rolled his eyes. This was one of Taylor's ways of trying to get out of talking about something really serious. "Yeah, I got your card and thanks for the owl treats and the fake wand. I suppose it's one of Fred and Georges from their joke shop?" Harry asked. He knew Taylor had never had a lot of money and the gifts were special to him. He knew what it was like to not have any money. When he continued, his voice turned serious and he looked straight at Taylor. She glanced away and started fiddling with the grass. "Look, Taylor, I know it is hard for you to keep our parents names a secret and not tell anyone, not even Ron and Hermione, but Dumbledore had a reason, to protect you from Voldemort. If Voldemort found out who you were, your life would be in danger! We _have_ to keep it a secret. It's just you and me now, and I'm sure that Mom and Dad would want you to stay safe." Taylor looked up at Harry and nodded. Harry let out a sigh. Maybe he had finally made her see the danger she would be in.

Taylor was quiet for a minute and when she began to speak her voice was controlled as if she were fighting to contain her emotions. "Harry, I know Dumbledore wanted to protect me. I've always known, somehow, that the identity of my parents was something to be kept a secret. Why else would Dumbledore ask me not to ask questions about them in the first week I was ever at Hogwarts? Then wait for six years to tell me who they were? I have tried very hard to keep this _information _to myself and away from even my best friends. It has not been easy. Especially when I haven't been able to talk to my brother about it either," Taylor held up her hand to stop Harry from interrupting. "I know you had other things last year that took up all your time, like going with Dumbledore to try and find the Horcruxes, and juggling quidditch and school work and everything. I know you have a lot on your mind, now too, and I have tried very hard to keep this all to myself. I don't want to add to the trouble that we are facing,"

Taylor's voice was starting to crack, her knuckles white as she clenched her fists. She had to tell Harry how she felt, and there might not be another chance. "But I know what kind of danger you are in, and Ron and Hermione, and the danger I am in too, just because we are trying to stop Voldemort. So if you think that telling me that I will be in danger of being killed if the secret of who my parents are gets out is going to scare me, then you really do not know who I am. I've been in danger every year at Hogwarts just because I am one of Harry Potter's friends. I didn't walk away then and I'm definitely not about to now. I plan to stand beside you all the way. If I get killed, Harry, who besides you and our best friends will care? Nobody. But if you die, I will be alone again. I fear that more than anything Voldemort could do to me, whether he knows who my mom and dad are or not. I'm proud to call James and Lily Potter my parents, and I only keep the secret because I respect Dumbledore so much," Taylor took a deep breath. She knew that had not come out as she had hoped and that she had rambled on, "I know you do not plan on going back to Hogwarts, and if you don't go back, neither am I. I've made up my mind whether you like it or not."

Harry just looked at Taylor, and then he could feel his blood beginning to boil. He was not going to let her come with him. Ron and Hermione were different; they were of age. He was just about to tell her exactly how he felt when he heard something and looked up. Ron was walking toward them with a weary look on his face. Harry quickly flicked his wand to undo the silencing charm and got to his feet, still intending to tell Taylor what he thought. Ron beat him to the punch.

"What the bloody hell have you two been doing out here for so long? Ginny's looking for you, Harry," Ron said looking from one to the other. Taylor's face was pale but starting to turn red. Harry's face was red, and if Ron had taken a moment longer to look he would have noticed it was from anger not embarrassment. But he didn't. He knew by the way Taylor had been looking at Harry just now that something was going on. Ron was furious. Harry and Ginny had just gotten back together and then Taylor had to arrive at the Burrow this morning and started stirring up trouble. Ron had always thought Taylor had a crush on Harry and ever since last September she had been annoyingly going on about Harry, and she was always watching him. It was sick, Ron thought. Ginny needs to hex Taylor a time or two, so Taylor knew who Harry really belonged to.

Taylor looked at Ron and could almost read the thoughts going through his mind, his face becoming angrier by the second. She knew from experience that Ron would jump to some conclusion. She definitely didn't see what Hermione found so attractive about him. She knew that any idea of talking more to Harry tonight was gone, so she said, just to annoy Ron even more, "Oh, my, it is getting late. I really need to go home now but I'll see you tomorrow," Taylor batted her eyes at Harry and blew him a kiss as she turned and went into the Burrow. A big grin on her face as soon as Harry and Ron couldn't see it, which left Harry scrambling to calm down big brother Ron.

Taylor could see Ginny and Hermione putting a greenish liquid into a bottle from the cauldron where they had brewed the enlargement potion. Ginny wasn't even looking for Harry. "Hey, how'd the potion work out? Have you tried it yet?" Taylor asked as she tried to hide the smile. She didn't quite manage it. "I've got to go home. Mrs. Briggs is expecting me for supper."

Hermione's eyes narrowed. Taylor looked like the cat that swallowed the canary. Something was up, but she said, "Are you going to be able to come over tomorrow? We've told Mrs. Weasley that we would start decorating the back yard."

Ginny was eyeing Taylor too. She knew trouble when she saw it smiling like that. She was related to Fred and George, pranksters extraordinary. "I think Mom was counting on you to stay for supper; you'd better let her know before you go."

Mrs. Weasley bustled into the kitchen at that moment, "Taylor did I just hear you say you aren't staying for supper? We've lots and you are most welcome to stay."

"No, I'm sorry Mrs. Weasley. Mrs. Briggs is expecting me for supper and she will have auror's out looking for me if I'm not there," Taylor replied, going over to the fireplace and pulling out some floo powder from her pocket. "See you all tomorrow, and Ginny you might want to make sure Ron doesn't jinx Harry to death." Grinning again, she winked her eye at them, stepped into the fireplace and said "Briggs Cottage," before either of them had a chance to say another word. She would hear about it tomorrow, she was sure of it, but for now that little bit of mischief felt good.

Taylor had no more than spun away in the fireplace when Ginny, Hermione and Mrs. Weasley heard loud voices coming in through the open window.

"I told you Ron I was not snogging Taylor, we were just talking," the angry voice of Harry shouted.

"I know what I saw. You're lucky Fred and George didn't," they didn't hear what Fred and George didn't, because there was a loud crack and two new voices hurtling jinx's. Ginny, Hermione, and Mrs. Weasley, went running out to the back yard, wands drawn. The sight that met their eyes might have been funny if it hadn't been such a shock. Ron was laying flat on his back. Vines were wrapping themselves around his body, turning him into a green mummy before their eyes. Harry was jumping up and down but every time his feet hit the ground a bolt of lightning would fly out of his feet and hands; his yelps of pain almost a constant yell. Then there was Fred and George standing with their wands out, pointing at Ron and Harry, and calmly discussing what they should do next.

"What do you think Fred? Do we need to teach these two pups a lesson?" George asked.

"Most definitely, George. They were about to do something _nasty_ if we hadn't happened along. Good thing we decided to come for supper early," Fred replied.

"Fred, George, let those two up this instant! This is not acceptable. What do you think you are doing jinxing Harry and Ron like that!" Mrs. Weasley yelled angrily at the twins.

"Oh, Mum, how are you today?" George said as if noticing her for the first time.

"I'm not sure you want us to do that, Mother-dear. These two were fixing to have themselves a little fist-a-cuff when we so luckily happened along. I wouldn't want little Ronnie-pooh hurting our little Harry-kins," said Fred. However with another look from their mother that would have had most people retreating in a hurry, they casually lifted their wands and uttered the counter jinx.

"Ok then, their blood will be on your heads," George said dramatically.

* * *

><p>AN So what did you think? Are the charactors staying canon? If you don't think so please let me know. I want Harry and the others to be as cannon as possible. I'd very much like to hear what you think of this story. If you have read this far then you must have some oppinion, I'd really like to hear it! With over 14 000 words posted I really like to hear a few from you, the reader!

Thank you again to my bata, barbc!

So unitl next time, cytpotter


	8. Passages and Twins

I am not JKR. The characters you recognize are Rowlings the rest are from my imagination!

Enjoy!

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter Eight<strong>

**Passages and Twins**

Taylor was still grinning as she stepped out of the fireplace at Briggs Cottage. She had gotten used to traveling by floo powder, but she would still prefer to travel by broom if it were only fast enough. She could apparate; not the most enjoyable feeling in the world but you didn't need a fireplace, and it was a sure way to get from one place to another almost instantly. However she wasn't of age and couldn't get her apparition license, not until next summer. So she wasn't allowed to apparate, or the Ministry of Magic might get involved.

Mrs. Briggs was in the kitchen and said, "How was your day dear? Did you have an enjoyable time with your friends? Well, Janet was by today for a visit…" Taylor was still amazed at how much Mrs. B, as she had started to call her during her second summer here, could talk. They had a pleasant supper together. Taylor found that Mrs. B asked very few questions that she ever waited for an answer to. That suited Taylor just fine. Not that she was trying to hide things. Mrs. B seemed to think of her as more of a houseguest that came and went. She seldom inquired into Taylor's personal life. Yeah, they had a strange relationship but it worked well for them. After supper Taylor helped clean up, then asked if there was anything else she could do. When Mrs. B said, "no", Taylor went up to her room saying that she had some reading she had to do.

As Taylor closed her door the smile came back to her face. She was wondering how far Ron would go to protect his sister from a broken heart. She started giggling as images of Ron and Harry dueling it out popped into her head. Maybe Harry would jinx Ron and he'd have grass coming out his ears, a common jinx at school. Taylor sat on her bed and still grinning, pulled a map and several heavy books out of their hiding place in the wall. She'd found the hiding hole her third summer and it had proved to be very useful. If I thought for a second that Ginny thought that I was fooling around with Harry I'd tell her… This stopped Taylor's line of thinking. Just what would she tell Ginny or Hermione? I don't know, but if Ginny suspected Harry of cheating on her with me, Ginny would have jinxed me into next week, of that Taylor was sure! Ginny had the well-deserved reputation for jinxing people who crossed her!

Taylor closed the blinds in her window, and then spread the map out on to the bed. She pulled out her quill then flipped the largest book open to the page she had been reading the night before. The parchment she had been making notes on was there also. Taylor had taken Mrs. B up on her invitation to read any of the books in the room she stayed in, however, she was quite sure that Mrs. B didn't know about the secret bookcase behind one of the walls. These books had a lot in them about dark magic; very much like the restricted section in the library at Hogwarts. She had discovered them her fifth summer and they were proving very useful. They had spells and some very nasty jinxes that could help out a lot when the time came to face Voldemort and his Death Eaters. The map was an unexpected bonus. It was of Great Britain, but most important of all, it had Godric's Hollow on it; the place where Harry said he was going to visit first after the wedding. Taylor knew that she would have to apparate and use her magic when she went with Harry but this really didn't worry her. Once she was away from home and the Weasley's, where the Ministry was watching for underage magic, she'd be fine.

Taylor still remembered when Dumbledore had called her to his office again in March and told her that she could go to the Apparition Lessons, but she wouldn't be allowed to get her license until the following summer when she would actually turn seventeen. Taylor had been angry. Why couldn't the same magic that allowed her to go to Hogwarts a year early also allow her to get an Apparition license, she had wanted to know. Dumbledore had told her that the magic that surrounded a witch when they became of age was old magic and couldn't be tampered with, and that maybe she should just tell people that she didn't really want an Apparition license. A lot of full-grown witches didn't have one Dumbledore had said. This had made Taylor feel like she was being left behind; something she was constantly struggling against. She had surprised even herself, though, when she had been one of the first ones to be able to do it. If she didn't go back to Hogwarts nobody would ask her if she got her license over the summer when she was supposedly turning seventeen. That's some poor reason not to go back she thought, shaking her head.

Taylor groaned as she remembered the disaster that followed her talk with Dumbledore in March. She had left the Headmaster's office in a huff and had gone for a walk to cool down before heading back to the common room, and as she so often did when she was thinking, she wandered about the school without really paying attention to where she was going, until she ran into Harry. He had been obsessed with figuring out where Draco Malfoy was going and was wandering around with the Marauder's Map trying to catch him. They had argued all the way back to the common room, Harry not approving of Taylor out alone roaming through the school, and Taylor trying to make Harry see that his obsession with Malfoy wasn't helping. Luckily the common room had been empty except for Ron and Hermione. Taylor knew that Hermione was becoming suspicious of the tension in her relationship with her brother, so Taylor blurted out the first excuse she could come up with to explain her fight with Harry.

"I'm tired of telling you to get off my back, if I want to tell everyone what Dumbledore told me I will!" Taylor grinned as she remembered the shocked look on Harry's face. She had said just the right thing to get the reaction she had wanted. Harry even obliged by growling at her to keep quiet. But, of course, Taylor plowed on with, "Dumbledore told me that my birth records were lost and that some how my age was mixed up. I can't take my Apparition test until next summer; I'm only 15!"

Harry had stared at her in shock and Hermione had gasped and been the standup friend that she was, and defended Taylor and her abilities. Although Hermione had also been the first to point out the fact that Taylor would still be underage until the following summer. All Ron could come up with was that Taylor was the same age as his sister, Ginny. As if I hadn't already thought of that, Taylor remembered thinking; but the worst part was that Harry had gotten angry with her for telling their friends even that much and didn't speak to her for over a week.

So she knew that if she did go with Harry that she would be taking a much greater risk than she was going to let on to Harry or anyone else. She told herself that it wasn't really that much greater; the Ministry, after all, would be after Death Eaters, not a single underage witch using magic outside of school. If I'm caught, I'll cross that bridge when I come to it. She refused to listen to the little voice that said, "Look at what happened to Harry when he used magic in their fifth summer."

Taylor decided that she would finish the books laid out on her bed before going to sleep tonight. She was afraid she was running out of time to study all the books in the hidden bookcase before she left with Harry after the wedding. It looked like it would be another late night.

After Fred and George released Ron and Harry from the jinxes they had put on them, Ron seemed to calm down, especially when Harry got up rubbing his jaw and Ginny was asking what had happened. Hermione looked from one to the other and shook her head. "Boys," she thought.

Mrs. Weasley went back into the house still muttering to herself about how those two would be the death of her yet.

"Hey! What gives anyway? What were you jumping Harry for, Ron?" asked George as he walked over to a badly weathered lawn chair and sat down. The rest of them followed and sat in the other two lawn chairs or on the grass. The sun was now behind the trees and the yard was cast in shadow.

"Yeah, Harry, that was quite the heated conversation you two were having. If we hadn't have come along, who knows which of you would have come out of it on top. Of course, Ron, if you'd have won, I'm sure Ginny would have put enough jinxes on you that even Mum wouldn't recognize you," Fred said chuckling.

Ron shot them a nasty look, but Harry said, "We were just trying to decide on the," and Harry said the first thing that came to mind, "best flowers to give to Bill and Fleur for their wedding."

Ron's head came up and he gave Harry a bewildered look, and stammered, "Yeah, ah, I, ah, wanted roses and Harry wanted ah, lilies." He met Harry's eyes and gave a nod. They would let it go for now.

"Flowers my right hind," George began, but Harry cut him off.

"We want to ask you two a couple of questions about the map," Harry pulled out his wand and said "Muffliato" so they could talk about it.

Fred's eyebrows went up and he said, "You mean the Marauder's Map?"

Hermione had been silent until then. She was wondering what had gotten into Ron and Harry for them to be fighting, or maybe more precisely, what Taylor had said or done. Harry's question about the map brought her mind back to the things they had discussed earlier that day.

"Yeah, we would like to know if you know anything about the collapsed passageways on the Map?" Hermione's voice was businesslike, as if she were asking a question of a teacher.

Fred and George looked at one another. Then George asked, his voice guarded, "Well, if you mean the one on the fourth floor behind the mirror, it caved in our fourth year."

Ginny knew there was something going on between Fred and George. They were wary of something. So when Ginny spoke she tried to keep her voice carefree as if it didn't matter at all what the answer was, "Oh well, with every thing that's going on we didn't want anyone getting into the school who shouldn't be there."

Hermione glanced over at Ginny, but tried to follow her lead, so that when she asked her voice was lighter, but her words were still calculated. "We were just wondering about the passages that the teachers know about. Are any of them caved in?" Hermione could tell by the expressions on Ginny and Harry's faces that she hadn't pulled it off.

George's eyes narrowed and he looked again at his twin before looking at Harry and asking, "Why do you want to know, Harry?"

Harry's interest was definitely piqued. What were these two so wary about? It wasn't like them to be so cautious. Something was definitely up, Harry thought. Maybe there was something to investigate after all. "Well, I've just never been in those passages and ah, we were wondering where they went is all."

Ginny, Hermione and Ron were leaning forward to hear the twin's answer. But when Fred spoke, it was to George not Harry and them. "George ol' boy it looks to me as if we have ourselves a couple of trouble makers here, wanting to know how to get into Hogwarts undetected. That would not be a good idea. We should tell on these young'uns before they end up in real trouble!"

Ron exploded, "What do you mean! We are not trying to sneak into Hogwarts! You two aren't in the Order either, so why don't you just tell us what we asked you…" The Order of the Phoenix was a group of witches and wizards who Dumbledore had organized to fight against Voldemort and his followers. Ron's face had turned red and he was getting to his feet when Harry caught hold of his arm and pulled him back down.

Harry decided to tell the twins a little bit about their idea, in hopes of getting them to tell them what they wanted to know. Harry told them about needing to find something he could use against Voldemort and that they were wondering if there might be something hidden at the school, possibly in one of those passages. It wasn't the whole truth but it seemed to satisfy the twins.

"Well, why didn't you just say so, Harry. We were starting to think you were up to no good." Fred said and George nodded. They told them that two of the known passageways had been caved in when they discovered them and of the other two, one went into Hogsmeade to an old abandoned house; the other ended in the Forbidden Forest. Dumbledore had sealed them up magically at the start of last year so no one could get into the castle by way of those passages.

"Sorry about not telling you right off, but we were worried that you'd tell Mum and she would give us a hard time about looking for, ah, something to use against Voldemort," Ron said looking a bit sheepish. He had almost used the word _Horcrux_.

"No problem, lil' bro. Next time just come right out and say what you want instead of beating around the bush," George replied. He didn't quite believe them. They weren't telling him and Fred something, but there was time to work on them about that he reasoned.

The rest of the evening went well except that Fleur wasn't happy with the flowers that Hermione and Ginny had enlarged. Harry thought that Ginny was going to curse Fleur before Mr. Weasley wisely said that they could work on them tomorrow, with Fleur's suggestions of course. After that, Harry asked Ginny to go for a walk to the living room where it was slightly less crowded. No one went outside after dark. Wizarding houses usually put sealing charms on their homes when it became dark so no one could enter unless invited. It was a very dangerous time with Death Eaters making attacks on homes and Dementors roaming about. They used to be the guards at Azkaban prison; now they worked for Voldemort.

Harry wished he could have taken Ginny somewhere so they could be alone and talk. He wanted to explain to her what had happened between Ron and him. Of course, this brought his thoughts back to Taylor. He was going to have to have a talk with her tomorrow because she was not going with him to Godric's Hollow or looking for the Horcruxes. It was too dangerous. Tomorrow. Thoughts of Taylor left him as Ginny took his hand in hers and began tracing circles on his palm.

* * *

><p>AN Well there you have it another chapter and things are starting to happen :-) ... though I must admit this is one of my least favorite chapters... not sure why but it is.

Please if you have read this far, leave me a review! I would very much like to know what you think!

As always thank you for reading! Thanks to my bata barbc! Until next time, cytpotter


	9. Private Talks and a Wedding

Nope still not JK Rowling.

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter Nine<strong>

**Private Talks and a Wedding**

When Taylor arrived at the Burrow the next morning it was bustling with people. The wedding was the following day and Fleur had her family there to help too. Or so that was what one of them told Taylor when she stepped out of the fireplace and was asked right away to hold up a long piece of cloth that turned out to be for Fleur's table decorations. Taylor looked around. Ginny and Hermione were again stirring up something in a cauldron but this time Hermione's jaw was clamped tight and Ginny looked as though she was about to jinx someone. Mrs. Weasley didn't look any better, her hair was sticking out at weird angles and her smile was forced. Neither Harry nor Ron was in the house at the moment, but Taylor could hear some male voices coming from the back yard. Fleur and her little sister talked continuously in French.

"Hey Taylor, could you give us a hand," Ginny called above the other voices in the house and was beckoning Taylor over with her hand.

Taylor went to give Ginny and Hermione a hand as soon as the table decoration she'd been holding was taken from her by an equally frazzled looking witch that turned out to be a relative of the Weasley's. The rest of the day passed in much the same way. Taylor, Hermione and Ginny went from one task to another, and often back to a task they had just completed, because it wasn't good enough for Fleur or her family. They did how ever get the chance to talk about what had happened after Taylor had left the day before. Taylor told them about Ron accusing her of cheating with Harry, Ginny had rolled her eyes at that point. The other two told Taylor about what Fred and George had said, after they jinxed both Ron and Harry. Taylor had giggled at that. So it hadn't been very different from the way she had pictured it, with things growing out of Ron's ears.

Harry and Ron didn't fare any better, although they worked mostly outside setting up the backyard with chairs and tables, only to have Fleur come along and say it was all wrong and they would do it again. Harry had seen Taylor in the house that morning but he hadn't gotten a chance to speak to her; let alone have a private talk. Bill was almost as bad as Fleur and he had heard Ron muttering more than once about cursing him. Harry had never seen so many people at the Burrow before. Poor Mrs. Weasley, he thought as Ginny brought a plate of sandwiches out around noon. It was almost supper time when Ron and Harry finally finished setting up everything to Fleur and Bill's satisfaction, and Harry saw Ginny again. Hermione was with her. Harry could tell they had been as busy as he and Ron had been all day, just by the harassed way they looked when he greeted them.

It was an hour before it would be getting dark and Ron had taken Hermione's hand shortly after the two girls had come out of the house. They had gone off to the far side of the yard, by the tree where Harry had talked to Taylor yesterday. "Where is Taylor anyway, is she still in the house?" Harry asked. He still had to have that talk with her after all.

Ginny smiled at him and took his hand in hers. She started to trace circles on his palm with her finger. "Taylor went back to Mrs. Briggs' for supper. She said she would be here early tomorrow morning,"

Suddenly Harry couldn't really remember why it was so important to talk to his sister, not when Ginny slowly closed her eyes, her long lashes feathering her check then slowly opening to look at him. The creature in Harry's chest gave an appreciative growl. Harry had been listening to the creature ever since he had fallen for Ginny. It was always stirring when she was near! Harry and Ginny found a quiet corner of the yard to be together until it was twilight and they had to go into the house for the night.

When Taylor arrived the next morning there was just as much activity as the morning before, except that it was more frenzied. Mrs. Weasley immediately sent Taylor up to help Ginny and Fleur's little sister get ready.

As she made her way carefully up the stairs to Ginny's room, brushing past several witches she remembered from yesterday. Taylor was again wondering how soon after the wedding Harry would be leaving. She had spent the whole night trying to read the last of the books in the secret bookcase, and pack what she thought she would need. Just in case Harry decided to leave immediately after the wedding was over. She couldn't take any chances. She knew he would go without her if given the opportunity. She had even left a note for Mrs. Briggs, explaining that she wouldn't be back and thanking her for everything. If she felt any regrets it was in not telling Mrs. Briggs in person what she had left in the note. I hope Mrs. Briggs will forgive me, thought Taylor as she knocked and went into Ginny's bedroom.

"Hi Taylor, did you happen to see Ron before you came up? He asked me to help him with his dress robes, before the rest of the guests arrive," Hermione asked, she was helping Ginny put her hair up in a beautiful silver hairpiece that reflected the red highlights in Ginny's hair wonderfully.

"No, I'm sorry Hermione, I didn't see Ron, or Harry either, downstairs." Taylor suddenly felt very much the tomboy she was always trying be, she glanced down self-consciously at her practical clothes that she wore. A pair of runners, zip off pants, a sweater tied around her waist and a dark t-shirt, her traveling cloak and the few things she had decided she needed to bring with her in a backpack over her shoulder. Hermione in contrast, Taylor noticed when she looked up, had on a new dressing gown, she looked very pretty. The dress Ginny was going to wear, hung from a hook on the wall, it was beautiful. It would complement her hair just perfect. Fleur's little sister's dress was equally stunning. Taylor sighed, if only she could have let herself go to the wedding and enjoy it. She didn't have a dress that looked half as nice as Hermione's, and her hair was cut short so it would be quicker to do in the mornings, but she could have imagined that she looked nice. Maybe fit in just a little, if it weren't for Voldemort and her determination to help her brother. This last thought squared Taylor's shoulders and when she met Hermione's eyes she had a smile on her face.

Fleur came into the bedroom at that moment and said to Ginny, "It iz almuzt time to get de drezzed," her eyes fell on Taylor and they widened in surprise and she said, "I hopz you haz zomethin betture dhan dat oo' wearr?" and she turned and left.

Ginny shot a look at Fleur's parting back that Taylor was sure would turn it to stone and Hermione said bristling, "I don't think that was called for at all. Taylor, you look fine. Besides it's been three years since the Yule Ball, not everyone has a wardrobe full of dress gowns."

"It's ok, Hermione. I'm not worried about what people think. I'm here for my friends. That's all that matters to me." Taylor said, a small part of her thankful for her friends' indignation on her part.

It was soon time to go down for the wedding. Ginny was beautiful; Harry's eyes almost popped out when he saw her walking down the stairs. Ron was equally impressed with Hermione. Taylor slipped up beside Harry and waited. She would go wherever he went from now on. He did look very handsome in his dress robes, just like at the Yule Ball! Taylor thought, Ron looked ok in his dress robes that Fred and George had gotten him at the start of fifth year. They had been let down to accommodate his new height, but he did look okay. A little better than that, she admitted grudgingly.

Harry and Ron were given the task of seating the guests, so Taylor watched from beside the house. She had borrowed Ginny's school robes to wear, they were a little short but she did blend in better in this crowd.

She had gotten seated at the back, not surprisingly. While she was very good friends with Ginny, Ron, Hermione and Harry, she hadn't spent the summers or holidays here like the others had. It turned out to be a very good seating arrangement. Remus Lupin was seated beside her; the one wizard that Taylor had really wanted to talk to before she left with Harry. Lupin she noticed was wearing a worn and patched cloak, but it was, as muggles would say, his Sunday best. Taylor really never paid much attention to what people were wearing; it was what was on the inside that counted, as her Uncle Herbert once used to say. She gave her head a little shake, this wedding was maybe affecting her more than she would like to admit.

Lupin looked as worn out as ever but he smiled and said to Taylor, "How are you doing Taylor? All ready for another year at Hogwarts? I hope you aren't too worried to go back, it is still the safest place, I believe. They have auror's assigned at the gates and they are going to be in the school as well this year."

"Oh yeah, ah..." What was she going to tell him? She didn't want to lie, not to Lupin. So she said, "How is Tonks anyway, I suppose she is on duty today. Is she assigned to Hogwarts this year too?" Taylor decided asking about Nymphadora Tonks, or as she preferred to be called just Tonks. Tonks liked Lupin a lot and Taylor was sure Lupin liked her back, but he was too worried about becoming a couple, just because he was a werewolf. It didn't seem a good enough reason to Taylor. However she was sure this would lead the conversation away from going back to school.

"Yeah, she had to work today. The Weasley's aren't in very good standing with the Ministry these days as you know, so she wasn't able to get the day off." Lupin said, but his voice was gentle as he talked about Tonks; a softness in his eyes, that Taylor decided, meant he more than liked Tonks.

Taylor decided to take a gamble and ask Lupin if he would talk with her in private, after the ceremony was over. He agreed just as the wedding began.

It was a very nice ceremony, different than Taylor had imagined; unlike the muggle wedding she had attended as a little girl. There wasn't a Minister, but an old witch with flowing powder blue robes, who spoke about love and its ability to heal all wounds; how it could carry one through the darkest of times and sustain one when times were happy. Taylor could feel tears pricking at the back of her eyes. She wasn't the only one. Many of the witches and a few wizards had handkerchiefs out and were using them.

When the ceremony was over and Bill and Fleur were pronounced husband and wife, there was a huge feast, with tables upon tables of food. Taylor was wondering how the Weasley's had done it. They were, like her, poor. However she overheard some old witches saying that Fleur's family had arranged most of it and they were unhappy that it wasn't a lot bigger and grander. Taylor thought that if she ever lived through this, and got married, that this would be perfect.

Taylor was watching Harry through the crowd. He had Ginny's hand in his. Ron was over by one of the food tables putting a mountain of food on his plate. Hermione was whispering to him about something and he was laughing. Taylor was standing by the house, alone, just observing as usual; she had gotten very good at it over the years. When she wasn't with her four best friends she would often step to the side, unnoticed, and watch. She had liked to think she did it only because she had grown up alone on the prairies. Who knows, she thought now, maybe it was just her way. She wasn't unfriendly, just quiet. A lot of times at school she had been called shy. But she wasn't, only quiet.

"Taylor, I believe you wanted to have a word with me in private. Now might be a good time," Lupin said as he came to stand beside her.

Taylor's heart started to pound in her ears. Was she ready to talk alone with her parents' last remaining best friend? He had looked at her curiously even the first time he had seen her in third year, but since she had found out about her parents she would sometimes catch him staring at her, as if she reminded him of someone. Of course she did, Lily Potter; but she couldn't tell him that Lily was in fact her mother. "Yeah now would be a great time for us to talk. Maybe we could go for a walk?" Taylor said pushing her thoughts aside and smiling at Lupin.

He nodded his head and they set off around the edge of the crowd. Taylor slipped her wand into her hand and pointed it, careful that it wasn't seen, and muttered a quick charm that wouldn't allow Harry to go without her knowing. Then she muttered "Muffliato" so she could talk to Lupin without being over heard. She had discovered that if she performed magic in a crowd of witches and wizards she was fine. The Ministry couldn't detect her underage magic.

When they reached the far side of the yard there were only a couple of older wizards standing around talking. They stopped and Taylor looked up at Lupin, he smiled again and said, "This must be important I haven't heard the Muffliato charm in a while."

Taylor grinned back at him, "Yeah, it comes in handy sometimes." Then her face became serious. "I wanted to ask you about some of the passageways on the Marauders Map, more specifically if any of them were caved in when you went there." Taylor was watching his face closely.

Lupin took a moment to answer and when he did he chose his words carefully. "I think the first thing I have to do, is ask you why are you asking about those passageways? What would it matter if they were caved in?" Lupin was now watching her very closely.

"Look, Lupin I know you are in the Order of the Phoenix. But I can't tell you exactly why I need this information. Let's just say it is important for the good side, and it will not hurt anyone." Taylor finished trying not to be too evasive, but she couldn't tell him any more.

"If this has something to do with Voldemort, then I suggest you tell the Order. We have a lot more resources than you and Harry and the others. I hope you guys aren't planning on going off and doing something stupid. Voldemort isn't going to just let you go if he catches you, Taylor, he will kill you at best, or torture you… "Lupin face was worried, but he was a bit mad too.

"I can't tell you why I need that information, but if your intention is to keep Harry and the others safe for awhile, then this information is extremely important. I promise you, right now it is not my intention to let Voldemort get his hands on Harry, or the others." Taylor said, her shoulders square, head up looking Lupin in the eye. There was no fear in her expression; only fierce loyalty.

Lupin shook his head sadly, he had seen this type of loyalty before and it had gotten his best friends killed. "Taylor, you don't understand. You were too young to remember; things aren't yet as bad as they were before. Voldemort won't care if you are trying to protect your friends or not; he will use it against you, for fun if he can"

Taylor interrupted him, "I might not exactly remember, but Voldemort killed my parents! I sure as hell know more than you think about his ways; so don't try to lecture to me Lupin. I have no one in this world because of him; so I have nothing to lose. Only something to gain by trying to stop him. So please, I ask you again, tell me if there were any of the passageways caved in when you and the other Marauders made the map." Taylor's voice had become deadly quiet, devoid of all emotion as she spoke and a hardness came into her eyes that Lupin hadn't seen for a long time, and never when they were so young.

Lupin couldn't believe his eyes, it was as if he were staring James in the eyes. But how could that be, sure Taylor had always reminded him of Lily, but until she had spoken in that deadly calm voice, and that look came into her eyes, just like James when he was angry. He now knew that somehow, this was also James and Lily's child. He needed time to think. However Taylor was waiting for his answer and he couldn't think of anything to say, but to tell her the truth. "There was only one of the passageways caved in when we made the map, we had initially thought we would clear it, but things changed and we didn't get the chance. It is the one on the sixth floor by the stone troll with the small club. The teachers know about that passageway," Lupin was about to say more when they saw Mad Eye Moody making his way toward them.

Taylor quickly undid the silencing charm. "Thank you Lupin," she said, "it was so nice talking with you about when you were a teacher, and I appreciate the magic tip. Hi Moody, well I had better go find Ron and Hermione. If you will excuse me?" Taylor said with a smile hoping she was fooling Moody. He used to be an auror, plus he had a magical eye with which he could see a lot of different things; like people lying. She wasn't sure she pulled it off completely, so she got out of there. At least she had the information she wanted. Maybe now she could convince Harry to go back to school this year. She had a fortnight to try and talk him into going back anyway.

Moody was eyeing Taylor's departing back, with both eyes. He knew something had just transpired here that young Miss Porter didn't want to tell him. And it sure had nothing to do with Lupin being a teacher. "Well you two seemed to be having quite the conversation, a silencing charm and everything, must have been important," Moody growled, his magical eye now on Remus.

Remus Lupin pulled his eyes off Taylor's retreating back, but his mind was spinning with the discovery he had just made. She must know Harry was her brother, but for how long? Did Harry know about her? Lupin with a great effort pushed this all to the back of his mind and hid it. One thing he did know, Taylor didn't want anyone knowing who her parents were and he didn't plan on being the one to let the secret out. He had to be very careful what he said around Moody until he had the chance to properly hide that information, Moody was just too perceptive. "Taylor was telling me that she was worried about Harry. I think maybe they are planning something, we should alert the Order." Lupin said quietly to Moody so only he could hear.

"What do you mean, planning something? Did she tell you anything specific Remus?" Moody growled back, his voice just as low.

"No she didn't. I don't think she trusted me enough, to not tell on them," Lupin said, his voice low and worried, he looked squarely at Moody now. Worry was fast taking the place of shock of the discovery he had made. What had Taylor said about having nothing to lose? Fear twisted through Lupin. He had to somehow help this lost daughter of his best friends. If she was in danger so was Harry.

Moody nodded, a very unwise choice if those youngsters wanted to stay alive. If they went off by themselves the Death Eaters would have a field day torturing them, Moody thought. "I'll alert the Order right away. Any idea when they are planning to act on this?" Moody growled, his magical eye searching for Potter through the crowd.

"No, not for sure, but I suspect it will be in the next few weeks," Lupin replied. He just couldn't seem to bring himself to tell Moody about the questions Taylor had asked about the passageways at Hogwarts; nor his answers to them.

* * *

><p>AN Well there another chapter and things are starting to happen. So did you like it? Hate it? I would so love to hear you oppinions! So please leave a review!

Again I'd like to point out that this wedding scene was written before Deathly Hallows was ever released so any simularities between this and Deathly Hallows is completely unintentional. I would love to hear if you think the characters are staying canon! That is very important to me and to this story.

Once again thanks to my bata barbc! And thanks to those of you who have added this story to your favorites and alerts! Though I would love to get a review as well!

Until next time, cytpotter


	10. A Note and a Spell

I am not JK Rowling. I do not own Harry Potter or any of the other characters you recognize in this story. I also would like to say that I borrowed the idea of _Dark Magic_ from a story I read somewhere on the internet(I can't remember where I read it or even exactly what the story was about). No plagerism is intended and though I did borrow the _idea_ I have made my version of _Dark Magic_ completely from my own imagination.

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter Ten<strong>

**A Note and a Spell**

Taylor had just started to weave through the crowd by the tables looking for Hermione and Ron like she had said. She had already seen Harry and Ginny sitting at a table talking to each other. Taylor felt a chill go through her and she glanced around. Nothing looked out of place and people were carrying on as before. It must be the after effects of the talk she just had with Lupin. She had the horrible feeling that he put two and two together and realized who she was. Would that be so bad, she asked herself? He was the last close link she had to her parents; their last surviving best friend. Maybe I'll go over and stand by the house alone so I can think, thought Taylor. She turned away from Ron and Hermione, and she ran into Harry.

"Taylor, you and I have got to have a talk now," Harry said his voice low but firm. He took hold of Taylor's arm and he started to guide her back towards the area where she had talked to Lupin and Moody.

Taylor was just about to ask Harry why he had changed from his dress robes when they heard several screams.

The sky went suddenly dark and the very air around them was cold. Dark shadows could be seen everywhere. People started screaming and running. Someone ran into Taylor and knocked her out of Harry's grasp and onto the ground. When she looked up, Harry had his wand out and his voice bellowed, "Expecto Patronum!" Followed closely by several more voices saying the only spell that would drive Dementors away. Taylor scrambled to her feet, looking around wildly, she had never heard of Dementors attacking such a large group of mature wizards and witches before. Something was up.

Taylor could just make out, on the far side of the crowd, more dark shapes converging on someone. Only they weren't Dementors. Taylor's wand was out and she was running full tilt towards the dark figures. She could just make out bushy brown hair over one of the hooded figures shoulders. The next stride brought into view someone with red hair lying on the ground. Taylor yelled the first spell that came to her, "Petrificus Totalus!" A hooded figure keeled over frozen. She had to dodge sideways though as the rest of the hooded figures, there were three of them, sent several spells her way.

Taylor switched spells, firing off a couple she had just read in those books at Mrs. Briggs. One came out of her wand as a long jet of red that wrapped around one of the figures, bringing him to the ground. The other missed its mark but left an ugly black spot on the ground where it hit.

Taylor had to stop the two remaining figures. If they made it to the fence and over it, they would be outside the impregnable charm put on the Burrow and they would be able to Apparate away with Hermione.

Taylor heard a familiar voice behind her now yelling spells also, but he was to far away and the spells were missing. Taylor jumped sideways from a spell and fired one more as she landed and jumped again, this time over Ron's still body. Hermione was fighting back hard and Taylor watched as one of the figures turned his wand on her and used it. Taylor screamed "No!" and watched as Hermione went limp. Two more strides and she was right on top of them. She leaped and tackled them, just as she had seen muggle football players do back in Canada.

The impact drove the air out of her lungs and she landed in a heap on the ground with the two hooded figures and Hermione's unconscious body. Taylor gasped for air and was suddenly pulled roughly up off of the ground. She could see about a dozen witches and wizards standing around with their wands drawn pointing at the figures on the ground. When Taylor looked to see who had pulled her up her eyes collided with a pair of very angry green eyes.

"Just what the hell do you think you were doing, you could have been killed," Harry snarled, his hand tightening on her arm where he had pulled her up off the ground and hadn't yet let go. Suddenly his arms went around her and he gave her a fierce hug, almost crushing her ribs in the process. He let her go just as quickly, and stepped back. His eyes were still angry but now they dropped to Hermione, who was being looked at by Lupin and Moody who had arrived on the scene with the others.

"I think she was just stunned. She'll be okay in a few hours. We'll have a healer look at her anyway." growled Moody as he straightened up and glanced at Taylor and Harry. Harry had hold of Taylor's arm again. "I think maybe you two and I should have a little chat, before tonight is over." Moody gave them a hard stare, then his magical eye started to look behind him as if searching for something else.

"Yeah, okay," Harry said, and he turned to go check on Ron, pulling Taylor with him. He was so mad at her right now he wanted to throttle her. After he had sent his Patronus stag after the Dementors, he had turned to look for Taylor. He remembered her being knocked out of his grasp, but he had seen her fall to the ground as he swung his wand up at the Dementors. When he didn't see her on the ground he glanced up and his heart came up into his throat. Taylor was running full out at the hooded figures, firing spells and dodging this way and that.

Taylor turned and looked at the two figures on the ground as their hoods were pulled off by a couple of wizards. It was Draco Malfoy and a Slytherin named Montague whom she could just barely remember. Then Taylor lost sight of them as Harry pulled her with him through the crowd over to where Ron lay on the ground. Mrs. Weasley was kneeling beside him, her wand out, passing it over him like one might do with a metal detector at the airport, thought Taylor. She noticed Mrs. Weasley's wand was shaking slightly. Fred was standing with his arm around Ginny, who looked very pale. Mr. Weasley came over and said "Molly, there are Healers on the way, he will be alright."

Harry stopped and Taylor did too. When she looked up at Harry she noticed that he was pale also and a tiny tremor went through his body when a healer knelt beside Ron with their wand out. They brought Hermione over and laid her beside Ron, so the healer could look at her also.

"Miss Porter, I need a word with you, right now." Moody suddenly growled beside her, making her jump. She hadn't even heard him walk up to her. "Potter if you'll excuse us." Moody growled as he looked at Harry's hand, that was still gripping Taylor's arm.

Harry's eyes narrowed, but his grip remained firm. "What do you want with Taylor? Where ever she goes, I go." Harry wasn't taking any chances that she would slip off without telling him, and he was sure she planned to; he just knew it somehow.

Moody looked from Harry to Taylor with his magical eye sizing up what was going on. "Well now Potter, unless there is something you would like to tell me, I think you had better let Miss Porter come with me."

Harry stiffened. He couldn't tell Moody he suspected that his underage sister was going to go running off after him when he left for Godric's Hollow; as soon as he found out if Ron and Hermione were going to be all right. He pinned Taylor with a look that said you better get right back here, but he said in a deadly calm voice "Okay, Moody. I'll see you shortly Taylor." He let go of Taylor's arm, and walked over to where Ginny was standing with Fred.

Moody turned and limped away. Taylor followed, she wasn't sure what Moody wanted but she was sure now that Harry was going to leave very soon. She had to get her backpack from the house as soon as she could. Moody stopped by the second hooded figure that she had dropped, the one she had used the new spell on. His hood was off now, she didn't recognize him. But he was as still as stone; not frozen, but still; his eyes were open but they were red.

"We need to know what spell you used on him." Moody growled, but his voice was more menacing now. "Then I want to know where you learned it!"

Taylor knew she was in trouble, but when Lupin joined them she became really worried. So she told them what the spell was, that she didn't know what it did before today. She had just been so worried they were going to get Hermione over the fence that she had used whatever spells came to mind.

Lupin frowned at her, but his voice was gentle, "That is a dark spell, Taylor. You should never use a spell, if you don't know what it does. You should know that by now. You can go now, thank you."

Taylor turned and headed for the Burrow; she wasn't going to tell them where she'd gotten that spell, no way. What she needed to do was get her things, go to Godric's Hollow and wait for Harry there. He would be angry, but Taylor decided that the security around him would be increased. This was Harry's only chance to get away before that happened, so she needed to be one step ahead of her big brother.

Lupin turned to Moody as soon as Taylor was far enough away so she wouldn't hear, "Do you believe her explanation about that spell? That it was the first time she used it?" his voice was filled with worry that Taylor might be heading down the wrong path.

"Well I've never seen a sixth year student who could perform that spell as well as she just did, even from ones who have traveled down the road to the Dark Arts. Most full-grown witches and wizards can't even do it, after years of trying. Still what she said was true, unless she has learned to lie better than any Dark witch I know," Moody was very worried also, but for a little different reason. He was worried about how close Harry Potter was, to this Miss Porter. "We had better keep a close eye on her."

Witches and Wizards were going, one after the other from the Weasley's flue, as Taylor hurried by. Up the stairs she raced, two at a time and into Ginny's room. She took off Ginny's school robes. They were dirty, but nothing a wash wouldn't fix, and laid them on her bed. Next she grabbed a quill and parchment and quickly wrote a note to Harry. She sealed it with a tap of her wand. Hopefully Hermione was okay. She would recognize the charm right away and save Harry time. She picked up her backpack, pulled out her dark traveling cloak and put it on. It would be kind of warm for the heat of the early August evening, but it would help her blend in with the guests that were leaving. It wouldn't do to be caught by Harry, or Moody for that matter.

She left Ginny's room and climbed up the stairs to Ron and Harry's room. Hedwig cooed softly when she opened the door. Pig, Ron's little owl, twittered from his perch. Taylor went right over to Hedwig, "I have a letter for you to deliver, but you need to give me at least five minutes before you take it to Harry. Can you do that for me Hedwig?" Hedwig cooed again and gently nipped Taylor's finger. She understood what she was to do. "Thanks Hedwig." Taylor turned and quickly left the room. She had to hurry if she was going to get out of the Burrow, unseen, and out onto the road so she could Apparate away in five minutes.

Down through the house she went, out past the line of witches and wizards still waiting to use the flue. Out the door, she could see where Ron was still lying on the ground, but Hermione was sitting up. Taylor breathed a sigh of relief; if only Ron was okay now. She could also see Harry with his arm around Ginny now, but their backs were to her, so she hurried towards the gate.

Her heart was pounding; only a few more meters and she was walking with a couple of wizards. As she went out the gate and they Apparated around her, Taylor turned for one last look and saw Lupin walking towards the gate too. He stopped and looked at her in surprise. As he opened his mouth, Taylor spun, concentrating hard on where she wanted to go.

"TAYLOR! NO! WAIT!" Lupin yelled but she was gone. He spun on his heel and raced back towards the Burrow, to where Moody was standing talking to Mr. Weasley and Bill. The healer had just floated Ron into the house on the way to a bedroom on the second floor. Lupin halted in front of them. "Taylor's gone," he said trying to keep the panic out of his voice, yet keep it low too. Harry, Ginny and Hermione were walking into the house just a little ways away. It wouldn't do to let Harry know about this yet; he'd go tearing off after Taylor.

"What do you mean Taylor's gone; has she been grabbed by someone?" Mr. Weasley asked, his voice rising in alarm.

"Shh! No, I mean she went out the gate just ahead of me and Apparated away," Lupin hissed. He was losing the battle to control the panic that he was feeling.

Moody's eyes were both on Lupin. What had gotten into Remus today? He was so uptight about this young Porter girl all of a sudden. "Where do you think she might've gone?" Moody asked.

"I don't know, I don't know." Lupin repeated. Oh if only James where here, or Sirius. They were better at handling touchy situations. He just felt lost.

Harry, Ginny and Hermione had just entered Ginny's room to wait for the healer to finish with Ron, so they could go see him. The healer had said that he would be all right, but he would need a week or so of bed rest. Hedwig flew in and landed on Harry's shoulder and held out her leg for Harry to take off the note tied onto it.

Harry's brow wrinkled, who would send him a note using Hedwig? "Who's this from anyway, Hedwig?" he asked as he turned the note over. There was no name written on it at all; not even his own.

"What's that Harry; who's it from?" asked Ginny as she came over to stand by him.

"I don't know there's no name on it." he said trying to open it, but it wouldn't open.

"Let me see it Harry." Hermione demanded and he passed it to her. She turned it over then began to grin. "I know who this is from," and she tapped her wand on it, a small puff of pink smoke came from it and it opened in her hand. "It's from Taylor." she said, as she passed the note back to Harry.

Harry went as still as stone; his hand with the note in it was still reaching out towards Hermione.

"Harry, what's wrong?" Hermione asked.

He realized suddenly that he hadn't seen Taylor since she had gone off with Moody. He had become preoccupied with how Ron and Hermione were doing, and she had slipped his mind. He shook his head. What kind of brother was he? He unfolded the note and began to read.

_Dear Harry,_

_I hope Ron and Hermione are ok. I thought it was important that I go ahead and meet you at the place we discussed a couple days ago. Here is a map to help if you need it. I hope you will not be too upset I didn't wait for you. Love T. Porter._

Harry stared at the note as if willing it to not be true. She surely wouldn't go off all by herself, not after what just happened this afternoon.

"Harry what is it?" and Ginny took the note from Harry and read it. "Merlin's beard, what has she done?" whispered Ginny as she handed the note to Hermione.

"Oh, my…" whispered Hermione when she finished reading the note. "Harry, you have to tell someone, so they can go get her before something terrible happens to her!"

"Yeah, like me killing her when I find her," Harry mumbled under his breath, but he said to Ginny, "Ginny will you go get my bag? It's in my trunk, in Ron's room. We'll be in seeing Ron when you get back." To Hermione he said, as he helped her up from the bed as she was still a little weak, "Come on, we need to talk to Ron before I go." He stuffed the map into a pocket of his robes with one hand, as he guided her out of the room and down the stairs to the room where Ron was.

Hermione was still hanging onto the note when they entered the room Ron was in. She handed it to him to read as Harry let her sit on the bed. He began to pace restlessly.

"So, I guess you are going to go tonight, without me and Hermione? You planned on leaving tonight anyway didn't you?" Ron asked, but his voice wasn't angry, only resigned to the fact that Harry was going to go without him. He was in no shape to argue anyway.

Harry nodded "Yeah I had already planned on going tonight. I told Ginny and was going to have a talk with Taylor, then tell you two, when the trouble started." Harry said, his voice soft, his eyes sad, as he looked at his two best friends. They had suffered enough because of him, he thought.

Ginny came into the room then, carrying Harry's bag. "I still don't think this is a good idea, and Taylor isn't going to come back just because you tell her to, you know." Ginny said as she handed the bag to Harry. She had been dreading this moment since they had reached an agreement to be together until after the wedding. She had wanted to look so pretty for him today.

As Harry gathered her into his arms and held her close, the creature in his chest purred. If only he could stay here. He kissed her on the temple, breathing in the smell of her hair. She lifted her face and he kissed her soundly on the lips, forgetting for a moment where he was, just reveling in the feel of her, the taste of her. But all too soon, maybe it was the sound of Ron coughing, he drew back with great effort, the creature protested with a snarl, and he released Ginny. He let his arms fall to his sides. It was one of the hardest things he had ever done.

There was a knock at the door and Mr. Weasley stepped into the room, followed by Lupin. "Ah good, you are all here. Feeling better I hope Ron? And, you too Hermione? Well I have some news that might come as a shock to you all. Well there is no easy way to say this, but… Taylor Porter Apparated away from here about a half hour ago. I don't suppose you know where she has gone, do you?" Mr. Weasley sounded very worried; he kept glancing from one to the other as he spoke.

"Yes, Mr. Weasley, I know where she has gone. I'm going there myself in a few minutes. I have some things I need to check out for myself. I plan on sending Taylor back if I can, but I am leaving here. Alone." Harry said, his voice sounding so much more mature than seventeen.

"But Harry, you can't be serious. You can't go running off alone with Vol… Vol… with You Know Who and his Death Eaters out there looking for you! The Order is waiting downstairs to take you some place safe." Mr. Weasley said trying to sound reasonable.

Harry lifted his bag and swung it over his shoulder, then he turned and nodded at Ron and Hermione, smiled at Ginny and marched from the room. On his way out the door Lupin put his hand on Harry's shoulder. Harry paused.

Lupin whispered in his ear, "Look out for your sister." And took his hand off and let Harry go out.

Harry glanced back over his shoulder at Lupin wondering how he knew. He was surprised for sure, but there was no part of him that was upset about that fact. If he didn't have to face Moody and some more of the Order downstairs, he would of stopped and talked to Lupin about it.

* * *

><p>AN Well there you go another chapter today! :) I know it is a long weekend for those of you in the US so I thought I'd treat you with 2 new chapters!

First I need to explain a couple of things. I know what some of you are going to say and that is that Ron and Hermione are letting Harry go without them fairly easily, and I agree. However they were both stunned with nasty spells and are in no shape to go no matter how much they want to. Plus I want to say once again this chapter was written BEFORE Deathly Hallows came out so my attack at the wedding did not come from the seventh book but what I thought might happen. I was rather shocked to see the attack there actually! :) Also I'm sure many of you have questions about the spells Taylor used as well as the books that she read and I promise all will be explained in later chapters! :) If you have any other questions then I am only too happy to answer them!

Thanks again to my bata barbc! Hope you all have a wonderful weekend whether it be a long one or not!

Until next time, cytpotter


	11. Escaping The Order

No I don't own Harry Potter or any of the charactors you recognize. If I did maybe I'd get a review :( I can see some people are looking at this story, I just wish you'd leave a review. Even if you hate it. At least then I would know. I will answer all reviews!

Also I took a little writters leeway with the Apparating laws. In my story if you see a place on a map you can go there. I know it is a little varience but I needed to in order for things in my story to work.

Well on with the story...

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter Eleven<strong>

**Escaping the Order**

Taylor Apparated to a small hill covered in trees and brush. She quickly crouched down and moved off along the hill until she came to a clump of brush she could hide in. She didn't want to be seen. Once Taylor was sitting on the ground, fairly confident that she was concealed from sight, her dark cloak blended in with the shadows cast by the underbrush, she began to think about where she was. She had made it to Godric's Hollow. She smiled but the smile froze on her face. How could she be sure that this was Godric's Hollow? No, she wasn't going to start second guessing herself, not now, not after all she went through to get here. Harry was not going to be happy that she had come here, but she had to. She wanted to see her parent's grave, and see also where they had died. Coming here had been on her mind ever since she had gotten over the shock of finding out who her parents really were. Then, when Harry had said back in June that he was coming here after the wedding, she had started to make plans to come with him too.

An owl hooted in a nearby tree and Taylor jumped, her heart racing. She carefully looked around but didn't see anything out of place. Slowly her heart slowed down. I've got to relax, Taylor thought. It was nearly dark now and the shadows had all merged together so that it was really quite dark where she was hiding. Taylor's stomach gave an angry growl. She remembered she hadn't eaten since that morning at Mrs. Briggs. She had been thinking about getting something to eat at the wedding when Lupin had asked her for a talk. She was pleased with the news that there was one passageway at Hogwarts that they needed to search. Would one be enough to get Harry to go back? She didn't know. She did know, however, that she wasn't going back unless he did. Lupin, she had always had a kind of soft spot for him, even when her and Hermione had figured out that he was a werewolf. Then, after she had found out about her parents, well he was their last best friend. She had missed out on being able to be close at all to Sirius. She had just been a friend of Harry's at the time and she hadn't gone to Sirius' house with the rest of them all that often. She always went to stay with Mrs. Briggs. She could feel tears starting to gather in her eyes and she angrily wiped at them with her hand. She felt the loss of Sirius very strongly as she sat in the dark by herself. I'm not going to let that happen with Lupin, she thought.

A cold chill ran down her spin as she thought of the spells she had used from the Dark Magic books she had read. When she had memorized them she had thought that if she used them against evil then that would be ok. Now she wasn't so sure; and the way Moody had looked at her when he asked about them… She shivered in spite of the warm night and her fingers found the pendant that she still wore around her neck, even after all these years.

When Harry reached the bottom step he was greeted by a number of the Order members. There were the Weasley's, Bill, , Mrs Weasley, even Fred and George, and of course Mr. Weasley and Lupin came down behind him. Tonks was here, as well as Kingsley Shacklebolt, both of whom were auror's for the Ministry, Professor McGonagall and Hestia Jones.

Harry stopped and nodded at them, he only wanted to get to Godric's Hollow as soon as he could, and they were more then likely going to try to stop him.

"Sit down Potter, we need to have a talk," Moody said pointing to a chair. Harry's eyes narrowed and his mouth drew into a straight line. He shifted the bag on his back and looked around at the wizards and witches standing around the Weasley kitchen.

"Don't push your luck tonight boy, I've just about had it with young ones not listening to me," Moody growled again as he gave a threatening flick of his wand.

"Now, Alastor, there's no need to be treating Harry like that. He hasn't gone anywhere," Mr. Weasley said, pulling out a chair and sitting down. The other's followed his lead.

Harry stared at Moody for another minute then he sat down too. His curiosity was definitely getting the better of him. He had never been able to go to any sort of meeting with the Order members. He was now of age, of course, but it hadn't occurred to him that they would let him take part even now, especially now that Dumbledore was gone. He had been making his plans with the assumption that they wouldn't like what he was planning. As he glanced around, he got the distinct feeling that he had come during the middle of the meeting, not the first.

"Harry, we need to know. First- do you know where Taylor is, and why did she go?" Mr. Weasley asked his voice full of concern. All the faces looked a little worried, thought Harry.

Harry wondered for a minute what to tell them, he didn't want to stray far from the truth but he was wary none the less. "Yeah, I know where Taylor went. She, ah, went to the same place I intend on going." He said choosing his words carefully.

Mrs. Weasley gasped and looked at Harry with worried eyes, Shacklebolt rubbed his fingers over his mustache, but Moody just continued to stare at Harry as if he was trying to read his mind. Harry tried to push his plans and any thing important to the back of his mind.

"Well, I'm not so sure you will be going anywhere Potter, and I don't like the idea that you and those other kids have been making plans without first consulting with someone in the Order," Moody growled pointing up towards the ceiling.

Harry's anger ignited, he had almost all he was going to take off of Moody. Just who did he think he was anyway. He might have been a good auror once but he was really losing it now. Harry glanced out the kitchen window. It was dark out and Taylor was out there all alone. He made a fist until his knuckles turned white. "Moody, I've had about enough."

"Harry," Lupin said to interrupt him before he said any more. "We are just worried about you and if you are making plans to go some place we need to know."

Harry looked at Lupin and shook his head, "I can't tell you where I'm going, or what I am going to do when I do get there." Harry said looking from Lupin back to Moody who growled.

Lupin shot Moody a look and said, "What do you mean you can't tell us where you are going or what you will be doing? Dumbledore wanted to keep you safe Harry, and that is what we are trying to do."

"Well I'm really sorry Lupin, but it is Dumbledore's suggestion that I leave, and his wish that I not tell anyone, not even the Order." Harry said, and he could hear grumbling from a number of the Order members.

"Mr. Potter, I don't think that Professor Dumbledore intended you to go out on your own now. You just turned of age, and still have another year of school to complete before you are anywhere near ready enough to take that kind of chance." McGonagall said.

"I'm sorry Professor McGonagall but as of right now I don't intend on going back to Hogwarts this year." Harry said and McGonagall gave a gasp, as did others.

"Oh, Harry, you can't be serious, you can't drop out of school, think about your…" Mrs. Weasley's voice trailed off, and there were tears in her eyes.

Harry really did feel bad that he had told Mrs. Weasley that here. He should have told her before now. She had always treated him like a son and he felt that somehow he was letting her down by not going back. But I can't let that get in my way I have to find the… He stopped himself from thinking about it. "I'm really sorry Mrs. Weasley, but I just can't do what I have to when I'm at Hogwarts."

"So let me get this straight, you are going off by yourself, to a place you refuse tell us about. You do not plan on attending school this year, and you are upset at us for asking. Oh and one of your best friends, who is now at this mystery place, is using Dark Magic spells, and we're not to worry?" Hestia Jones said her voice dripping in sarcasm.

"What do you mean Dark Magic spells? Who is…? You mean Taylor?" Harry asked coming to his feet.

"Harry please sit down, no one is accusing Taylor of anything. We are just trying to find out where she might have learned to use such spells." Mr. Weasley said trying to sound reasonable.

Harry looked around at the faces sitting at the table, they were for the most part worried expressions. A couple of the faces though were looking suspicious. "I didn't know Taylor had used a Dark Magic spell. When did this take place?" He thought he knew the answer; he was just stalling for time so he could think of something to say. He suddenly wondered if this was what Lupin had meant when he said, "Look out for your sister."

"Miss Porter performed the spells this afternoon on the wizards who were trying to take Miss Granger away. Only one of the spells hit its mark. That wizard is lucky to still be alive. The other spell missed but they were both Dark Magic. Miss Porter didn't learn these spells at school. They are old, very dangerous spells that are rooted very deeply in Dark Magic." Moody growled, but his voice wasn't accusing just filled with worry.

Harry was stunned, he couldn't believe that Taylor would ever try to kill anyone, but where would she have found out about those spells? "Taylor isn't into the Dark Arts. She… she would never try to... kill anyone. She was trying to stop those wizards from taking Hermione," Harry said his voice quiet, unbelieving.

"Potter, how well do you know this Miss Porter?" Moody asked.

"I've known her for six years. She's been one of my best friends since we defeated a mountain troll first year. She's…ah… an orphan, her parents were killed when she was a baby. She grew up in Canada before coming to Hogwarts." Harry said, Taylor never talked about herself. If he hadn't heard it from Hermione, he probably wouldn't have known that much general knowledge. He couldn't very well say she was his sister, so leave her alone.

"Well I have decided to do a little digging to find out what I could about, this _best friend_ of yours. Miss Porter has no birth record here or in Canada. She was raised by a muggle, who she called "Aunt Helen", who died when she was four. Her "Uncle Herbert" was a wizard but he had chosen to live as a muggle. He died suddenly just a couple of weeks before she came to Hogwarts. This best friend of yours Potter comes from a very suspicious beginning." Moody growled as both his eyes bore into Harry's.

Harry's chest had tightened as he listened to Moody. He could see where Moody might have cause to be concerned. Taylor just never spoke of her past; she just talked about Mrs. Briggs, whom she lived with when she wasn't in school. If Dumbledore hadn't told him she was his sister… No, she was not into the Dark Arts. There had to be a good explanation; he knew her better than that.

"Suspicious beginning or not, she is NOT into Dark Magic. I don't know where she came across those spells but I plan on finding out. Taylor Porter is my best friend. I'd trust her with my life!" Harry said, coming to his feet again daring anyone to say other wise.

"Harry, I don't think Moody was implying that she is into the Dark Arts. It's just that she performed a couple of very dangerous spells, and we would really like to know how she came across them." Lupin said, and made eye contact with Harry for just a second, but there was approval in his eyes and a hint of a smile.

Harry was still standing and he made his decision in a flash. He had to act now. "I need to use the washroom," he said and walked to the stairway.

"Here Harry, I'll lift the Imperturbable Charm for you," said George.

"I've gotta' go too, Harry. Wait up!" Fred called jumping up and following Harry up the stairs. When they reached the second floor they were met by Ginny, Hermione and Ron, who was as white as a ghost sitting on the floor outside of the bedroom he'd been in.

"Harry, how…" Ginny started but Harry put his finger to his lips.

Harry turned and looked at Fred and said, "I'm leaving, don't try and stop me."

Fred grinned back, his eyes full of mischief, "I wouldn't have expected anything less," he whispered. Then "Follow me." and Harry did. Waving to Ginny, Hermione and Ron, he knew they would understand why he had to hurry away, when he got a chance to explain it to them.

Fred stopped beside the window in Ginny's room, and pushed it up, he then went to her closet and took out a broom and handed it to Harry. "Put your invisibility cloak on and when you get to the gate Apparate. I'll do the rest." Fred said as Ginny joined them, a grin on her face.

"I don't want to get you in trouble. What about Moody's eye, he can see where I'm going," Harry said, as he mounted the broom and pulled the invisibility cloak on, that he had taken out of his bag.

"I said, leave it to me!" Fred repeated.

There was a loud crash down stairs and Fred yelled, "GO!"

Harry wasted no time pushing off the floor, once he was out of the window he threw himself flat on the broom and raced for the gate. He landed just inside, jumped off the broom and ran out through the gate. He fixed his mind on Godric's Hollow, and spun. It was the all too familiar sensation of pressure, like being squeezed out through a hole in a tube of toothpaste. Then it was over and Harry found himself on a small hill surrounded by trees. He had his wand out at the ready.

* * *

><p>AN Well there is another chapter. Hope you enjoyed it. Questions? Comments? Suggestions? Please tell me by leaving a review and I will answer!

Thank you to my bata barbc!

Until next time, cytpotter


	12. A Little Stone Marker

Maybe I am crazy... Maybe I'm just an optimist... Maybe I am a little bit of both! But even without a single review and 11 chapters and over 34000 words I am still going to post another chapter in hopes that someone, somewhere will have the courage to leave a review!

That being said, If I was JK Rowling don't you think I'd have at least 1 review by now! Duh!

This is my **favorite** chapter, out of this whole story, this is my favorite so it seems fitting that I post it 2 days before Deathly Hallows part 2 hits theaters!

I hope you enjoy it half as much as I loved writting it!

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter Twelve<strong>

**A Little Stone Marker**

Taylor flinched. She must have dozed off, but she knew she heard the crack of someone Apparating, a little ways off. Her heart was pounding now. What if it wasn't Harry? It must be almost midnight, she decided when she looked at the stars. What could have happened that he wasn't here yet? Then she heard a noise like leaves rustling, a crunch of undergrowth as someone walked. She gripped her wand tighter and stayed completely still, a stunning spell popped into her mind, she might need it.

A twig snapped, and leaves rustled again this time much closer. Taylor looked all around trying to see what was making the noise. Her heart was now making so much noise itself, that she was scared it would give her away. Then she heard in a whisper, "Damn it Taylor where are you?"

She breathed a sigh of relief. She'd know that voice anywhere. She whispered back "Right here," and she shifted out of the deep shadows she was in. She realized Harry must have been wearing the invisibility cloak. Good thinking.

Harry had been getting desperate when he had muttered those words. He'd started to think that he would be better off waiting until morning when he had heard Taylor whisper back. He turned towards where he thought she was and he could just make out a form under the edge of a bush, starlight showed him with wand held at the ready. He thought of the code the five of them had devised so they could always be sure it was really them. "Lily" Harry whispered.

Taylor smiled, "Green" she whispered back and moved out from under the bush and stood up her cramped muscles protesting. "Where are you?" She almost jumped out of her skin when a hand touched her arm.

"Muffliato" Harry whispered, then said a little louder. "Get under my cloak." He lifted it up and put it over Taylor too, so she wouldn't be seen.

"What took you so long? I figured you would be right along," Taylor inquired, then she gasped and asked quickly. "Is Ron alright? Hermione? Did something happen to them?"

"Don't worry, they are alright. Hermione will be back to herself by tomorrow, and Ron just needs to rest for a few days. Let's sit down. We'll wait here until its daylight. I don't want to take the chance of lighting a wand. It might be seen. Have you seen anyone?" Harry said as he settled himself on the ground by the bush Taylor had been hiding under. Taylor sat down too.

"No, just a couple of lights. I figure there must be a couple of muggle houses over on the next hill. They went out an hour or so before you got here." Taylor answered.

They were quiet for a while, then Harry spoke again. "Taylor, I need to know where you found the spell you used earlier today; the one you used on the second hooded guy?"

Taylor pulled her knees up and wrapped her arms around them. She wondered if Moody had talked to Harry about the spell. She wasn't sure why she didn't want to talk, even to Harry, about the spells and potions she had read about in those books. Maybe, she thought, it's guilt?

"Taylor?" Harry said, a little more insistently this time.

Taylor sighed. If this was going to work between them, then she was going to have to explain; she was only trying to help after all. So she did. She told Harry all about the books in her bedroom that she had been reading since first year. Then she told him about finding the hidden book case just last summer; how when she came home in June she had taken the books out and began reading them, even though they were Dark Magic books. Some were a lot worse then those in the restricted section at school. She told him about finding the map in with them with Godric's Hollow on it, and how she had copied down a couple she thought might come in handy.

"I guess I memorized one or two of the spells. When I saw those hooded wizards trying to take Hermione and I didn't think I was going to reach them in time, I used two of the curses. The first one hit the guy and took him down, the second missed." By the time Taylor had finished speaking her voice was barely a whisper. Then she waited. What was Harry going to say? Would he be mad?

Harry was silent. He kind of suspected something like this but not to this extent. How many books were there? Darker than the ones at Hogwarts? What was in them? He understood that Taylor was only trying to help. She had spent over half their time at school in the library reading books with Hermione after all. But to use a spell that she had gotten from one of those books, not knowing what it did?

"Taylor," he began, he wasn't angry he just needed her to understand the trouble she had stirred up using that Dark Magic spell. "It took me so long to get here tonight because when I came down the stairs to go, Moody and a lot of the Order members were waiting for me in the kitchen. Taylor, they are very concerned how you came across those spells, and I think quite concerned that you performed them so well." He then told her every thing that was said at the meeting, and how he had escaped to come here.

Taylor's mouth was open in surprise when he finished speaking. Harry had tricked the Order to come here? Moody had checked into her background? That could cause a problem.

They continued to talk about what had happened in the meeting and also what the attack at the wedding might mean, until it was after three. Taylor's eyes were growing so heavy she couldn't keep them open.

"Taylor, wake up" Harry said gently shaking her. It was morning and the sun had just come up over the treetops. He had let her sleep as long as he could, but they now had to get moving.

When Taylor went to move, her muscles protested. One of her legs had fallen asleep, and now was all pins and needles. She staggered sideways into Harry when she stood up. He steadied her and smiled. It wasn't a very comfortable way to spend the night, sitting on the ground.

Harry started off up over the hill. Taylor followed him. When they came to the top he stopped and Taylor did too.

"Just where do you think we are?" Taylor whispered. She noticed that he had the map out, the one she had left him in the note, and was studying it. She still had her travel cloak on. Harry had his on too, but the invisibility cloak he had stuffed back in the bag he was carrying on his back.

"I think there's a graveyard on the far side of this hill. I want to check there first," Harry said keeping his voice low, as he tucked the map back inside his cloak. He slipped his wand up his sleeve so he would have quick access to it if it was needed, then he gave Taylor a meaningful look. She nodded and did the same. When he set out again staying just inside the tree line to have as much cover as possible, she followed his lead, keeping her eyes open for any sign of danger.

As they neared the other side of the hill they could see a graveyard at the bottom. Harry pointed to it and Taylor nodded. It seemed as good a place as any to start. They made their way down the hill carefully. When they reached the entrance to the graveyard they stopped, and looked at one another for a moment.

Harry looked all around. When they entered into the graveyard they would be right out in the open, easily seen by anyone, but he didn't know of any other way. He took a deep breath and went in through the gate. Taylor followed him. She had her head up looking warily around. She even had her nostrils flared, as if she were smelling the air for some sign of danger. He couldn't help smiling to himself when he glanced back at her.

He walked slowly around the edge looking at all the headstones. It was an old gravesite and some of the headstones were from the 1500 and 1600's. After about a half hour they finally came to a simple little stone marker that read:

_James and Lily Potter_

_died October 31, 19—_

The last two numbers on the year couldn't be made out.

Taylor looked at the marker. She wasn't sure what she had expected to find but it wasn't this. It was so impersonal; so coldly written as if put there by a stranger. Taylor began to tremble and she sank to the ground, weeping for the two people buried under this small cold stone.

Harry looked at the stone marker in disbelief, a pain unlike any he had ever felt gripped his chest, squeezing until he didn't know if he could draw another breath. He barely noticed Taylor when she sank to the ground beside him. He had no idea how long he stood there, trying desperately to just take one more breath. Then just one more, until his face was soaked with tears and they dripped off his chin onto the ground. Then he too sank to the ground. Finally giving in to his grief, he wept.

The two of them sat side-by-side, consumed by the loss, until neither had any more tears to shed. Taylor reached over and took Harry's hand in hers, and they continued to sit there, until the sun was high overhead.

It was the sound of a bird singing on a nearby headstone that finally made them aware again, of their surroundings. Harry looked up at the bird and wondered if he would ever feel whole. He had lost so many people from his life. His parents, Sirius, Dumbledore… how many more could he stand to lose? Another tear made its way down his face he wiped at it and noticed Taylor staring at him.

"I… I was ah… just thinking how much you look like Dad," she whispered, a tear streaked smile playing at her lips.

Harry took a deep breath, but he found it did help a lot this time, and he said "Yeah I'm sure James Potter sat around crying a lot." However, he too smiled a little as he took off his glasses and wiped them on his cloak.

The smile disappeared off of Taylor's face and she said, "I didn't mean it like that."

"I know Taylor. I think you look a lot like Mom too." He said and gave her hand a squeeze. He stood up and pulled her up with him.

Taylor suddenly threw her arms around him and squeezed. Harry put his arms around her and hugged her back.

Taylor turned her head to look up into his face and said, "You know Harry, you are a very good friend, and a great big brother. I love you."

"Yeah, well you are a right pain in the ass, but I love you too." And he squeezed his arms once then stepped back. Taylor had a smile on her face.

"I think we had better get going," and he turned to look around to see if there was anyone in sight.

"Harry!" Taylor gasped, "Look!"

Harry spun back around not sure what to expect but Taylor was pointing at their parents' headstone, or more precisely the lone pale blue flower that stood in front of it. It hadn't been there just a few minutes ago. It was a lily.

"What do you think it means?" asked Taylor still staring at the beautiful pale blue lily that was in full bloom.

"I'm not sure," he said as he went over and squatted down beside the headstone looking at the flower. A sudden idea came to him and he reached over and touched the lily. It fell over in his hand. He heard Taylor gasp. The root was exposed so he tried to cover it back up but when his hand touched the earth it felt so loose, he decided to dig down a bit to replant the lily. He had only started to dig when his fingers came into contact with something soft like fabric.

"Taylor, come and hold the flower, there is something under it," and he passed the lily, very gently to Taylor. Then he dug down and cleared the earth off of the piece of cloth, but the cloth was covering something. He pulled it gently from the ground. As he uncovered it he saw it was a small picture frame approximately 5x7. He turned it over, and nearly dropped it.

Albus Dumbledore was smiling up at him.

"Hello Harry, nice of you to dig me up," said the painting of Dumbledore, smiling.

"Merlin's beard! Harry is that Dumbledore?" exclaimed Taylor coming over to stand beside Harry, still holding the flower.

"Hello Taylor, I'm glad to see you here too," the painting of Dumbledore said.

Taylor was lost for words. This was the last thing she would have expected. How could Dumbledore have known Harry would come here anyway?

The painting was talking again, "I see you have the lily I planted."

"How did you know it was us?" Harry interrupted.

"Well, you see that was a clever idea that came to me, and I shall tell you later. However, I think it would be wise to discuss it when we are in a more private setting," Harry and Taylor turned to see a man, he looked to be a muggle, walking along between the headstones on the far side of the graveyard.

"Taylor, to replant the lily just put it back in the hole, it will continue to grow. Now it might be best if you put me away. You don't want to attract any unwanted suspicion. Be careful, I'll talk to you again soon." And the painting of Dumbledore walked out of the picture frame.

Harry met Taylor's eyes for a moment. This was definitely a strange turn of events he thought; then he did as Dumbledore asked and put the picture frame away in his bag. He also removed his cloak and put it away. Thankfully he had on a long sleeve shirt so his wand was still hidden up his sleeve.

Taylor replanted the lily, her fingers trembling as she did it. If this little flower lived at least it would show that her parents were loved. Then when she stood up, she followed Harry's lead and removed her cloak and put it away in her backpack. She wanted to take her sweater off but that meant she wouldn't be able to keep her wand up her sleeve, so she kept it on even though it was getting quite warm. She took her glasses off and cleaned them. Man these things are some dirty, she thought as she put them back on.

"Ready?" Harry asked.

Taylor kissed her hand and placed it on the stone marker, "By Mom and Dad" she whispered, then she nodded to Harry.

He laid his hand on the stone and said quietly, "Bye Mom. Bye Dad," then they set out towards the gate together.

The lone pale blue lily quivered, then it began to tremble, and then suddenly there was another lily beside it. This one was pale pink. Both flowers would remain there as a symbol of love. And the little stone marker read

_Here Lies Our Beloved Parents_

_James and Lily Potter _

_died October 31, 19—_

The last two numbers on the year couldn't be made out.

* * *

><p>AN well... what did you think? As I said at the first this is my favortie chapter and it just kind of wrote itself. It was written before the Deathly Hallows book ever came out so this is what I thought this scene might be like. I just watched the first part of Deathly Hallows last night so I would be ready to go see the second part tomorrow night(I have tickets to a pre-view on July 14th!) and the scene's while very different, I thought they did have some simularities... of course my oppinion might be a little biased :)

Anyway I know some people are reading this story, I just wish they would leave a review! I am going to reduce the rating as well to see if maybe that will help because I really don't think anything in the first half of this story needs to be rated M.

As always thank you to my bata barbc! Without her help this story wouldn't of been here!

Well until next time, cytpotter


	13. In the Coils of a Snake

OMG! I am so excited! I got my first review! :) and tonight I am going to see a pre-screening of Deathly Hallows! Life truly is great! So to celebrate I am posting another chapter today!

No I am still not JK Rowling! And the only thing I make off this story is the satisfaction that I get when I see reviews and story alerts and favorites! Thank you!

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter Thirteen<strong>

**In the Coils of a Snake**

Harry and Taylor were almost to the gate. The man they had seen earlier was standing beside a headstone not far away, his gray head was bowed, but he looked up as they drew nearer on their way to the gate.

Taylor had an idea, so she said to Harry, "Just a sec." and started to walk towards the grey haired man.

"Taylor, wait!" Harry hissed but she didn't listen.

"Hi," Taylor said. "It sure is a beautiful day. Could you tell us if there is a place to buy some food near by?" She smiled when she stopped a few feet from the grey haired man. She could tell he was a muggle by the way he was dressed, in old worn pants and a worn button shirt, very much like Uncle Herbert used to wear. Not a good comparison she thought to herself.

The gray haired man looked at her curiously for a moment then said, "Rodic's Hollow is just down the lane about a kilometer and a half, there's a corner market there but not much else. Where ya'all from anyway?"

Taylor said without missing a beat, "Oh, I'm from Canada, I met Harry here on the Internet and we've been doing an eco-tour of Europe. We have been walking for what seems days and my feet are killing me ya' know?" and she cocked her head sideways and gave the gray haired man a big smile.

Harry groaned to himself. What kind of mess was Taylor getting them into anyway? What did she think she was doing talking to this stranger. These were dangerous times and you had to be very careful who you talked to!

"Oh, you're some o' those crazy teenagers who I've read about in the paper who are walking everywhere? Well best o' luck to ya'." He said clearly not thinking very much of the idea.

"Thanks, we're here cause Harry here has some distant relative on his mother's side who used to live around here, some place called Godric's Hollow ya' ever hear of it?" Taylor asked.

"Taylor!" Harry growled. "What do you think you are doing?" He scowled at Taylor wishing he could shut her up and get out of there before they brought too much attention to themselves. Maybe he could jinx her!

"Oh don't mind him," Taylor said shaking her head sadly. "He's always grumpy when he's hungry, we ran out of food last night. Misjudged the time it would take us to walk this far!"

The gray haired man smiled, "Yeah, I can relate to that. Name's Theodore Wearing. Folk's call me Ted," and he stuck out his hand.

Taylor hesitated a half a heartbeat, and then she stuck out her hand and shook his. "Mine's Taylor Herbert, and that's Harry Granger."

Harry groaned to himself again but shook the man's hand none the less. He was going to have to play along for now until he figured out what Taylor was up to.

"Well, I was just visiting my Bessie. She's been gone now for three years; was married for fifty-two years. I'm heading back home now if you'd all like to walk with me?" Ted asked as he set out in the direction he had told them Rodic's Hollow was.

Taylor fell into step beside the gray haired man and listened as he talked. He told them about the area and some of the local sites they might like to visit. Harry followed a little behind. He was very wary of what was going on. This guy could be leading them into some sort of trap.

Taylor listened and asked a few questions here and there, until they came upon a house, then another, and another; they had reached the small village. There were only about fifteen houses in all. Ted pointed out the corner market, and then asked if they would like to come to his place instead for some sandwiches.

Taylor said sure, and Harry said no. They went into Ted's for lunch.

Ted gave them roast beef sandwiches and tea. All the while telling them about the area and its people.

Taylor asked, "Have you ever heard of a Godric's Hollow around these parts?"

"No, can't say's I have I've lived in these parts for fifteen years. But if it was before that your relatives lived here, place might'a changed names. Tha' happens sometimes." Ted replied.

Taylor shot Harry a look and asked, trying to sound nonchalant about it, "Oh yeah? You wouldn't have heard tell of a house around here that blew-up, oh about, sixteen or seventeen years ago would you?"

Ted looked at her closely then said, "As a matter of fact I did. It happened about a year before my Bessie and I moved here, now just how would you know about that?"

Taylor swallowed and launched into the tale she had come up with. "Well you see Harry's relatives had crossed this big mob boss and they were in hiding. They were supposed to be safe but, somehow they were found out and their house was blown up and they were killed. I thought it would be neat to go and see where it happened. I mean they were supposed to be such a nice young couple and to have that happen to them. I thought if we had a look around maybe we could see some clue as to what really happened. I've watched all kinds of detective shows on TV and stuff." She finished with the brightest smile she could make. Everything hung on whether Ted believed her story or not.

Ted looked at her for a few minutes as if unsure whether to believe her or not then he began shaking his head. Taylor's hope plummeted, he didn't buy it.

He began to speak again, "Young people these days! They watch that ole' tele and think they know everything. Well I guess it can't hurt to tell you where the house used to be, but you ain't a gonna' find anything there. The house, or what's left of it, is on the other side of the village. Go past the corner market, then on past the last house on the left and you'll see it if you look closely. It's purty grown up in brush now."

Harry was surprised Taylor had found out where the house was, if it was the right house, but he was fairly sure it was. How many houses do they have blown up in this area after all? They finished eating and asked if there was anything they could do to pay for their meal. Ted had chuckled and said that them listening to him ramble on was payment enough. They said good-bye and thanked him again, and then they set out for the place where their parents had been killed.

They walked to where Ted had told them to in the road, and looked to the left and there in the bushes they could just make out the remains of a house. They stepped off the road and made their way towards the remains. They spent the rest of the daylight hours walking around what was left of the house after sixteen years, and talking about what they knew about what happened that night. Harry did most of the talking.

When it became dark Harry made a small fire in as sheltered a place as they could find then he did a muggle repelling spell and renewed the Muffliato charm he had used earlier that day, in case it was weakening. They didn't want to be over heard by anyone muggle or magical.

Harry opened his bag and took out the little picture frame of Dumbledore and a loaf of bread he had brought, then he transfigured a couple of sticks into cups and filled them with water using his wand.

"Well it is sure nice to be out of there, if you don't mind me saying so Harry, it was a bit, how shall I say it, smelly in there. Maybe you should allow your bag to stay open for a while," the painting of Dumbledore said conversationally.

Taylor snorted into the cup from which she was just about to have a drink. She tried not to laugh but the harder she tried the harder she laughed, until tears were rolling down her checks and she was holding her sides.

Harry sent her a dirty look and said, "Oh shut up Taylor, it's not that funny."

The painting of Dumbledore waited until Taylor finally stopped laughing. He was smiling and there was a twinkle in his eye, that, Taylor thought, clearly was his intention to make her laugh. Then he began to speak again, " I suppose I did promise to tell you how it is that this painting came to be in the graveyard beside James and Lily's grave stone. You see Harry, and Taylor of course, I knew sometime back, that it was very possible that something might happen to me when I started, in earnest to look for the Horcruxes. So I took a number of steps to ensure that you Harry, were not left alone to try and find the remaining Horcruxes. One of those steps was to put this painting beside your parents' grave stone, but like you said earlier how was I to ensure that it was you who found it and not someone else? I decided, and please forgive me, but the charm I put on the flower allowed it to grow, only from tears shed for James and Lily. You see by doing this, it made the likelihood of someone else discovering the painting, highly unlikely." The painting said, his voice soft and gentle. Harry and Taylor both nodded their agreement. "Now how did I know you were going to go to your parents' grave? Well I just had a feeling that would be one place you were very likely to go. I am however quite surprised by the way that you used to get here. Really Harry, running from the Order is not the best of ideas. (Harry's mouth fell open at this statement) I know it might have seemed the right thing to do at the time but I think in the future we need to think of a better way. (How? Harry asked) I am a wizard painting Harry, I can move freely from one of my paintings to another. Professor McGonagall was quite upset when she came back from the meeting last night, not only did you manage to Apparate away from the protection of the Order, but she said you also do not intend on going back to Hogwarts. I believe this would be a huge mistake Harry." The painting of Dumbledore then began asking questions about what they had done this summer so far, and what had happened at the wedding. When Harry mentioned the Dark Magic spells that Taylor had used, Dumbledore asked Taylor a lot of questions about them and where she had found them. Taylor told him everything.

It was almost midnight when they finished talking and the painting told them to get some sleep, then Dumbledore stepped out of the frame and was gone. Taylor lay down and covered up in her cloak. Harry had said he would take the first watch.

Taylor was asleep in minutes; she was exhausted. She had been staying up late reading those books for nights on end, and then last night she and Harry had talked until around three. She fell into a deep sleep. All was black, then there was a sound; it came again this time she could just make it out, it was someone laughing. The laughing grew louder until she had no trouble hearing it. It was like no laugh she had ever heard before. It was a high, cold, mirthless laugh that made all the hairs on Taylor's neck stand up. The laughing kept growing louder until it sounded as if whoever was laughing was right in front of her. Taylor broke out in a cold sweat. There was a flash of green light and the laughing stopped. There was a new and much more terrifying sound; that of a snake hissing. Taylor tried to move, tried to run. She couldn't. It was as if she were frozen. The hissing kept getting louder; she could feel the snake on her skin, as it slithered up her body. She tried to scream, but no sound came. The snake wrapped itself around her mind, its tail sliding down and coiling around her heart. Taylor became unfrozen and she screamed.

Harry had been thinking of waking Taylor up so he could get some sleep, his eyes were getting very heavy. Taylor's scream brought him fully awake in an instant. She wasn't yelling but screaming a blood-curdling scream that had Harry's hair standing on end.

"Taylor! TAYLOR!" yelled Harry as he rushed over to her to try and wake her up. Taylor kept screaming. Harry grabbed a hold of her and gave her a shake, "Wake Up Taylor!" When her eyes opened Harry almost wished they hadn't, there was nothing in them but sheer terror, and she was still screaming. Harry didn't know what to do. "Taylor, come on, it was just a dream," he yelled at her but her eyes didn't focus on him. He tried shaking her again but it didn't do any good, she just kept screaming. Harry was desperate, so he did the only thing he could think of to bring her out of it. He slapped her on the face, his hand stung from the impact and his stomach gave an ugly roll at having slapped a girl, but Taylor's eyes came back into focus and she stopped screaming.

The first thing Taylor saw was Harry, but she could still feel the cold coils of the snake wrapped around her. She began to shake, she was soaking wet, her stomach heaved and she rolled over and was sick. When she pushed herself back over, it was all she could do to move that far. Her body still shook, she felt so cold she wasn't sure if she would ever be warm again.

Harry watched Taylor be sick and he didn't know what to do. She was shaking so hard he could hear her teeth chattering, and although her eyes were now looking at him he had never seen such fear in anyone's eyes, especially Taylor; she was always so fearless. "Are you ok Taylor?" he asked because he didn't know what else to do or say. She had scared him half to death.

"Harry, what is wrong? Why was Taylor screaming," the painting of Dumbledore asked, his voice tight with concern. Harry had left the frame out so it wouldn't be in his bag all night.

"I don't know Professor, she just started screaming in her sleep, I couldn't wake her up. I…I … I hit her to try and bring her out of it. I'm sorry Taylor. I didn't know what else to do." Harry said his voice breaking as he said it. Taylor was still shaking but not as hard now, her eyes however had never left him, they were losing some of the fear in them though. She hadn't yet uttered a sound since she had stopped screaming.

"Taylor! Tell me what just happened." Dumbledore commanded.

Taylor took a shaky breath, and then another, but she was only trembling now, and she sat up pulled her knees up and wrapped her arms around them, her fingers going to the pendant that hung around her neck. It was hot, but it felt good in her ice cold hand. Harry dried her off with a drying charm and wrapped her cloak around her. When she began to speak her voice trembled. She told them in halting sentences what had happened in her dream. When she came to the part about the snake wrapping itself around her she began to shake all over again, and the terror returned to her eyes. It was only Dumbledore's firm voice that kept her going until she had told them the whole thing.

Dumbledore was quiet for a minute when Taylor finished. Harry thought it sounded a little like some of the things he used to see in his dreams and he said as much. Dumbledore shook his head and said, "I do not believe this would be like the dreams you used to have Harry. Taylor was not seeing into something Voldemort was thinking or planning. Have you ever had a dream like this before?"

"No. I've ne… never had anything like this happen before," Taylor replied her voice still breaking a time or two.

"Why don't you try to get some sleep Harry, I will stay and keep Taylor company," Dumbledore said. Harry gratefully accepted, as soon as Taylor told him it was ok. Dumbledore talked for a long while about mundane things, like some of the places he had traveled to and different ways of catching a fire salamander without burning your fingers.

As Dumbledore spoke, his voice was calm and reassuring. Taylor's mind began to work again on something more than rerunning the dream over and over again. Why had she had such a dream if you could call it that, even to call it a nightmare, didn't adequately describe it. She had never before experienced such terror. Or had she? She couldn't shake the feeling that it had somehow been more real then a dream, and she told the painting of Dumbledore as much. He didn't say much about that, except that he would have to think about it. Taylor wondered how a painting could think.

* * *

><p>AN Well here is another chapter! And things are really starting to happen! First I want to clear up something before confused people ask. You need to remember that this was written BEFORE Deathly Hallows came out and as such I had to take all my ideas of how the Harry world worked from Book 6 and so 1 of the things I did wonder about was where was Godric's Hollow? The way it was mentioned made me think that muggles might not know where it was so that was why Ted didn't know. Plus Ted was Ted long before I read about Lupin's son! (A pure coincidence!) Also the way that Godric's Hollow was talked about made me think that maybe it wasn't easy to find, this was just my impression when I read the books. So hopefully you will let me have a little writters liscence in this fact.

This is an important chapter in this story, while the last one was my favorite this one really starts us down the road to what this story is all about... that being said I will say no more! ;) Just know that this chapter really starts to explain WHO Taylor is as a charactor.

I want to take this opportunity to say a big THANK YOU! to my first reviewer! deanine. Thank you! As well as all of you who have added this story to their favorites or story alerts! Thank you!

Again I would very much LOVE to hear what you think of this story! Or if you have questions I promise to try to answer them as best I can without giveing the story away! Plus if I know where people have questions then I can try to fix them.

Thank you also to my bata barbc! I will see you tonight at the preview! :)

Until next time, cytpotter


	14. A Brother's Blood

I would just like to take a moment and say that I give two thumbs up! to the Deathly Hallows part 2! I think it was very well done and with but a couple of little things the movie was WOW! A must see in my oppinion! I will say no more incase you haven't seen it yet! :) Now on to the next chapter!

No I am not JK Rowling! Cause if I was Harry would of kissed Ginny more often! :)

Maybe I'm a little blood thirsty but this chapter almost wrote itself. As you will most likely find out if you keep reading I am not a writter who writes a whole lot of filler chapters and this one is no exception! Hope you enjoy!

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter Fourteen<strong>

**A Brother's Blood**

When the eastern sky began to lighten to a dark gray, the heavy overcast sky was threatening rain. Taylor got up and stretched. It had been a long night. She had talked to Dumbledore and listened to Harry's soft snores. The nightmare, although still fresh in her memory, wasn't causing her to tremble anymore. She was almost back to her old self. She went over to wake Harry and then to get something out of her backpack for them to eat.

The painting of Dumbledore asked while they were eating what they had planned for today.

"Well, I was thinking of looking around here some more this morning then, I don't know, maybe going to Diagon Alley?" Harry said as he finished eating the dry biscuits Taylor had given him.

"I see this is a well thought out plan of action," Dumbledore said, with a twinkle in his eye, but he continued, "I think it would maybe be a good idea to visit Diagon Alley and I think Weasley's Wizard Wheezes too, where you can leave a message for the Order with Mr. and Mr. Weasley."

"Yeah, I can think of a couple of things we could pick up in there that might come in handy, Harry," Taylor said nodding her head and making a mental note of them. "Oh, and plus we are going to need some more supplies so we don't starve to death before we get back."

The painting of Dumbledore nodded in agreement and said, "Yes, I do not doubt that Fred and George Weasley have come up with at least a couple of things that could be useful."

They spent the morning looking again around the remains of the house. It had started to rain shortly after they finished eating and by the time Harry was done trying a couple of different magic detection spells, they were soaked. Of course the painting of Dumbledore was protected by a water repelling charm, as he had informed them when Harry mentioned about the painting getting wet.

Shortly before noon they packed up their stuff, soaked as it was, and Apparated to Diagon Alley. They had decided that it would be safest to Apparate right behind Fred and George's joke shop, as they were less likely to be seen there. As soon as they got there they put the hoods up on their cloaks and made their way around to the front and into the shop. It was raining very hard and the joke shop had only two other customers. They happened to be at the counter paying for their items when Harry and Taylor entered. They went to look at some things on a shelf by the wall until the other two customers left.

"Could I help you with something?" Fred asked as he wearily approached the two-cloaked people with their hoods up.

"I don't suppose you have anything that will dry a wizard off and warm him up, do you?" Harry asked taking his hood down, grinning. Taylor followed suit.

The next half hour they spent in Fred and George's office drinking a hot Butterbeer and talking about what had happened after Harry left the Order meeting. How Fred and George had almost had to jinx Bill to calm him down, he was so mad at them for letting Harry go off by himself. Bill it seemed wasn't the only one really angry, but he was the one who had said he would dangle Fred and George in their knickers, upside down, from the tallest tree around!

Taylor could tell that Fred and George were fishing for a clue as to where she and Harry had gone off to. Harry avoided the bait with questions of his own. One being, how were Ron and Hermione? They were fine; Ron was working it for all he could get, Fred said.

Taylor sensed that Fred and George were a little suspicious as to why Harry had gone off with her. They kept glancing at her when Harry wasn't looking. Taylor didn't say anything but she was getting really tired of it, when there was a noise at the window. It was Hedwig.

George opened the window and the snowy white owl flew over and landed on Harry's shoulder cooing softly in greeting. Harry took the letter off of her leg and stroked her wet head. He then opened the letter and began to read it.

_Dear H._

_We hope you are ok. After you left things got very interesting for awhile. _

_Mum was very upset about you know what. We need to talk. _

_See you on September 1__st__. Be careful say hi to T. _

Ron

Harry smiled. I wonder what makes them think I will see them on the 1st? He wasn't sure how to write back to Ron and Hermione. And Ginny… the creature in his chest moved around restlessly as he thought of her. He missed Ginny.

Harry was sitting with his arms resting on the table at number twelve, Grimmauld Place, the house Sirius had left him, with a cup of tea that had gone cold. It was August 31st, a little over a fortnight since Taylor and he had received the letter at Fred and George's joke shop. That night they had eaten with Fred and George, gotten some supplies, food and a few useful items from the joke shop. They had left a message with Fred and George for the Order like the painting of Dumbledore had suggested, plus written back to Ron, Hermione and Ginny.

When they had left the joke shop they had gone to Ollivander's wand shop to look around. Mr. Ollivander had gone missing last year and Taylor thought it was a good idea to have a look around. Harry had suggested they should go to Borgin and Burkes in Knockturn Alley. It had been a good call, as they were able to get back a few things Mundungus had stolen from Sirius' house last year. One had been Sirius' other magic mirror, when he gave it to Ron they would be able to talk freely to each other.

Next they had gone to so many places Harry couldn't even remember most of them. Caves and graveyards, rock cliffs and wooded areas, but not once, though they searched and searched, did they come up with one clue to a Horcrux. Harry was beginning to wonder if the painting of Dumbledore wasn't purposely sending them on wild goose chases. Harry was tired. They had been sleeping on the ground, usually in some cave without a fire. And it had rained every day.

Taylor glanced over at Harry, she could see the exhaustion in his face. She turned back to the soup she was making on the fire in the fireplace. This would be the first night since they left the Burrow that they would be sleeping in a house, such as it was. Taylor hated this house. It had been bad enough the few times she had been here before, when the Order was using it for their headquarters. At least then it had looked like someone was attempting to live in it. Now it was just dank and cold. Taylor had decided she was going to sleep on the floor in the kitchen.

When the soup was ready she filled two bowls and took them over to the table. It wasn't much of a soup, a bit of beef bouillon and a few vegetables they had been able to scavenge, but it was hot. She put one in front of Harry and sat down with the other one. Harry had been quiet most of the day. They usually didn't talk a whole lot but he hadn't said a word since they had entered this house two hours ago.

Harry looked up at Taylor when she set the soup in front of him and nodded his thanks. He was very frustrated. He didn't know where to go next. He started to eat the soup. It wasn't very good, but he couldn't blame Taylor. She had been doing the cooking the whole time they had been on this crazy search and they hadn't starved. Suddenly he thought of the tables of food at Hogwarts for the welcoming feast tomorrow night and his stomach growled. Should he go back? Taylor hadn't even brought it up, but he was sure she was thinking about it. When he finished his soup he got up and carried it over to the sink so he wouldn't have to tell her he didn't want any more. A flick of his wand, the bowl and spoon were clean, and he put them away noting the chip and pitting on them were the only reasons they were left at all. He felt his anger surge at the thought of what Mundungus had taken from Sirius' house.

He then went over and took out the picture frame of Dumbledore's. It was almost eleven o'clock at night and Dumbledore could usually come anytime after eleven. He had told them that he didn't want to be gone from his frame in the Headmistress' office too often when Professor McGonagall was there, as it might draw attention to the fact he was going elsewhere. Thank goodness she liked to retire early to bed, he had said with a smile, unlike when I was Headmaster, and the painting had chuckled at this.

"Ah I see you are at Grimmauld Place, good. So Harry, have you found anything of interest today?" asked Dumbledore with a slight smile as if he knew the answer already.

Harry looked at the painting of his Headmaster and snorted "Yeah right."

Dumbledore didn't seem upset at all over this cheek. On the contrary he just nodded his head and said, "Sometimes Harry, it is through failure that we find knowledge. What have you learned these past three weeks of searching?"

The stormy expression on Harry's face was a sign that what he was going to say wasn't going to be nice, "I've learned that you aren't telling us to look in the right places and I've just about had it with these cryptic messages you keep spewing out. I've had it up to here with this bullshit you've been feeding us about finding a piece of information in the most unlikely of places, and I'm tired of this hiding and I'm sick of this shitty food!" Harry bellowed, smashing the cup of tea that he hadn't drunk and sending a chair crashing against a wall. He was angry. Dumbledore was sending them to bogus places where there wasn't even a trace of a Horcrux and he was through with being fed this crap.

Taylor watched as Harry yelled at Dumbledore. She had to admit that she had suspected as much. His mood had been growing darker and darker over the past week, with every place they went not turning up a single clue. She was getting frustrated with it too. The put down about her food didn't really bother her. How could you make something good in a cold camp and with only meager supplies?

"Well, I can see you are upset, Harry," Dumbledore said, his voice calm, almost bored. Harry snorted in disgust and glared at the painting of Dumbledore. The painting continued, "I, contrary to what you just said, am not sending you to the wrong places. I'm sending you to some of the more remote places that I was not able to search. Harry it took me over a year to track down the Horcrux in the ring. It is not going to be easy to find the others. As far as finding something in an unlikely place, that is just where it is going to be. Voldemort took great care to hide these Horcruxes. He did not just leave them lying around and the clues to finding them are going to be just as elusive. I am not, however, going to send you with only Taylor here to help you, into places where I know there are Death Eaters about. You just turned of age and Taylor here is still underage. How do you think you would hold up? I know you don't want to hear this but I think your best course of action is to go back to Hogwarts for your seventh year. Harry, you are not ready to face these dangers. Voldemort wants to kill you and if you go against him, alone, without more experience that is exactly what will happen."

"Voldemort has been trying to kill me my whole life!" Yelled Harry. "What in Merlin's name is different now?"

Dumbledore's voice was so soft when he spoke again that Taylor and Harry leaned down closer to the painting so they could hear. "Because, Harry, now there is no one whom Voldemort fears."

Harry stared at the tiny picture frame, his throat constricting as he tried to swallow. The pain of losing Dumbledore came crashing down on him. He knew in that instant that he had allowed himself to become comforted by Dumbledore's voice of wisdom, but there was no longer any of the great magic that had served to help protect him in the past. The realization was almost like losing Dumbledore again. Harry couldn't say anything.

The painting sighed and said, "Harry, I'm sorry that I can not help you in the way that you so desperately want, and need, but maybe I can help you with some of the finer points of how and where to look for the Horcruxes. If you go back to Hogwarts, the training that you so desperately need and even some protection, can be provided."

Harry nodded his head. How could he argue with Dumbledore on those points? He looked over at Taylor. She hadn't made a sound through all of this, but her face was so full of hope. She turned away when she noticed he was watching her and she remained silent. The decision was his to make. "Do you think we should go on the Hogwarts Express or Apparate right to the gates outside of the school?" Harry asked.

"I think it might be wise to go straight to Hogwarts. I believe that the Death Eaters will be watching the train, in case you go on it. Send your Patronus to Moody to let him know of your plans and to pick up your school supplies. Taylor I believe you already have yours? Just send an owl to Mrs. Briggs to send your trunk to the school. I want you to tell no one, except Miss Granger and Mr. Weasley of course, about this painting; not even the Order. I will come to talk as often as I can. If there is an emergency and you need to speak with me right away, send your Patronus." The painting said with a slight smile.

Harry nodded his head as Dumbledore spoke. When he glanced at Taylor he could see that she was smiling, the first smile he had seen on her face in weeks, ever since that night at Godric's Hollow. She had followed him everywhere he went these past weeks not once complaining about a single thing, as if as long as she was with him the rest didn't matter. Maybe it didn't for her, he thought.

Taylor couldn't help the smile that spread across her face when she heard they were going back to Hogwarts. She so wanted to see Hermione and Ginny and Ron too. To sleep in a bed and have a shower, sounded so good. Maybe not in that order though, Taylor thought as she sniffed at herself. Almost three weeks without a proper shower, she smelled as bad as Sirius when he had been living as a dog in Hogsmeade. She was sure that Mrs. Briggs would send her school stuff, but she had hoped to show Harry and the painting of Dumbledore the books in the secret bookshelf, the ones about Dark Magic. Maybe Christmas break would be a better time, she thought. Harry's voice interrupted her thoughts.

"Taylor, when did you get your school supplies?" Harry was asking, but he wasn't annoyed. In fact her smile was infectious, he could feel one growing on his face. He was going to see Ginny tomorrow night. The creature in his chest stirred restlessly, it had been too long.

"Oh, I got them before the wedding. Mrs. Briggs likes to get things done right away, so when I got my school letter, we went right to Diagon Alley. I got your birthday present that day too." Taylor replied with a smile. Taylor watched as Harry conjured and sent his Patronus to Moody telling him that they would be arriving at the school around three tomorrow, and that he would need some school supplies and his trunk from the Burrow. They talked for some time about how to let Ron and Hermione know what was happening, but they decided an owl was too risky, so they trusted to the fact that Ron's last owl had mentioned seeing them on the 1st and left it at that. It was getting very late. Taylor got her cloak out and went and laid on the floor by the fire.

"You know Taylor there are beds upstairs," Harry said shaking his head.

Taylor looked at Harry then past him towards the door that led out of the kitchen to the rest of the dark house. A shiver ran down her back. "No thanks, I think right here is fine." She pulled the cloak up around her neck and curled into a ball. One more night on a hard floor wasn't going to hurt her.

It was a long wait the next day for three o'clock to arrive so they could Apparate to the gates at Hogwarts. They had discussed going to the Burrow early that morning to see Ron but had decided against it. They couldn't be sure that Ron would be there. So they waited. Just before eleven they even talked about going to Platform 9 and ¾ and getting on the train. By one, they had the fire in the fireplace put out, their stuff packed and were sitting at the table watching the clock.

Taylor was thinking that they should have told Moody an earlier time and she said as much. "Next time that we decide to meet someone, let's meet them earlier instead of later! Ok?" Taylor had thought of mentioning about going to see the Dark Magic books at Mrs. Briggs but had decided against that because they had promised the painting of Dumbledore they wouldn't go anywhere except Hogwarts at three.

They sat in silence for a long time each with their own thoughts, until…

"I wonder who they got to teach Defence Against the Dark Arts? With everything that is going on I think that might be the best class to take," Taylor wondered aloud.

"Don't know. It will probably be hard to get new teachers now. I wonder how many students will be back," Harry said.

"Have you thought about what classes you are going to take?" Taylor knew as soon as she said this that it was the wrong thing to say. Harry's eyes grew cold and angry and he got up abruptly.

"I am not going to pretend to go to a bunch of classes just to appease a teacher. I'm going back to find out if there are any Horcruxes there and that will be about it!" Harry growled at Taylor.

"Look Harry, Dumbledore thinks that it will help to go back to school, not just back to Hogwarts the grounds, and I agree with him. Mum and Dad finished school and they would want us to, as well. There's so much we don't know yet. You haven't perfected the soundless spells and we've seen how important they are when dueling." Taylor reasoned, thinking back to the duel they had witnessed at the Ministry when Sirius had died.

"Don't go bringing up Mum and Dad or Sirius," Harry practically snarled at Taylor, he had guessed who Taylor was thinking about when she had mentioned dueling. He put his hands on the table and leaned over it glaring at Taylor. "You don't know what you are talking about!"

"Yeah, is that what you think. Well I'm not scared of you Harry James Potter, so don't you try that stance with me!" Taylor said her voice growing quiet but deadly, as she got to her feet and squared off with Harry.

Suddenly all the frustration that had been building inside of Harry for the last couple of weeks had found an outlet, "So you think you have all the answers do you! Well you don't know the first thing about being scared! What do you know about Mum and Dad anyway. You didn't even know who they were until a year ago," Harry didn't care right then how much his words hurt. He just wanted to strike out and get rid of some of the hurt he felt.

"Oh, I forgot I'm talking to the great Harry Potter who can do no wrong," Taylor hissed at him, dark anger taking a hold of her, and she let it take over. "Potter you are an arrogant, self centered, egotistical ass who likes to strut around as if he is above everyone else," Taylor finished with a satisfied smirk on her face. The words, so similar to what Snape had so often said, hitting their mark.

Harry saw red, "Right, and the only one who thought he knew who your parents really were is dead! You ever wonder if the reason you were kept a secret wasn't to protect you, but because Mum and Dad were ashamed?" Harry knew he had gone too far but he couldn't seem to stop. Taylor's eyes turned almost black with rage.

"Yeah, Brother I have thought about that a good many times. I…" but a soft oily laugh came from the door way to their left and Taylor never finished what she was about to say.

"Well, isn't this a nice _Family_ picture, I always thought you looked too much like Lily Evans to be a coincidence, Porter or should I say _Miss Potter_." The greasy haired Snape said as he stepped into the kitchen from the doorway that led to the rest of the house.

"Snape!" Harry snarled, his lip curling as he said it. His anger at Taylor disappearing at the sight of Snape. I'm going to kill him, Harry thought, just like he killed Dumbledore.

"Now, now. Dumbledore wouldn't approve of his precious Potter thinking such dark things," Snape's oily voice mocked.

"How dare you say his name!" Harry roared. He squared his shoulders around so that he faced Snape, his wand clamped in his hand, was going to…

Taylor recovered quickly from the shock of seeing Snape in the doorway. She didn't dare look at Harry, but she could tell from the sound of his voice and what she could see out of the corner of her eye that he was about to curse Snape. The table separated her from Harry, but also from Snape as he was at the end of it. Taylor took a chance and stepped sideways away from the table so that Snape couldn't cover them both with his wand at the same time.

Snape's eyes flickered to Porter as she moved sideways away from the table but the inhale of Potter's breath and the sudden movement of his wand arm made him refocus on the young wizard instead. Snape's wand flashed as he flung his silent spell at Potter.

Taylor reacted as soon as she seen Snape's wand move towards Harry.

"Expelliarmus!" Taylor bellowed.

"Scept…AHH!" yelled Harry as Snape's spell hit him and knocked him onto the floor.

Snape knew he had made a huge mistake discounting Porter, as his wand flew from his fingers and straight into her hand.

"Hold still, Snape," Taylor said not daring to take her eyes off of him to see if Harry was all right.

"And just what do you think you are going to do with me? Do you really think that I'm going to let myself be captured by you?" Snape said his voice full of loathing.

Harry moaned but he still hadn't moved. Taylor knew Snape was dangerous even without a wand. She was going to have to restrain him.

"Do you really think ropes are going to hold me? Porter I would have thought that even as dull as you are, that you would have thought of something better then that," Snape was taunting her.

Taylor took a deep breath, cleared all her thoughts from her mind and let a strange calm settle over her and when she met Snape's eyes, it was he who sucked in his breath and fear jumped into his black eyes.

Snape couldn't believe the coldness that he saw when he looked into the Porter girl's eyes. He had only ever looked into one other set of eyes that were that cold and unfeeling. It unsettled him right to his core.

Taylor's wand slashed the air and the black ribbon that flew out of it wrapped it self around Snape, like a snake slowly squeezing him. His eyes widened with surprise and he tried to struggle. The ribbon enveloped his whole body, like a rope mummy and he toppled to the floor. His scream was cut short as the ribbon covered his mouth; then his fear filled eyes.

Taylor blinked as if she had come out of a trance. She stepped forward to look down at Snape. The remnants of the black ribbon were just fading from sight, but Snape was staring blankly into space. She hadn't intended to use another spell from one of those Dark Magic books, but when the thought that he knew her secret crossed her mind, all she could think of was to protect Harry at all costs. She reached for the pendant that hung around her neck. It almost burned her fingers when she took hold of it.

Harry moaned again and Taylor hurried around the table to see if he was alright. She couldn't believe her eyes when she could finally see him. There was blood pooling on the floor and Harry's chest was soaked with it.

"Ohmigod!" Taylor cried as she fell on her knees beside him. She knew Snape had used the same spell Harry had been going to use himself. Sectumsempra.

She had to stop the blood flow. Taylor jumped up and grabbed her backpack off of the table, where she had put it while she was waiting until it was time to go to Hogwarts. She opened it up and pulled out her spare shirt, she put it on Harry's chest to try to stop the blood. He moaned. There was so much blood, Taylor's hands were soaked with it; her cloak was too.

Taylor looked around desperately, but there was no one to help her here in this empty house. She could feel panic starting to set in. What was she going to do? She couldn't leave him to go get help. I'll have to do a side along Apparition she decided. But it wasn't going to be easy. She had never taken anyone in a side along before, and she was going to have to hold Harry up to do it. That is, if she could even lift him off of the floor to begin with. She glanced at her watch. It was quarter after three. What if she got to the gates at Hogwarts and no one was waiting there for them? Should she try to go to St. Mungo's wizard hospital? No, she decided it had to be Hogwarts. It was the safest place. She glanced at Snape, anger stirred deep in her chest. I should use a couple more of those spells on him. She shook her head. That was not helping, but she would have to come back and get him too, after she got Harry the help he needed.

Taylor stuffed Snape's wand into Harry's bag. Maybe she should try to reach Dumbledore? She pressed harder with one hand on the blood soaked shirt she had put on Harry's chest, took out the painting with the other and yelled Dumbledore's name. There was no answer, fear was now almost choking Taylor as she pushed the bloody frame back into Harry's bag and slung it over her shoulder.

Taylor's bloody hand slipped a bit on her wand as she pointed it at Harry. "Wingardium Leviosa!" she cried and Harry's body rose up off of the floor, but when Taylor tried to wrap Harry's arm around her shoulder so that she could do a side-along, the levitating spell broke and Harry fell back onto the floor with a grunt.

Taylor's strangled cry filled the empty kitchen. Frustrated and scared she stuffed her wand into her back pocket. Then she bent down and put her arms around Harry's chest under his arms and lifted, her blood soaked hands slipped and she dropped him back down onto the floor, again. Harry only moaned weakly. He was so much bigger than her. She tried again; this time she pulled him to a sitting position then got behind him and heaved with all her might. She had gotten him to his feet. She quickly ducked under his arm and took the full weight of him on her shoulders. Her knees started to sag under the load. It's now or never; she knew she would never have the strength to get him back up if she let him fall again.

Taylor emptied her mind and fixed the gates at Hogwarts firmly in her minds eye, her arms tightened around Harry, and she spun…

* * *

><p>AN well there you have the first cliff hanger! (evil laugh!) Well what did you think? A nice long chapter! Though many of the coming chapters are this long and longer! What did you think of the fight between brother and sister? What about Snape? Things are really starting to heat up!

I want to remind you that this was also written before Deathly Hallows was published.

I would very much love to hear what you think of this story so far! All reviews will be answered! Maybe I should wait for a review or two before I post another chapter! mwha ha ha!

Thank you to my wonderful bata barbc! As well as to those you you who have add this story to your alert and favorite lists!

Until next time, cytpotter


	15. Professor McGonagall's Office

No I'm still not JK Rowling

I did however get 2 reviews! Thank you to Themious and Baseball4Jenni! This quick update is for you! :)

So without further ado...

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter Fifteen<strong>

**Professor McGonagall's Office**

Taylor collapsed under the weight of Harry when her feet came into contact with solid ground again. She could hear yells and the pounding of feet coming nearer. She grabbed her wand and yelled "Expelliarmus!" as she tried desperately to untangle herself from Harry's limp body. When she was finally able to look around she was able to see the stone boar that stood at the gate to Hogwarts. Then she could see a huge body thundering at her, with wild black hair and a moleskin coat; Hagrid.

"Harry! What's happened to' im?" Hagrid was asking as he grabbed hold of Taylor and pulled her roughly to her feet.

Taylor could see others now as she pushed up her glasses and wiped the blood from her eyes.

"Taylor, what has happened?" It was Lupin who was speaking.

Taylor looked up at him and found her voice, "Harry's been hit with the Sectumsempra, he's bleeding all over the place, Snape attacked him, you've got to get him to Madam Pomfrey, please he's lost so much blood," Taylor cried, tears starting to run down her cheeks.

Moody who had gotten to them while Taylor was talking, and had bent to look at Harry, stood up, "We'd better get him to the hospital wing right away."

Hagrid gave Taylor a dark look and bent down and scooped Harry up into his big arms and set off for the school at a run. Taylor started to follow, but a hand grabbed hold of her arm.

"Taylor, are you okay? Where are you hurt at?" Lupin asked looking her up and down. His heart was pounding, she was soaked in blood. Moody, Hagrid and he had been waiting for Harry and Taylor to arrive at three, like Harry's Patronus had said they would. When it was quarter past three and they still hadn't arrived, Lupin had started to worry, but nothing had prepared him to see Taylor appearing with Harry draped over her shoulder clearly badly hurt, and then they fell to the ground. Taylor's unexpected disarming spell hadn't helped matters any but as she stood there covered in blood, tears leaving streaks on her checks, all that was important right then was to find out what had happened and if Taylor was ok.

"I'm okay. I've got to go see if Harry's okay. There was so much blood." Taylor said, her hands starting to shake.

"We'd better get into Hogwarts, before we attract any more attention here," Moody growled, heading in through the gates. Lupin nodded his head and led Taylor in behind Moody. The gates clanked shut with a resounding thud.

Taylor didn't say another thing as she was led up to the school and through the big front doors, up flights of stairs to the headmistress' office. She barely took notice of the stone gargoyle as they passed it and stepped onto the turning stairs. The large oak doors opened as they got to them and Professor McGonagall's eyes went to Taylor and she asked in a tight lipped voice, "Moody what has happened? Where is Mr. Potter?"

Taylor felt like she was wading through thick mud, things seemed to be happening in slow motion. She gave her head a shake trying to clear it.

Moody was telling Professor McGonagall about how Taylor and Harry arrived all covered in blood and that Harry was hurt and in the hospital wing.

"Miss Porter, what spell did you say was used on Potter?" McGonagall asked sharply.

"It was Sectumsempra, Professor," Taylor said, she could see Dumbledore's portrait now and he was watching her closely. This cleared Taylor's head like a bucket of cold water.

McGonagall called for a house elf to take that information down to Madam Pomfrey right away. Then she turned back to Taylor her eyes sharp and asked in no uncertain terms to be told what had happened.

Taylor told them about going to Grimmauld Place and waiting there, and about Snape coming into the kitchen and catching them off guard, and about Harry and Snape going at it, and how she had disarmed Snape and left him tied up there while she brought Harry to Hogwarts.

At this point Moody said he would go get Snape. Taylor knew she had better tell him now, "Moody, ah, I might of used a, well…" Taylor rubbed her hand over her face and looked at the floor. "I used a Dark Magic spell on him to bind him up and keep him there until I returned for him!" Taylor finished, looking up at Moody.

"What Dark Magic spell?" Moody barked.

"The son of a bitch killed Professor Dumbledore. What did you want me to do with him?" Yelled Taylor, her voice suddenly full of anger.

McGonagall and Moody started to talk at once. One threatening to punish her with detentions for the rest of her life, the other threatening to use other means of punishing her.

It was Lupin's quiet voice, though, that reached through to the young witch, "Taylor what Dark Magic spell did you use on Snape?"

Taylor looked at Lupin and nodded her consent that she would tell him, "It's called _Tighttagouris'_. It binds the wizard in a trance-like state until… I let him free." Taylor's voice sounded hollow.

McGonagall gasped and Moody let out a string of oaths. Dumbledore's portrait slowly shook his head. Lupin sighed.

"Miss Porter! What do you think you are doing using a spell like that! You could be punished by the Ministry for the use of such a spell!" McGonagall said, her voice appalled by what she had just heard.

"I think it is important right now that we go and get Snape and take him someplace safe. We don't want him to get loose again," Lupin said and he nodded at Moody who grunted his agreement.

"I think it might be wise, Minerva, to keep Miss Porter here until we get back, so we can get to the bottom of where Miss Porter and Potter were for the past three weeks," Moody growled, fixing Taylor with a look from both his eyes that sent a slight shiver up her spine.

"I will see to it that Miss Porter remains right here until your return Moody," McGonagall said briskly, fixing Taylor with her own piercing look.

After Moody and Lupin left however Professor McGonagall's voice wasn't quite as harsh when she said, "Are you sure you are all right, Miss Porter?" When Taylor nodded, she continued, "Well I can see you have managed to put both your feet into the fire this time. I must go to see to some things before the rest of the students arrive. Here are some refreshments. I expect you to remain here in this office until either I or Moody come to get you. Is that clear?" asked McGonagall as she waved her wand and a plate of sandwiches and a pitcher of pumpkin juice appeared on the table then she turned to go.

"Professor?" Taylor asked hesitantly. When McGonagall stopped and turned back towards her, she continued. "Please Professor, I need to know if Harry is all right!"

Professor McGonagall sighed and nodded her head, a small thin smile on her face, "Of course, I'll send you word as soon as I know how he is." And she turned on her heel and went out through the oak door.

When the door closed, Taylor turned around and looked at the office. Nothing much had changed since Professor McGonagall had taken over. Fawkes' perch was gone from behind the big oak desk and a vase of flowers sat on it but other then that everything looked the same. Taylor sighed and looked at her reflection in one of the glass door cabinets that lined one of the walls Her clothes were covered in blood, her cloak was still wet with it. The blood on her face and hands though was dry; so was the bit of blood that had gotten into her hair and made it stiff when it dried. Taylor felt a tremor go through her body.

"There's a basin over there, lass, if you want to wash up a wee bit before ye have a bite to eat," a heavily accented voice said from one of the portraits on the wall of past Headmasters and Mistresses.

Taylor looked up and met Dumbledore's eyes, but she knew she couldn't talk to him here so she nodded and said, "Thanks." She walked over to the basin and pulled out her wand. With a muttered spell she siphoned off most of the blood on her clothes, then she filled the basin with water and began washing her face and hands. The water felt good on her face, her stomach growled loudly, it had been a long time since this morning when she had eaten only a mouthful or two of the leftover soup. Harry had been right, it was awful. She wiped her glasses on a little bit of clean shirt and put them back on. She glanced at her reflection again. Her clothes were still quite dirty and a bit bloody. There wasn't much she could do about that but at least her face and hands were clean.

"You know Miss Porter, I believe Professor McGonagall wished you to eat those sandwiches not just look at them," the painting of Dumbledore said with a smile.

Taylor went over and sat down, she picked up a sandwich intending only to nibble on it but once she took the first bite, she just couldn't seem to stop until she had eaten what would have amounted to two platefuls of sandwiches, if the plate hadn't kept refilling itself as she ate. The pumpkin juice was no different. When she couldn't eat another bite she sat down on the floor and pulled her knees up and wrapped her arms around them; her fingers instinctively finding the pendant that hung around her neck.

In her mind she had been reviewing the events of that day over and over again; the fight with Harry, Snape appearing in the door way, Harry getting hit with that spell from Snape and then she had used a Dark Magic spell on Snape to hold him, so he couldn't get away, the fear she had felt when she wasn't sure if she could get Harry to help.

"Miz' Poa'-ter', I've news for you 'bout Harry Potter," a voice squeaked at Taylor, bringing her mind back to where she was. She opened her eyes and was looking into a huge pair of green eyes, and a pair of floppy bat ears, flapping as the house elf danced on the spot.

"Dobby?" Taylor managed as her throat constricted and she couldn't swallow.

"Miz' Poa'-ter'. Harry Potter is going to be O.K, his Weazey's an 'Ermy are with him now," Dobby said still dancing on the spot.

Taylor's mind kicked into over drive, she glanced out the high windows to see that it had gotten dark. There was a flash of lightening and thunder right on it's heels; rain was hammering against the windows. She must have fallen asleep, "Thank you Dobby," was all Taylor got to say before the house elf disappeared.

Harry could feel the tight bands around his chest. He knew he was in the hospital wing at Hogwarts even before he opened his eyes, because he could hear Madam Pomfrey's brisk voice as she spoke to someone. Memories came flooding back to him. His fight with Taylor and Snape suddenly appearing at Grimmauld Place. Taylor, he remembered had moved and he had tried to curse Snape. All he could remember after that was pain and the feeling of sticky wetness all over his chest. He could feel a warm hand holding his own and he knew it was Ginny's. He felt so weak, it was an effort to open his eyes, but when he did he could see Ginny's dark head but her features were all blurry. Someone had removed his glasses.

"Harry! Oh you're awake. Madam Pomfrey didn't think you would be awake for awhile yet," Ginny said her voice thick with concern.

"Oh Harry! Don't move. You will open your wounds again, how do you feel?" Hermione's voice was full of concern too, but also relief.

Harry wasn't sure if he could speak or not, his mouth was so dry. His tongue felt like a dried up sponge. He could see Hermione now and Ron's big frame standing behind Hermione. He turned his head to look in the other direction to see if he could see Taylor.

"What are you looking for, Mate? Ginny, put his glasses on will you?" Ron said.

Ginny reached over and gently put Harry's glasses on. Harry lifted his other hand, the one that Ginny wasn't holding, and pushed them into place. His eyes closed slowly and it was an effort to open them up again, but he had to know, "Where's Taylor?" he asked, his voice thick and raspy. That had taken so much energy he wasn't sure if he'd be able to say much more. He watched as Ron and Hermione exchanged worried looks, but it was Ginny who spoke.

"Taylor is up in Professor McGonagall's office, so we heard from Madam Pomfrey. She's been up there ever since you two arrived here this afternoon, as far as we can find out," Ginny said smoothing the hair off of his forehead.

He was so tired, but he needed to know more, to make sure Taylor was okay. The unthinkable was starting to whisper at the back of his mind and this gave him a boost of raw energy to say, "I need to see her, you don't understand, it was Snape. I left her alone with him!" His voice was full of panic.

"Mr. Potter, if you do not lie there and be quiet I will send these friends of yours packing and bind you to that bed. You have lost a tremendous amount of blood and the wounds on your chest are just barely closed. If you move about you will start bleeding again and you do not have any more blood to spare! As for Miss Porter, I can assure you that she is fine and up in the Headmistress' office. Now not another word, or else!" Madam Pomfrey commanded.

Harry decided that he had better listen. Besides it would take too much effort to do anymore than lie here and hold Ginny's hand. "Potter, Miss Porter is fine," Madam Pomfrey, said her voice softer, "Now please get some rest." And she bustled about him checking his bandages and feeling his forehead, and taking his pulse. When she was satisfied, she went back to her office, but not before glaring meaningfully at Ron, Hermione and Ginny.

It was getting late. It must be almost nine o'clock by now and Taylor was getting restless as she paced back and forth the Headmistress' office. What was taking Moody and Lupin so long? But when the door finally opened and Professor McGonagall, Moody, Lupin, and Kingsley Shacklebolt came into the office, Taylor thought it might be nice if they hadn't come after all.

"Now Miss Porter, I want to hear what you and Mr. Potter have been up to these last few weeks. How it is that you came here this afternoon with Potter hurt and you having used a Dark Magic spell! And I want to know the truth!" Professor McGonagall's voice was brisk and commanding.

Taylor looked at all the faces staring at her, they all looked a little angry, but also concern was there, and worry too. Her eyes paused only briefly on Dumbledore's portrait, then she was looking at Professor McGonagall again. She had a couple of questions of her own but the most urgent was, "Professor, how is Harry? Is he going to be all right?"

McGonagall sighed and nodded her head, "Yes, Mr. Potter is going to be just fine after a few days rest. It was lucky you got him here when you did though; a little longer and Madam Pomfrey said it would have been too late."

Taylor could feel the blood draining from her face and a cold sweat broke out on her forehead. She closed her eyes and tried to refocus her thoughts away from Harry. Moody was speaking.

"Miss Porter, I think you had better have a seat, and then start talking," Moody growled but his voice was gentle and he conjured up a chair for her and sat her in it.

When Taylor got through with the tale that Harry and she had rehearsed, most of it was true, with a couple of key elements left out, like what it was exactly that they had been looking for, and the part about their painting of Dumbledore. Taylor then told them about what had happened that afternoon, even the part about her and Harry having a fight, and Snape's sudden appearance at Grimmauld Place. But when it got to the part where she had used the Dark Magic spell to hold Snape she stopped. She had to make them understand that she hadn't meant to use it. It just happened. As Taylor finished talking everyone had some questions they asked her, and Taylor answered them as best she could.

Taylor had a couple of questions of her own too. "Moody? Where is Snape now? Did you release him from the spell yet?" Taylor asked all at once.

Moody's magical eye had been watching her very closely as she had told them her tale and now was no different as he pinned her with his stare and said, "Snape is at the Order headquarters under constant supervision, however until you release him from that Dark binding spell you put him under, I doubt that that is necessary."

"Oh, yeah I kinda forgot I'd have to undo that particular spell," Taylor said almost to herself. She answered even more questions about the Dark Magic spell she had used earlier today and the ones she had used at the wedding too. When asked where she had found out about them, all she would say was that she had read about them somewhere.

It was nearly midnight when Professor McGonagall said, "I think that's all for tonight, unless you have any objections Alastor? Miss Porter has classes to go to in the morning and I think she needs to get some sleep. It's been a long day."

Taylor looked at McGonagall and nodded thankfully. She was getting very tired and she still hadn't seen Harry or had that shower she had so been looking forward too.

"If it's ok with you Professor I'll walk Miss Porter back to the Gryffindor common room," Lupin said, one of the few times he had spoken all through this interrogation of Taylor.

McGonagall replied, "Yes, please, that would be wonderful. I need to have a word with Moody and Shacklebolt. If you would, gentlemen?"

Lupin looked at Taylor expectantly. She got up, grabbed Harry's bag off of the floor where she had dropped it hours ago and followed Lupin out the door and down the winding staircase. At the bottom they set out, not for the Gryffindor common room but the hospital wing. "I presumed you would like to see Harry before you go to bed," Lupin said as they approached the hospital doors. They could see a light still on in Madam Pomfrey's office.

Taylor nodded her head and went straight to the bed where Harry was lying. He's so pale, she thought as she knelt by the bed and took his hand in hers.

"Ginny?" Harry whispered.

"Shh, no, it's me Taylor, I just wanted to make sure you were all right," Taylor whispered.

"Taylor," Harry sighed, he took a deep breath as if it was a relief to hear her name and he went back to sleep.

"Taylor, we'd better go," whispered Lupin from right behind her. He must have come right over to Harry's bed, too.

Taylor nodded, gave Harry's hand a final squeeze and got up and followed Lupin out of the hospital wing. Up through the empty halls and to the Gryffindor common room entrance, where the fat lady was snoozing in her painting. That was when Taylor realized she didn't know the password. "Lupin, I don't know the password."

"That's okay Professor McGonagall told me what it was for tonight," Lupin said with a smile, and he prodded the frame with his finger and told the annoyed fat lady the password. With a grumble about tardy students and not respecting one's sleep she swung open to allow Taylor to go into the common room.

"Lupin, I…" Taylor began but he cut her off.

"Goodnight, Taylor. Be sure to get right to bed," and with that he turned and walked away.

Taylor ducked through the porthole and into the Gryffindor common room, where she was very surprised to see three people sitting in the chairs around the fire. "Hermione! Ginny! Ron! I didn't expect to see you guys tonight," Taylor exclaimed as Hermione and Ginny rushed over to give her a hug. Taylor was so relieved to see her friends. It had been a long three weeks.

"Taylor, tell us what happened to Harry, are you okay? Why are you all covered in blood? Oh my gosh is that Harry's blood?" Hermione asked as she looked down at Taylor's stained clothes.

"Yeah, Taylor! What the bloody hell did you let Harry take on Snape for anyway? What were you doing while Harry was getting cut to ribbons?" Ron growled, towering over Taylor.

Taylor couldn't keep the smile off of her face. It was so good to see them even if they seemed a little upset at the moment. So she started to tell them exactly what had happened since the wedding, and what had happened that day at Grimmauld Place and how she had to wait in Professor McGonagall's office. Then she told them about who had been in that office and all that had been said there, when she finally finished the three of them stared at her in silence.

"Where did you get the Dark Magic spells?" Hermione asked and Taylor told her at Mrs. Briggs in a hidden bookcase.

"Where did you say the Order is keeping Snape?" Ron asked. Taylor said at their new headquarters but she didn't know where that was.

"What were you and Harry fighting about?" Ginny asked glaring at Taylor.

Taylor sighed. She was exhausted. She rubbed her hands over her face and said, "It wasn't anything important, Ginny, just something stupid. Harry was very frustrated and we just got carried away," Taylor shook her head sadly knowing that what she had just said was the truth. It had been a stupid, unnecessary fight that might have cost them dearly. Taylor rubbed her tired eyes again. It felt like she had been beaten by the Whomping Willow; her whole body was a dull ache.

"I think you had better get to bed Taylor we'll talk some more tomorrow, okay?" Hermione said, but she smiled at Taylor. She looks about to collapse, Hermione thought, it isn't going to do anymore good trying to talk some more tonight. Besides tomorrow they would be starting their classes and Taylor doesn't want to be late for them or fall asleep in one. She's in enough trouble already, Hermione thought as she watched Taylor get up and head up to the girls dormitories.

When Taylor entered her dorm room she could see her trunk was already at the foot of her bed. Thanks, Mrs. Briggs she thought as she dropped Harry's bag beside the bed and took off the dirty, blood stained clothes she was wearing. That shower will have to wait until morning, was her last coherent thought before sleep claimed her.

* * *

><p>AN Well there you have it! What did you think? I just want to point out that the spell that Taylor used "Tighttagouris" is just a word I made up. I'm not very confident about looking places on the net to find words in other languages... and it isn't supposed to be latin like all the other spells in the Potter universe are(I'll explain that in later chapters) So hopefully you can forgive me for this. I am trying to keep this as close to cannon as possible and so I will let you know when things stray outside those lines and why I did it. If you see anything that is not cannon and I don't explain it PLEASE let me know!

Again I want to thank all of you who have added this story to their favorites lists as well as alerts! That means a lot to me! I espeacially want to say a BIG thank you to Themious and Baseball4Jenni for leaving a review! Wow those just made my day!

I also need to thank my bata barbc!

Well enough rambling! Until next time,

cytpotter


	16. Detention with Moody

So you should all know by now that I am not JK Rowling. She never put her charactors in the situations that I love to! :)

This chapter is a very important one, it explains alot and still raises more questions. It took me several tries to get it out the way I wanted it. So I hope you enjoy!

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter Sixteen<strong>

**Detention with Moody**

"Taylor Porter! Yo Porter, you'd better get up or you're going to be late!"

Taylor felt like she was drugged, she wondered who in blazes was hollering to her at this time of morning anyway. Something thumped on her back. She was instantly awake and she had her wand in her hand as she rolled out of bed ready to disarm anyone who looked threatening. Only Lavender Brown and Hermione stood there though.

"Whoa, Taylor, put that thing away, you're going to get yourself in more trouble if you jinx someone on the first morning back!" Hermione's bossy voice commanded. "Besides, you have about 5 minutes to get dressed and headed down to the Great Hall for breakfast."

Taylor was out the door of the dorm before Hermione had finished talking. She was not going to class smelling like this. Into the shower and out again she flew, running into a couple of scared looking first years. "Sorry" she called as she set them back on their feet with her wand as she was heading out the washroom door. She pulled on her school robes. Her backpack, of course, was either at Grimmauld Place, the new Order headquarters or somewhere in between. She'd just have to do without this morning. She ran her hand through her short wet hair and met Hermione, Ron and Ginny as they went out through the portal. They wouldn't have time to check on Harry before breakfast because they didn't have their new time schedules yet for their classes. They would get them at breakfast.

Taylor was very surprised when she entered the Great Hall. The tables were still lined up for the houses but they were a lot shorter then they used to be, only coming about half way down the huge hall, even then they were not full of students. Taylor shook her head. Voldemort's presence was being felt very strongly at the school. She then noticed at least half a dozen full grown witches and wizards who seemed to be standing guard. When she mentioned this, Hermione told her that they were aurors and they were posted all over the grounds for safety.

Taylor was just finishing her third bowl of oatmeal, she hadn't said very much the whole time she was eating, just listening to what people were saying, when Professor McGonagall came by with their timetables.

"Miss Porter you are to report to my office as soon as you finish your last class this afternoon, no delays," McGonagall said to Taylor as she passed her a timetable, and she continued down the table passing out the rest of the timetables to the Gryffindor's.

Taylor rolled her eyes, then looked at her schedule. Oh great, double potions with Slughorn, and she sighed. Most of her timetable seemed to be made up of double classes and study periods. Great just what I need, Taylor thought as she looked over at Ron's timetable. They were both the same, so that would mean she had succeeded again this year to be in all of Harry's classes, because Ron was always in all of Harry's classes.

The early morning went okay. She hadn't had her things for potions but Slughorn had let her go get them from her dorm. He was an arrogant ass, but he let her get away with a lot because she had gotten top marks in his class the year before. Harry had only been better than her at potions while he was using the prince's book. Taylor, it seemed, had inherited Lily Potter's potion making skills, but of course she couldn't tell anyone. She hadn't even told Harry or Hermione what her grades in potions were. As it was, Taylor was able to complete her potion and pass it in on time at the end of the class, impressing Slughorn yet again. I'm going to have to be careful. I don't want to make him too impressed or else I'll get invited to his Slug Club again.

Next she had double Herbology out in the greenhouses. She wasn't as good at it as some but she wasn't bad. Ron was her partner and he nearly put them in the hospital wing when he grabbed the wrong end of a particularly nasty plant and tried to trim it instead of the one they had been pruning. She and Ron received extra homework for that mistake.

When they finally went into the school again for lunch, Taylor was wondering why she had been so keen to return. They had a heap of homework and they had only had two classes so far. They met Ginny in the entrance hall and they headed for the hospital wing to see how Harry was doing before lunch.

Harry wasn't awake when they got there so they only stayed for a minute. He was still pale, but Madame Pomfrey said he was resting more easily, so he couldn't be in as much pain. Taylor noted the two aurors posted outside the hospital wing doors. At least Harry should be safe there, Taylor thought sarcastically.

After lunch Taylor had Charms with little Professor Flitwick, and she enjoyed that class as usual until she realized she was going to have another huge amount of homework from Charms as well. It seemed all the teachers were going to get them ready for their N.E.W.T.'s at the end of the year, Voldemort or not. At the end of class Taylor said good-bye to Ron and Hermione and headed straight for the Headmistress' office like she had been told.

When she reached the stone gargoyle at the entrance to the Headmistress' office she remembered that she didn't have the password to go any farther. She was standing there only a minute though when Moody and Lupin came down the revolving staircase from the Headmistress' office.

"Porter do you have that cloak of Potter's?" Moody asked when he stepped into the hallway.

Taylor looked at Moody for a moment confused, then it occurred to her that Moody was talking about Harry's invisibility cloak. "Ah, yeah Profes… ah Moody, but I'm supposed to be going to see Professor McGonagall like she told me this morning," she said looking at Moody and Lupin curiously.

"No Porter, Professor McGonagall told you to come to her office this afternoon, and that is what you did, didn't you?" Moody growled. "Well you are to start serving your detentions with us, so go get Potter's cloak and meet us in the entrance hall with it on."

Taylor stood there for a moment stunned, had she really heard right?

"I thought you told me, Remus, that Miss Porter was a quick study…" Moody growled as Taylor wheeled and took off for the Gryffindor common room at a run.

Taylor was out of breath when she reached the fat lady but she wasted no time saying the password and climbing in through the porthole and took the stairs to her room two at a time. There was no one there when she entered and grabbed Harry's bag off of the floor. She dumped the contents onto the bed and picked up the invisibility cloak. Her fingers brushed against the picture frame that Dumbledore was in and she picked it up. It was empty but what was she going to do with it? She couldn't just leave it lying there like that. Someone might become suspicious. So she opened her trunk, intent on putting it in there, when she saw the picture of her Aunt Helen and Uncle Herbert. An idea came to her instantly. When she was done putting the muggle picture of her Aunt and Uncle over Dumbledore, she placed it on her bedside table, which should be as good a hiding place as any for now.

She glanced at her watch. That had used up a lot of time she didn't have but she wanted to leave a message for Hermione. She grabbed a piece of parchment and quickly wrote down a note:

_Hermione, got a detention with M.E.M. and Moony, I can't believe you haven't seen him yet. See you later, Taylor._

She read the note over once more. If anything happened, maybe Hermione would get whom she had gone with. Taylor left the note on Hermione's bed, pulled the invisibility cloak over her and headed down to the common room. No one was there, so she went out through the porthole and hurried as fast as she could through all the shortcuts she knew to get to the Entrance hall where Moody and Lupin were waiting impatiently. She could tell Moody saw her as soon as she started across the huge, almost empty hall towards them with his magical eye.

"About time," Moody grumbled so only she could hear, as Moody, Lupin and Taylor following behind, went out through the castle doors. They crossed the lawns and paused only a moment at the gates when one of two aurors standing guard asked where they were going.

"We've got business in Hogsmeade," Moody growled at them and the aurors waved their wands and the gates opened. When they were through, the gates clicked shut again.

Taylor had to hurry to keep up with Moody and Lupin as they headed for Hogsmeade. Most of the places were boarded up, Taylor saw as she hurried past. When Moody and Lupin headed down a side alley Taylor paused. Where were they going?

Moody's low growl of, "Keep that cloak on and get down here," made her legs move again.

When they were behind the building, Moody stopped and turned to her and growled in a whisper, "Take hold of Lupin's arm. He'll take you to headquarters but keep that cloak on until we make sure it's safe, and keep your wand out just in case."

Taylor smiled. Only Moody would think that a secret headquarters somewhere was unsafe, but she gripped her wand tighter, she had been holding it since she left her room, and put her other hand on Lupin's arm, holding on tight.

Lupin looked down when he felt her hand on his arm. He couldn't see her but he smiled a tight smile. "Ready," he whispered and stepped into his Apparition turn.

Taylor found herself in a small room. There was a fireplace, a table and one door that was closed and a man sitting in the corner. It was Mr. Weasley.

Moody appeared a moment afterward. "Everything alright Arthur?" he asked.

Arthur Weasley nodded his head and looked at Lupin, but he said, "Yes, it's been quiet here all watch. Are you sure about this Alastor?" Mr. Weasley asked.

Moody looked all around with his magical eye, then he said, "Ok, Miss Porter you can take that cloak off now. Yes, Arthur I am sure about this, we need to know and like I said before, here is as good a place as any."

Taylor let go of Lupin's arm, suddenly realizing she still had a hold of it. Then she did as she was told and took off the invisibility cloak, but she kept her wand out. She wasn't sure why, but it felt good in her hand in this strange cabin.

Mr. Weasley smiled at Taylor but it was a strained type of smile that didn't go far to put her at ease. "Hello, Taylor it's good to see you again." He said.

"Now Miss Porter we would like you to release Snape from the Dark holding spell you put on him," Moody said without any preamble.

Taylor stared at him and the unease she had been feeling jumped a couple of steps to being definitely worried. She shifted her feet and looked around the room again. She couldn't see Snape, but there was that closed door. "Ah, right now? I don't see him. Anyway, wouldn't it be easier to hold him, I assume that's what you are going to do, if he stays unconscious?" She said, her voice not as confident as she would have liked. She didn't want them to know she was worried.

"Taylor, you see, we are not sure what is happening to him while he is under this spell. Something just isn't right about Snape, ever since we went and got him from Grimmauld Place last night, it is like he is having a nightmare, but it keeps getting worse. If it gets any worse we are afraid…" But Lupin didn't finish. Moody had gone over to the door while Lupin had been talking and with a flick of his wand opened it. Inside Taylor could see the dark form and greasy hair on Snape's head, but they were right. Something was definitely wrong with him.

Taylor could feel the blood drain from her face as she watched. Snape was obviously having some sort of nightmare but she could hear it, even see it, in her mind's eye. A snake was talking to him; a snake that was slowly wrapping itself around his body. The snake was asking how he knew about the Potter children. Its tongue now flickering right by Snape's mouth. Taylor watched in horror as it slipped into his mouth. Snape tried to scream, terror filled his eyes. Snape looked at her, pleading for her help.

"MOODY! Shut that door!" Lupin yelled as he watched Taylor's face go white and her body started to shake. She was staring at Snape like she could see what he was seeing. The same look of terror was on both their faces anyway.

Moody slammed the door as Taylor fell to the floor. Lupin knelt beside her, his own face pale from what he had just witnessed. "What the hell just happened anyway?" he demanded but his voice shook a little with fear.

Moody knelt beside Taylor too, his scared features looking concerned. He had been sure that the Porter girl would be able to reverse the spell that she had put on Snape. Now he wasn't so sure.

Mr. Weasley looked down at Taylor. He hadn't liked the idea of asking this young girl to come here to begin with. He highly doubted that if they couldn't undo that spell, Taylor, who wasn't even out of Hogwarts yet, wouldn't be able to. "Alastor, I think we need to rethink this plan."

Taylor could hear their voices but it was like they were coming from a long ways away. She could still see the snake in her mind's eye and a shiver ran down her spine. The look in Snape's eyes though, disturbed her more. He had been pleading for her to do something, to help him. Taylor lifted her hand up and found the pendant around her neck. It was hot again. She opened her eyes. Lupin was staring right down at her, worry etched into his tired face.

"Easy, Taylor. Are you all right?" He asked

"Here, let's get you off of that floor and into a chair," Mr. Weasley said, his voice sounding relieved. He and Lupin helped the young witch up off the floor and into a nearby chair.

Moody was watching Taylor closely. She looked quite shaken. Maybe he shouldn't have sprung Snape on her like that, but he had wanted to see if she was into the Dark Arts and the best way he knew how to do that was surprise someone and gauge their reaction. "I'm sorry Porter. I didn't want to put you through that but I had to see your reaction."

Taylor looked at Moody in confusion but it was Lupin who spoke.

"Mad-eye, I think your experiment here is done," Lupin said, his voice angry but there was something else there too.

"I agree, Alastor. We can't put Taylor in danger again." Mr. Weasley said, his voice sounding protective like a father's would.

Taylor gave her head a shake and looked at Moody. "You wanted to see if I was able to do the counter spell to reverse the one I put on Snape in the first place." It was a statement.

Moody watched her for a second then nodded his head, "Yes, Porter, that is exactly what I wanted to see."

Taylor's mind started to turn. Could she reverse the spell? Yes was the resounding answer, but why hadn't it worked? She had become overwhelmed by what she saw when she looked at Snape. She hadn't been able to do a thing to stop it. Or could she?

"I've told you before, Mad-eye, Taylor is not into the Dark Arts." Lupin said, his voice full of conviction.

Taylor looked up at Lupin and a smile she couldn't help played at her lips. Her parents' best friend was defending her. It gave her a warm feeling right down to her toes. Not many people in her life had ever defended her.

It was like the pieces of a puzzle started to fall into place. The warmth she felt from what Lupin had said, reminded her of why she had performed the spell to begin with. She had been protecting Harry. The spell she used wasn't a Dark Art spell, but a Dark Magic spell. She wasn't sure right then what the difference was but that wasn't important; she knew what she had to do.

"Moody, so you think that I have been dabbling in the Dark Arts?" she almost laughed. If he knew who her parents were, he wouldn't be so worried. When he nodded his somber face, Taylor continued. "I can reverse that spell on Snape, but the only reason I did it in the first place was because I had to make sure he couldn't hurt Harry anymore." She wasn't sure that she had made them understand, but she had to reverse that spell right now before the snake did any more to Snape. She didn't like Snape but she couldn't let him suffer like that. She stood up.

"What are you going to do Taylor? Snape is not worth you getting hurt over," Lupin said his voice again full of concern, for her.

"I'm going to do what Moody brought me here to do. Reverse that spell," Taylor said, a calm coming over her as she spoke. There was no fear in her at all, only certainty that she would succeed. When she got to the door, her wand flicked and the door went crashing into the wall with the force of her spell. She had only had to think of opening the door and it had happened. The snake, she could see was getting close to Snape's soul, but this time she commanded the snake, "Vanish-Qu-Aee!" she ordered the snake, and sliced downward with her wand. The snake turned into black ribbons and vanished. Snape's eyes looked at her, but Taylor wasn't sure he could see her. She stepped up beside him and spoke in a low soothing voice. "Sleep, its okay to sleep now, the snake has gone." Recognition came into Snape's eyes as she spoke and the terror was fading as he closed his eyes and fell into a deep sleep.

Moody couldn't believe the transformation in Porter as she turned and walked towards the door. Even her voice sounded different when she had cast the spell, but nothing prepared him for the look in her eyes when she came back out of the room. Then she blinked and it was gone.

Lupin recovered enough to speak first. "Taylor?" he asked tentatively, "What did you just do?"

Taylor stopped and looked at the three wizards standing before her. Their faces were filled with apprehension, concern and some fear. Taylor said the most obvious thing to her. "Well I… I released Snape from the… the spell I put him under. That is what you wanted me to do isn't it? The whole reason Moody brought me here in the first place?" She couldn't bring herself to say release Snape from the snake; she had a feeling that they couldn't see it.

Mr. Weasley walked past Taylor and into the room where Snape was laying. Moody was staring at her as if he was seeing her for the first time, again.

"Well, he is definitely resting much better then he was before. Whatever you did Taylor, it seems to have worked," Mr. Weasley said, breaking the silent tension as he came back into the main room of the cabin.

At Mr. Weasley's words, Moody turned his searching gaze off Taylor and clumped in past her to look at Snape himself. Lupin still seemed lost in thought.

Their reaction to what Taylor had just done, release Snape from the spell she had put on him, was making Taylor nervous. She went over to the other side of the room and began pacing restlessly, trying to figure out just what she had done wrong, because she had obviously done something that wasn't sitting well with these wizards.

Moody came back out several minutes later, scratching his scared chin. He wasn't sure what the young Porter girl had done but she had just reversed the spell on Snape, but it was how she had done it, or more precisely how she had been able to call upon Dark Magic to perform the spell, that had him worried. If he had been worried after what he saw that day at the wedding, he was downright scared now. What was he going to do? He watched as she paced back and forth on the other side of the table.

The tension in the room was starting to make Arthur uncomfortable. He didn't know what Moody was trying to prove but his attitude towards Taylor was starting to make him angry. Moody had, after all, brought Taylor here to do just what she did.

"Taylor, I want you to tell me how in the name of Merlin you knew how to perform a spell like that." Moody growled, after a while. He knew by the look on Arthur's face that he was going to say something soon.

Taylor stopped her pacing and stared at Moody, "I've already told you that I read about it in a book, last night in Professor McGonagall's office."

"Well I'm sorry, but I do not believe you. In all the years that I was an auror, I've never seen anyone, other then a dark wizard, who was able to handle Dark Magic like that. Never!" Moody barked.

"And I've told you I AM NOT A DARK WITCH!" Taylor yelled back.

"TAYLOR PORTER!" Lupin snapped, "You do not need to be disrespectful like that. Now we are going to get to the bottom of this and I do not think that either Professor McGonagall or Professor Dumbledore would think very much of you being cheeky with your elders."

Taylor was fuming. She had done exactly what Moody had brought her here to do and now they were giving her the third degree about it. She said as much.

Arthur could see that neither Remus or Alastor had ever dealt with an angry teenager very much before and he knew from experience that this was not going to get them anywhere, so he decided to jump into the fray to defuse the situation and get some answers too. "Now, Taylor, I think what Moody is trying to say is that we are very worried about the kind of magic you used and your apparent ease with which you used it. It was very disturbing to us all. I am glad that you were able to help Snape, but…" and he let his voice trail off.

Taylor looked down at her feet. She knew they were only trying to figure out how she had been able to do what she could, but she didn't even know how she did it herself. She sat down in a chair and ran her hand through her short hair. "I don't know how I did that spell. I just knew I could." She looked back up at Moody, hoping that he wasn't too mad at her. She just seemed to be digging a deeper and deeper hole for herself. She glanced out the cabin window and saw it was getting dark. It didn't seem possible that it had only been a little over 24 hours ago that she had been at Grimmauld place with Harry. Her heart missed a beat or two, as she thought about Harry lying in the hospital wing at school. I hope he's ok.

"Taylor," Mr. Weasley's voice brought her out of her musings. "Could you please tell us again how you found these spells?"

Taylor again told them about reading the Dark Magic books over the summer. She refused to tell them where she got the books in the first place, but that she had only looked in them to see if they held anything that might be important to the 'quest' that Harry was on. She also wouldn't tell them what that 'quest' was. When it came to using the spells the first time, she told them that they had just popped into her head. She had been desperate to save Hermione. She hadn't even stopped to think that they had been spells from the Dark Magic books she had read. Then when Snape had surprised them in the kitchen in Grimmauld Place she told them about how worried she was about Harry and her fear that Snape would try to hurt Harry more if she didn't put a powerful spell on him so that he couldn't. When she got to using the reversal spell she had done a little while ago, she told them about how at first she couldn't do the spell and she described to them, the best that she could, what she had seen when she looked at Snape the first time with the snake. She just didn't mention about the snake talking about 'the Potter children'. When Lupin asked what was different about the second time she tried, besides not having Snape sprung on her, she was able to tell them, even though she blushed terribly and was extremely embarrassed, that it was because of what Lupin himself had said.

"What do you mean, you were able to do the spell, because Remus said what?" Moody growled, sounding confused.

"Well you know, when he… well… he didn't want me to get hurt, trying to do the spell again, it sort of made me… well ah…" Taylor looked at the floor her face red, she wasn't sure if she could finish.

"It made you what?" Moody barked.

Taylor searched her memory trying to find a way to say what she wanted to without being so embarrassed. Then it came to her, "I have only been able to do these spells when I feel like I am trying to protect someone."

Moody stared at her. Taylor couldn't bring herself to look at Lupin and Mr. Weasley's face looked a little confused.

Moody questioned her some more about the spells and then he wanted to know why she thought she could only do them if she was protecting someone. Taylor told him she didn't know why that was.

Taylor glanced at her watch. It was almost eight – thirty. She wanted to go back to Hogwarts and see Harry before curfew. Lupin seemed to read her mind.

"We will have to wait until tomorrow to take you back to the school. They seal the castle at sundown, no one goes in or out."

Mr. Weasley said, "I've brought some sandwiches with me. I'll make us some tea, we can have a little bite to eat." As he set about lighting the fire and putting the kettle on, he also went and checked on Snape. When he came back out, the water was boiling and he set a bag with two sandwiches on the table then he used the engorgement spell to swell them up.

Taylor was starving she hadn't had anything since lunch and the swelled sandwiches tasted fine. The tea she drank, but wished it had been pumpkin juice instead.

Taylor finally asked the question that had been at the back of her mind all evening. "Moody, what is the difference between Dark Arts and Dark Magic? It seems like people interchange the words a lot, but they are different, aren't they?"

Moody regarded her for a few moments before answering, "Yes, Miss Porter there is a big difference between the Dark Arts and Dark Magic. Dark Magic is not named such because it is bad or evil magic but because it is old magic. It comes from the Dark ages, hence the name Dark Magic. However because it is old magic, many of the spells and the ability to use them has long been lost. The magic we use today is deeply rooted in the past but it is more refined and has been made, through centuries of use, easier to control. A wand focuses a wizard's, or witch in your case, magical energy. The incantation that you speak has actually gained, some scholars believe, a certain amount of power itself just from being repeated so many times, and because of that pronunciation is critical to achieve the desired spell. Magic today is much easier to learn and control for the desired outcome. But the old magic still exists. It is, some believe, a purer magic, but because it is harder to control and because the laws that we have in place today weren't around then, the Dark Magic is not taught anymore." Taylor wanted to know why. "Because Dark Magic is not universal. The same incantation, performed by two different witches, can have very different effects, deadly, different effects." Moody paused for a moment to look closely at Taylor before continuing. "The Dark Arts on the other hand, although they are, to a certain extent based in Dark Magic, only deal with that part of the Dark Magic that is inherently evil."

Taylor looked at Moody wide eyed, although she had maybe guessed at some of what he told her, the rest was quite frightening. "But how can I perform Dark Magic? It sounds like you are saying that it is extremely hard to do and I swear I haven't been practicing these spells at all. I just can do them, if I feel like I have someone to protect. It makes no sense to me."

Lupin and Arthur didn't know what to say. They were as confused about it as Taylor. What Moody had just told them wasn't common knowledge. In fact, he informed them it had taken him years to figure out what he had just told them.

Moody looked at Taylor with grave eyes and said, "Miss Porter, you have reason to be worried. If Voldemort finds out that you have this ability with Dark Magic then he will be coming after you. The old magic is much easier to turn to evil ways then the magic that is used and taught now. You have a gift, but beware Miss Porter, do not use this gift unless you absolutely have to. Voldemort is bound to find out about it sooner or later, but the later the better." Moody finished, giving Taylor a significant look.

They continued to talk about the differences between the two magics until it was past midnight and Taylor's eyes were falling shut.

Mr. Weasley drew up four cots and Taylor thanked him as she fell into it and was asleep within minutes.

The next morning Taylor was awake with the first lightening of the sky. It only took her a moment to remember where she was and she lay there listening to the soft snores of the wizards and thought about what she had learned last night about Dark Magic and the Dark Arts. She knew that what she had learned was that she had even more questions to ask. She wanted to talk to the painting of Dumbledore desperately. Hopefully he would be able to answer at least some of the questions that where running around in her mind. She didn't know how long she lay there lost in thought, when she heard a voice. It was Snape's.

She got up from the cot quietly. The others were still asleep. From the look of exhaustion on their faces Taylor was fairly sure that they hadn't gone to sleep when she did, but had stayed up talking. About her. Taylor walked into the room where Snape was. She noticed right off that his face wasn't as pale as it had been and when she looked into his eyes, the terror was gone. Replaced by a look of loathing that seemed to always be there when he looked at her.

"Good morning Prof… ah Snape," she said, not sure just how to address him. "I see that you are looking better."

Snape's eyes narrowed and he said in a sarcastic voice. "Well, if it isn't Miss Porter, bin dabbling in the Dark Arts have we?"

Taylor wasn't really surprised by what he said or by his tone of voice. He had never had anything remotely nice to say to her the six years he had been her teacher. An idea suddenly came to her, "No, Snape, I haven't. _Muffliato! _But there is something I would like to ask you."

"I suppose that you got Potter some help just in time, did you?" Snape snarled back.

Taylor gritted her teeth so that she wouldn't rise to his taunt. "Yes, Snape, I did. I want to know what the snake said to you."

Snape's face went white and fear leapt into his eyes. He just stared at her for a moment then whispered, "You could see it?"

"Yes, I could, and I heard it asking you a question about…" her voice trailed off, she didn't want to tell him too much in case he didn't remember what it said.

"It asked how I knew about 'the Potter children', but how could you know that?" Terror was taking over his face and eyes as he stared at Taylor.

"I don't know how I could see or hear it but I could. It was wrapped around your body, and it was…" Taylor couldn't finish as a shiver ran up her back and she was breaking out in a cold sweat. "I want to know what you told it."

"I didn't tell it anything. I only know about one Potter child," Snape looked at her, but she could tell that he was about to put one and one together and get 'two Potter children'. "You- you **ARE** James and Lily's child!"

Taylor decided to ask her other question and not answer his, "Why did you think that I had been dabbling in the Dark Arts? Was the snake something that Voldemort had used?"

Snape narrowed his eyes and when he spoke again his words were slow and calculated. "I know Miss 'Porter' that you have been using Dark Magic, because the spell you put on me is deeply rooted in the Dark. The Dark Lord has many ways of using this type of Magic that you and your inferior mind will never be able to grasp!"

Taylor stared hard at her ex-teacher. She had heard the insults but also the fear that had been in his voice. She turned when she heard a noise at the door. It was Mr. Weasley. With a flick of her wand she undid the muffling charm.

"Ah, I see that you are looking better Severus. Taylor I think it is time for you to be heading back to Hogwarts. You don't want to miss breakfast," Mr. Weasley said with a smile.

Taylor turned back and looked at Snape, she still had so many questions that she would like to ask him, but she didn't think she was going to get any more answers from him now anyway. "Well I'm glad to see that you are better, Snape. I'd keep my mouth shut when I sleep from now on if I was you." Taylor said and she was glad to see that Snape got her meaning, before she turned and walked out of the room.

* * *

><p>AN Well there you go another chapter. I'm sorry for the wait between chapters but it is summer and both my bata and I are busy with life! :) So what did you think? Did that answer a few questions that you might of had? Or just made you more confused? Was it clear as mud? LOL! My main purpose with this chapter was to expalin what Dark Magic was and how it differed from Dark Arts. Like I said back in chapter 10, I read a story a long time ago that had Dark Magic in it and the idea that there was a difference in the magic that witches and wizards used way back then and what is used today stuck... and was the whole driving force that defined this story.

I would like to know what you as a reader think of Taylor... is she a good witch? Or is she going to turn dark? Do you like her as a charactor? You see that little button to the left? well push it and you can tell me what you think! :)

As always I want to thank my bata barbc and any of you who have left a review or added this story to your alerts and favorites!

Until next time, cytpotter


	17. New Defense Against the DarkArts Teacher

Nope still not JK Rowling

Here's another chapter. Hope you enjoy!

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter Seventeen<strong>

**The New Defense Against The Dark Arts Teacher**

Taylor paused in the Entrance Hall for a second, trying to decide where she should go first, up to the common room for a shower or to the Hospital Wing to see Harry. There weren't any students in the Great Hall yet for breakfast, as it was still very early. She decided that a shower sounded really good. Besides, she didn't want to get to the Hospital Wing and the doors still be closed.

When Taylor reached the fat lady, she was slightly out of breath, but she said the password and made it into her dorm room before seeing anyone awake.

"Taylor, where have you been? Have you been out all night?" Hermione whispered to Taylor as soon as Lavender was out of the room.

Taylor dropped her backpack onto her bed. Lupin had given it to her before she had left the Order headquarters a short while ago. She took Harry's invisibility cloak out and put it in her trunk, along with the mirror that she and Harry had gotten back this summer at Borgin and Burks.

"I'll tell you later," she whispered to Hermione, as she raced out the door to the washroom to have a shower.

Taylor's hair was still wet, but she had clean clothes on and all her books for her morning classes when she joined Hermione, Ron and Ginny on the way out of the common room.

"Just where have you been anyway!" Ron demanded again, as the four of them set out for the Hospital Wing.

Taylor put up a silencing charm so that she could tell them a brief account of where she went and who she was with. She didn't get a chance to say much more than that she had reversed the spell she had put on Snape when they came to the doors going into the Hospital Wing. "Please don't mention anything to Harry about Snape, okay? I'll tell him everything that has happened when he is better." The other three agreed that would be okay, and Taylor took the silencing charm off as they went through the doors.

Harry saw Ginny, Hermione, Ron and Taylor coming in through the Hospital Wing doors and he breathed a sigh of relief. Last night when he had finally woken up, Ginny, Hermione, and Ron had been sitting by his bed, but Taylor hadn't been. When he asked where she was, all they had told him was that Professor McGonagall had told Taylor to come to her office for detention after her last class and she must still be there. Harry knew they were keeping something from him but he hadn't felt like fighting about it, so he didn't ask again.

"Hey Harry! It's good to see you awake. How are you feeling?" asked Taylor with a big grin on her face. Harry looked so much better than the last time she had seen him.

Ginny went and sat beside Harry and took hold of his hand. Hermione and Taylor sat on the end of his bed and Ron sat on the bed beside Harry's. "Yeah, mate, how are ya' feeling?" Ron asked.

"A lot better. Madame Pomfrey said that I might get out tomorrow, maybe. I see you found Taylor." Harry said as he looked closely from one of his friend's faces to the other. Something had happened and they weren't telling him, he was sure of it.

"Yeah, Taylor didn't get back from her detention until really late." Hermione said, avoiding Harry's eyes.

"What did McGonagall have you doing anyway, Taylor?" Harry asked, watching Taylor closely.

"Oh, you wouldn't believe me if I told you," Taylor said with a mischievous grin.

"Taylor!" Harry growled, his voice rising. He was not feeling up to one of Taylor's games.

"I brought you some school work to do to keep you busy," Hermione said, trying to head off an argument.

Taylor sighed and closed her eyes. A lot had happened in the last couple of days that she wanted nothing more than to talk over with her brother, but this was not the time. She opened her eyes again and looked into Harry's angry green eyes. "I'm sorry I wasn't here last night when you woke up, but I had detention," she looked meaningfully around the hospital wing before continuing, "You don't know how worried I was about you. I'm so glad you are going to be all right."

Harry knew something had definitely happened now, but he also hadn't missed Taylor's warning look. He would have to wait until later. "Well I was starting to worry about you too. Hermione, what do you think I want to do school work for anyway?" he asked smiling at Hermione and ending the tension that had been there. He gave Ginny's hand a squeeze.

The rest of their short visit passed with some good-natured teasing and talk about what classes they had today.

Taylor was standing in the queue for her last class of the day, but she wasn't thinking about the Defense Against the Dark Arts class that was about to start. She was thinking about the conversation she'd had last night with Moody about the difference between Dark Magic and the Dark Arts. She had followed Ron and Hermione in and sat down. It wasn't until Hermione kicked her under the table that she pulled her attention to the front of the class where a teacher was writing on the blackboard. She couldn't stop herself when she blurted out "Kingsley Shacklebolt!" and got a harder kick from Hermione and an angry hiss "Taylor!"

"Why, Yes! That is my name and you are?" and he looked down at his class list as if searching for her name.

"Taylor Porter, sir," Taylor said. She knew she wasn't supposed to know the auror who was now teaching DADA, but she had just seen him the night before last in Professor McGonagall's office and he was in the Order of the Phoenix. It had just been a surprise reaction to seeing him in this classroom, as her teacher.

When Professor Shacklebolt had read all their names off, he sat on the edge of his desk and looked around the room with a solemn expression on his face. "I have been asked by the Ministry of Magic and Professor McGonagall to teach you seventh years some very advanced defensive spells to try and protect you from the evil that we know to be out there," and he gave a wave of his hand. "I know from looking at your school records that you have not had… shall we say, the most skilled teachers in some of your past years. But Professor Lupin, Professor Moody," his eyes crinkled mischievously at that, "and last year Professor Snape." There were a few snorts from the class at this and Ron called out, "That git!" But Shacklebolt's eyes became suddenly stern and he said, "Yes, Mr. Weasley, although you may not like what happened at the end of last year in regards to Professor Snape, he none the less taught this class well." Professor Shacklebolt looked pointedly at Ron, Hermione and Taylor and they understood his meaning. It wasn't widely known that Snape had been the one who killed Dumbledore. The public had just been told that one of Voldemort's Death Eater's had killed him.

"As I was saying, I have been given the task to not just get you ready for your N.E.W.T.'s at the end of this year but also some more advanced defensive spells that the Ministry and Professor McGonagall think that you should learn. So, that having been said, please take out your wands and we shall begin."

An hour later, Hermione, Ron and Taylor emerged from their first DADA class of the year nursing a fair share of bumps and bruises from the various spells that they had been casting and trying to deflect. "Man, that was the hardest Defense Against the Dark Arts class we've ever had and that's counting the ones our fifth year that Harry taught us!" Ron said rubbing his shoulder where he had struck it against a chair from a badly aimed spell from Hermione.

"Yeah, but you know I'm kinda glad Harry wasn't here today. I mean, what Professor Shacklebolt said about Snape. Harry would have lost it, I'm sure." Hermione said, chewing on her lip in worry.

Taylor looked at her two friends and nodded. She knew, all too well, the way Harry felt about Snape. Her stomach churned uncomfortably. She needed to finish telling them what had happened last night and this morning. When they came to an empty classroom, Taylor asked them to come in and she sealed the door and said "_Muffliato_". Twenty-five minutes later, when she finished telling them everything that had happened at the Order headquarters, Hermione sat with her hand over her mouth and Ron had a grim expression on his face.

"You are going to have to tell Harry all of this you know," Hermione said in a worried voice.

"Yeah I know, but he isn't going to like it," Taylor said as she chewed on her lip and started to pace.

"Bloody Hell Taylor! How could you save that… that…greasy haired git?" Burst out Ron angrily. "After everything that he did. The way he used to treat us! Treat Harry!"

Taylor stopped and looked at Ron, but she was seeing the snake as it wrapped itself around Snape, the terror in his eyes and how those eyes had pleaded with her for help. "I couldn't leave him like that Ron, it would have eaten his soul," Taylor said slowly, a shudder traveling down her spine.

"Taylor did the right thing Ron. She couldn't have let that… that happen," Hermione said in a frightened voice. She watched as Taylor paced back and forth again. "So Moody thinks you are doing Dark Magic? And that there is a difference between Dark Magic and the Dark Arts?" Hermione said, steering the conversation to what she thought was maybe the most disturbing thing that Taylor had just told them.

"Yeah," Taylor said, as she continued to pace. "He said that Dark Magic was old magic and that it was more unpredictable and easier to turn to evil ways. And I can do it. But I don't know how I know how to do it, does that make sense?" Taylor said, her voice full of worry and a little fear.

"Taylor," Hermione began hesitantly, chewing on her lip. "I really think you need to get those books so we can have a look at them."

Taylor stopped her pacing and stared at Hermione. Just how was she supposed to do that? "Hermione, I can't leave Hogwarts to go get those books! Besides they don't say anything about the difference between Dark Magic and Dark Arts. I've read them all and they mostly talk about spells and potions."

Hermione looked at Taylor with wide eyes, "Where do you suppose the books came from? I mean I know they are at Mrs. Briggs', but how did they get there? They must be very old if Moody was right and there aren't a lot of books about the old magic still around. I mean I've never come across anything like you just described in all the reading I've done."

Taylor shrugged her shoulders "I don't know how they got there. They must be Mr. Briggs' books. It's his study that the bookcase is in, but he died years before I ever went there."

"But what would Mr. Briggs be doing with Dark Magic books?" Hermione said, almost to herself as she mulled it over in her mind.

"He must have been a Dark Wizard to have those books in his study," Ron said.

Taylor shook her head. "No, I don't think so. I mean, I think he might have been in the original Order of the Phoenix, just from some things Mrs. Briggs has said."

They talked a while longer but without coming up with any answers. There were just too many unknowns. It was almost suppertime when they left the classroom and hurried to take their books up to the common room and back down to the Great Hall for supper. They met Ginny coming across the Entrance Hall. She had just been to see Harry and wanted to know where the three of them had been.

Hermione glanced at Taylor before saying, "We had a meeting after class. How is Harry feeling?"

Ginny's eyes narrowed and she knew that they had been up to something but she said. "Harry's doing just fine, he was asking about where you three were." She smiled to herself as she watched the red crawl up their faces. Oh yeah they were up to something. Ginny was used to being left out of the loop when it came to these guys and Harry, but she still didn't like it. She had thought that, maybe…

"Hey Ginny, look I'll tell you later okay? But not right now," Taylor saw the look that crossed Ginny's face when Hermione had mentioned a meeting and knew that Ginny was feeling left out, but they were sitting down to supper in the Great Hall and she wasn't going to get into that story now, not here.

After supper they had gone to visit Harry, who was indeed feeling much better and wanted to get out of the Hospital Wing but Madam Pomfrey wouldn't let him out until at least tomorrow morning. When they got back to the common room they went to a far corner and after putting a silencing spell around them, Taylor told Ginny everything that she had told Hermione and Ron earlier.

Taylor was staring absently around the common room. They hadn't come up with any more answers this time after she finished telling Ginny what had happened last night and this morning. A question that had been at the back of Taylor's mind since yesterday suddenly came to her. "Not many students returned did they?"

Hermione sighed and said sadly, "No, only a little over half of them came back, except in Slytherin, and only a handful of them returned."

Ron scowled, "Yeah, the gits whose parents are Death Eaters didn't return, you can count on that!"

Taylor agreed with what Ron just said. She turned worried eyes back to Hermione and said. "How many first years were there?"

"Only a little over a dozen and most of them I think are muggle born."

Taylor nodded her head, that would make sense in one way, the muggle born ones wouldn't know as much as the others about Voldemort. Taylor stifled a yawn and rubbed a hand over her face. She was really tired and she had to talk to the painting of Dumbledore yet tonight.

Taylor, Ron, Hermione and Harry, who had gotten out of the hospital that morning, where walking back to the school from the greenhouses, where they had just finished their last class of the day. Taylor was lagging behind the others deep in thought. Her conversation with Dumbledore's painting the night before had yielded few answers. Dumbledore had been very interested in just how she had been able to cast such a spell in the first place in Grimmauld Place. He had heard Taylor when she told Professor McGonagall and the others about what had happened there and was surprised when she had told him that she could see the snake that was on Snape, before she had released Snape from her holding spell. He had told her much the same thing as Moody had, about the difference between Dark Magic and the Dark Arts. Dumbledore had then asked what Harry had thought of all of this. Taylor had told him that Harry was still in the hospital wing. Dumbledore had told her to not use any more Dark Magic, (yeah she had thought that's just what I want to do to some poor first year!) and to tell Harry everything, including saving Snape. Taylor ran her hand nervously through her hair. She was not looking forward to telling Harry.

"Hey Taylor, are you coming!" Ron yelled as they had reached the castle steps and noticed Taylor wasn't with them.

Taylor glanced up and realized just how far behind she was and she hurried to catch up. The rest were just entering the Great Hall when she finally did.

Harry gave her a curious look but turned and said hi to Ginny as she joined them and they sat down at the Gryffindor table. They were just about to get up after having finished their supper when Professor McGonagall stopped beside them.

"Mr. Potter, I hope you are feeling all better?" She asked briskly.

"Ah, yeah, Professor, thanks," Harry said uncertainly.

"Good. Mr. Potter, you and Miss Porter are to report to Professor Shacklebolt's office as soon as you are finished your supper." And with that Professor McGonagall nodded to the others and turned and walked out the doors of the Great Hall.

"Blimey, I wonder what you have done to have to go to Shacklebolt's office already. I mean, we have only had one class so far with him and you weren't even there for that Harry." Ron wondered aloud.

Hermione rolled her eyes and Ginny shook her head in disgust. "I highly doubt that it has anything to do with what they did, or didn't do, Ron," Hermione said as if she was talking to someone who was very young. "I imagine he is probably going to give them extra defense lessons," she finished so that only the five of them could hear her.

Harry and Taylor nodded their heads in agreement. They got up just a few minutes later, said good-bye to their friends and headed for Professor Shacklebolt's office.

"Come in," Professor Shacklebolt called when they knocked on his office door a short time later. "Oh good, I'm glad you are here. Please sit down." And he waved his hand to two wooden chairs sitting in front of his desk. When they were seated he began again, "I suppose you have probably guessed why you are here? (They both nodded) I was asked by the Order to help you learn some very advanced defensive magic. Most of them are only taught to aurors. So you understand that you can't tell anyone what we are doing in these training sessions, yes? (again they both nodded) Good, we shall start with a review of what you already know." He rose from behind his desk and with a flick of his wand vanished the desk and chairs and a few other things that had been sitting on the floor. "Now, Miss Porter, I want to see what you know about hexes. Need I remind you that you are to use only appropriate spells?" Professor Shacklebolt raised his eyebrows when he said this, and Taylor nodded her head. "Potter I want to see you defend yourself, understood?" Harry nodded.

For the next half hour Harry and Taylor stood facing one another, wands out, flinging hexes and counter courses at one another. Professor Shacklebolt watched them closely and made suggestions here and there. Then he switched them and Harry was trying to hex Taylor and she was on the defensive.

"Very good, very good indeed, I am very pleased at your ability to both defend and attack. The next time we will move on to more difficult spells and also work on non-verbal spell casting. We shall meet every other night at seven o'clock. If anyone asks about what you are doing, you are to tell them that you are helping me with a research paper. Any questions?"

Harry and Taylor shook their heads, grabbed their school bags and headed out the door.

"That was something," Harry said, he was still pumped up with adrenaline.

Taylor nodded. It had been almost a week now since they had mock dueled against one another, Harry had suggested while they were out looking for Horcruxes that they should practice their dueling so they could get better and faster.

"What did Shacklebolt mean by an appropriate spell?" Harry asked looking sideways at Taylor, as they walked down the hallway.

Taylor put her hand on Harry's arm to stop him and sighed, "Harry, we need to talk." He only nodded his head and followed her when she set off down the hall again. Two floors later, Taylor stopped opposite the tapestry of dancing trolls.

* * *

><p>AN well there you have it another chapter and the story is fully underway! So what did you think? Do you think Harry will be upset with his sister? :) I'd _**love**_ to hear your oppinion on that! We are getting close to the point where this story was written _after_ Deathly Hallows came out but we aren't quite there yet! I'll let you know when we reache that chapter! I have tried my best to correct all spelling and grammer errors so if you see any please let me know! Other then the authors notes that is! lol!

I want to thank those of you who have taken the time to review! I answer all reviews! So if you have a question or comment please let me know! Plus those of you who have added this story to your favorites and alerts! They are what keep me excited about posting chapters! So if you want them more often... then reviews will most definately help that to happen! Last but not least I want to say thank you to my wonderful bata barbc who keeps reading and correcting all my mistakes! Thank you!

So until next time, cytpotter


	18. A Brother's Anger

I must appoligise for the long wait for this chapter. My only excuse is that my summer is very busy with my family! But now that school is back in I will have more time to post chapters so I hope to post 2 a week for the next little while!

As usual I do not own Harry Potter I have just borrowed him and the gang for a little while! So without further ado...

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter Eighteen<strong>

**A Brother's Anger**

"I need someplace to talk to Harry in private. I need someplace to talk to Harry in private. I need someplace to talk to Harry in private." Taylor said as she walked back and forth in front of the blank wall.

A wooden door materialized in the wall. Taylor opened it and stepped into the room, wand in hand. Harry followed her into the room, wondering why Taylor had brought him all the way to the Room of Requirements to have a talk. The door closed behind him.

"_Petrificus Totalus!"_

Harry's arms snapped against his body, his legs slammed together and his whole body went rigid. He swayed for a moment then toppled to the floor. All that he could move were his eyes. Surprise, then anger quickly took its place, as he lay on the floor totally helpless. What the hell was Taylor playing at anyway?

Taylor came over to peer down at him, "Sorry about that Harry but I think this is the best way for me to tell you what I have to." She waved her wand at him, stood him up and leaned him against the wall so he could see her. She took her school bag off of her shoulder and placed it on the small table that was against the other wall. She took out a picture frame, pulled the picture of her Aunt and Uncle out of it and leaned it against the wall. "_Engorgio_" she said as she flicked her wand at the picture frame and enlarged it to almost a meter high. The canvas was empty except for a wooden rocking chair. She glanced over at Harry and was sure that if looks could kill she would be dead.

"Professor Dumbledore! Professor!" she called into the picture frame hoping he would be able to come. He had said last night that he wanted to talk to Harry and her this evening, if possible.

"Well hello, Miss Porter," the painting said as he looked at Taylor, then past her to where Harry was leaning up against the wall. "Are you expecting some trouble?" and there was a twinkle in Dumbledore's eyes.

Taylor looked over her shoulder at Harry again. Her stomach was all in knots. She wasn't sure if she could tell him after all.

"I think that anyone with the courage to freeze their brother has enough courage to tell him what has happened these last few days," the painting of Dumbledore said encouragingly.

Taylor took a deep breath and turned to face Harry. She could see anger, but also curiosity and some concern in his green eyes. She told Harry what had happened at Grimmauld Place after Snape had cursed him. As she talked she relived in her minds eye the way she felt when she cast the Dark Magic spell, how she had been terrified when she had seen all the blood on Harry, about bringing him to Hogwarts and Hagrid carrying him in to Madame Pomfrey. The trip up to the headmistress' office, the long wait while Moody, Lupin and Shacklebolt had gone to get Snape and take him to Order headquarters. The interrogation by Moody after they got back, the trip to the hospital wing to see Harry before Lupin had taken her to Gryffindor's common room. Then finding Ron, Hermione and Ginny still awake in the common room waiting for her and telling them mostly everything. Then she stopped for a moment. The next part was the hardest, but she went on. She told Harry about meeting Moody and Lupin, for her "detention" and going with them to Order headquarters. How she seen Snape with the snake wrapped around him, then about reversing the spell and saving Snape from having his soul eaten by the snake. She also told him about the talk she had had with Moody, Lupin and Mr. Weasley that night, about talking with Snape the following morning and arriving back at the school early yesterday morning and telling Ron, Hermione and Ginny everything again.

When Taylor was done talking she felt wrung out, as if it had taken everything she had to tell Harry all of this. She dragged her eyes up from the floor and looked into his green eyes. She wasn't sure what she expected to see but it wasn't hatred. Taylor gasped at the look in Harry's eyes and she felt her insides crumble. She hadn't been able to make him see that she had no choice but to save Snape. She closed her eyes and hung her head. She wasn't sure how long she stood there like that, probably only a few seconds.

"Taylor I think it is time to release your brother," Dumbledore's painting said softly.

Taylor nodded her head and took another deep breath trying to steel herself for the onslaught that she was sure to come. She raised her wand and with a flick released Harry. She wasn't disappointed.

"_How could you_! How could you save that piece of _filth_? You should have let him die! That would have served him right! He almost killed me! Porter! He would have killed me! And you saved him!" Harry bellowed, his wand out pointing at Taylor as if he was going to attack at any moment.

"Harry, I..." Taylor began.

"Get away from me! I don't want to talk to you again!" Harry bellowed at her. He was shaking he was so mad and before he used several curses that he might later regret, he yanked the door to the Room of Requirements open and stormed out.

Taylor backed up a couple of steps and slid down the wall. She too, was shaking, but for a different reason.

She sat there. A numbness came over her and she just wanted to not feel anymore the feelings of hurt and rejection. It hadn't mattered to Harry that she had only wanted to put a binding spell on Snape in Grimmauld Place and somehow she had performed a Dark Magic spell. She just couldn't make him see…

"Taylor, I think you had better get up and go back to your common room and to bed. There's nothing else you can do tonight by sitting there and beating yourself up. Harry will come to realize in time that you did the right thing saving Severus Snape," Dumbledore's voice was gentle but firm.

Taylor did as Dumbledore said and got up. She returned the picture frame to its original size, put the picture of her Aunt and Uncle over Dumbledore's and put it back into her bag. Then she walked out the door of the Room of Requirement. She wondered briefly where Harry had gone, but with this thought came pain so she pushed it out of her mind and walked back to the common room. She glanced at her watch. It was almost eleven o'clock, well past curfew, but she didn't meet anyone and when she got to the Fat Lady, she was awake and swung open as soon as Taylor said the password.

The first thing that Taylor saw when she entered the Gryffindor common room was the silhouettes of four heads sitting in front on the fireplace. Hermione and Ginny even turned towards her and were almost standing when Taylor shook her head at them and turned and went up the stairs to her dorm room. She needed to be alone. Ron, Hermione and Ginny needed to stay with Harry for now, to calm him down. Taylor was worried that Harry might do something rash, he had been so mad at her. She needed them to stay with Harry. She pushed the door to her room open. Tears that she had held off began to fall in earnest. She hurried to get ready for bed and pull the coverings closed, so that she could curl up in a ball and cry without the thought of being disturbed. A well placed silencing charm and a sticking charm on her hangings all but guaranteed her privacy.

Harry had found his friends waiting in the almost deserted common room when he got back from his little 'talk' with Porter. Hermione had tried to talk reasonably with him about what he had just heard from Taylor, but he had told her to keep quiet, in not so nice a words. How could Taylor save that slime ball? To think he had been worried about her when he had seen the fear in her eyes when she had started to tell him the tale that she had. At least Ron had been angry when he had told them that Porter had petrified him. Hermione and Ginny had both seemed to think that it had been a reasonable act, but he supposed girls did stick together. After Porter had entered the common room, he was going to tell her to go to hell if she had come over near him. Then the talk had turned back to his 'research paper' with Professor Shacklebolt. The four of them had talked in length about the spells that he was probably going to learn from Shacklebolt, and by the time he and Ron headed up to bed he was considerably calmer but he wasn't sure if he could ever forgive Porter for her act of treason, as he saw it.

Taylor was on her way back from the shower when she saw Hermione getting dressed. "Morning," was all that she could seem to push through her suddenly restricted throat.

"Taylor, I don't think I've ever seen Harry this angry before," Hermione said immediately without any preamble.

"Yeah, thanks Hermione, I don't think I noticed," Taylor said sarcastically.

"He does have reason to be angry you know," Ginny said as she came into the other girl's dorm room.

Taylor looked at her two friends and sighed, "Yeah, I know he has reason but I'm not sure he is angry about the right reason, yet."

"You mean, the Dark Magic you used on Snape?" Hermione said right away.

"Yeah, when he gets over being angry about Snape, he'll be twice as angry about me using that Magic, especially after… he told me not to use it again," Taylor finished just catching herself in time from saying, that it had been Dumbledore who told her not to use her Dark Magic again. She ran her hand through her damp hair in frustration.

"Maybe you should try talking to him again, but without the petrifying charm this time," Ginny said her eyes dancing with mischief.

"That is something I'm NOT going to attempt for at least a day or two," Taylor said as the three of them headed out of the dorm, but Taylor stopped them on the stairs with her hand. "I need you guys to keep an eye on Harry for me. I'm going to give him some room to cool off, but I need to know that at least one of you, and Ron too, is always with him." Taylor finished looking from one to the other.

"We won't let him out of our sight, you can be sure of that Taylor!" Hermione said with a smile, to try to make some of the hurt ease in Taylor's eyes. Hermione knew that Harry wasn't about to forgive Taylor anytime soon if past experiences were any indicator. The fight between Harry and Ron in fourth year came to mind.

The next couple of weeks were the loneliest Taylor had ever endured. She had done as she said she would and given Harry some space. She still looked to make sure he was in the Great hall at meal times, and of course she seen him in all her classes, but he would repeatedly turn his back on her and they were never at the same table to do their work. The fact that Harry Potter was no longer talking to Taylor had stirred quite a bit of talk in the student body at Hogwarts. The students who desperately wanted something to talk about, other than the depressing facts of the war going on outside of the school, latched onto this little bit of gossip and the reasons behind the broken friendship were greatly exaggerated. The general consensus though was that Taylor had done something horrible to Harry Potter and most of the students backed him. He was the Chosen One, after all.

The hardest to endure though were the private lessons with Professor Shacklebolt. Taylor had cringed the first time she had stood opposite Harry and he had looked at her. She had been so shocked by the look of loathing in Harry's eyes that she had forgotten to cast a reflecting shield until it was too late. She had mumbled something about not being ready when Shacklebolt had revived her from the spell that Harry had cast. The force of the spells Harry was casting was really amazing, if you weren't on the receiving end of them. He was improving very rapidly and it was all Taylor could do to keep up with him. The bruises from their duels never seemed to fade. There were no longer shouted spells, or widely slashing movements with their wands, and the severity of their spells was escalating just as rapidly. If anyone had been watching they would see, not a sparring match but something a lot more serious.

Taylor sat in the Room of Requirements. The painting of Dumbledore sat on a table. Sweat ran down her face and into her eyes. The room looked like a bomb had just gone off in it.

"Very good, Miss Porter. I can see the lessons with Professor Shacklebolt are definitely helping with your dueling skills," the painting said with a twinkle in his eye as he surveyed the wreckage in the room. "Am I to assume that Mr. Potter is also improving?"

Taylor came to her feet and aimed at the three floating pillows that were supposed to be her attackers. The air was full of feathers as she conjured a shielding charm and worked to hold it in place. She was trying to increase her magical stamina at holding a shielding charm. A shielding charm was very draining to a witch and she was attempting to see if she could build up her ability to hold the shield in place like an athlete would work out to build up muscle.

"Yeah, you might say Potter is improving," Taylor said after her shielding charm collapsed and she was again breathing hard from the effort to keep it in place. It was two and a half weeks since she had told Harry about Snape.

"So I am also to assume that Mr. Potter is still angry about what you had to tell him?" the painting asked quietly, watching Taylor closely.

Taylor snorted, "You might say that, but I have come to realize that Potter is as thick as they get! I mean instead of being concerned about me using Dark Magic, he can't seem to get his head around Snape!" Taylor growled as she started pacing. She had been up one side of this and down the other and she couldn't see any way to make Harry see reason, as long as he was hung up on Snape and not the bigger issue.

"This is not good Taylor. Voldemort will use this to his advantage if you do not settle this 'disagreement' soon," said Dumbledore's painting in an irritatingly reasonable voice.

"And what do you want me to do? Petrify Potter again? That's the only way I'm going to get him to listen to me. He won't even speak to me or look at me for that matter. It's everything I can do in our private lessons, with Professor Shacklebolt, to keep him from jinxing me into the hospital wing!" Taylor ranted to the painting.

"Taylor," Dumbledore's voice was firm and concern filled his blue eyes as he gazed at her above his half moon spectacles. "If this rift between you and your brother is allowed to remain, I am afraid that Voldemort will use it to his advantage in some way."

Taylor wiped the sweat off of her face with her sleeve and put her glasses back on. She knew what Dumbledore said was the truth, but she wasn't sure how she could make Harry see it too. She looked at the painting and nodded her head and said, "I'll try to talk to him tomorrow, Professor."

Taylor knew that planning to talk to Harry was going to be difficult. It seemed that not just Ron, Hermione and Ginny had taken up being with Harry at all times, most of the Gryffindor's had also taken to being with him at all times. The few times that Taylor had been able to talk with Hermione in the last few weeks, hadn't led Taylor to believe that Harry was any closer to wanting to put this behind them.

She had taken the painting of Dumbledore with her last night because she had heard a familiar voice from an empty painting say that an old friend needed to speak with her. She felt bad about not talking to Dumbledore since the night she had told Harry but she hadn't really wanted to face him without some good news about Harry. Plus, she had buried her nose in her schoolbooks and tried to study through the hurt she felt when she thought of Harry. And as seventh year students they had lots of homework to keep them busy.

She decided that maybe on the way back from Herbology would be the best time to talk with Harry. She couldn't have been more wrong, as she silently put up the silencing charm and moved up right behind him and Ron.

"Potter, I need to have a word with you," Taylor said softly.

Ron glanced at Taylor over his shoulder and slowed, but Harry didn't. Ron shrugged his shoulders.

"Potter, if you don't turn and talk to me, so help me I'll jinx you into next Sunday!" Taylor said forcefully, stopping and pulling her wand out, ready if he decided to attack.

Harry stopped and turned to face her, his eyes cold and his wand out also, "What could you possibly want to say to me? I suppose you have gone off and saved Voldemort this time? Or was it Wormtail? As far as jinxing me, you've already shown that you are quite capable of jinxing my back but you haven't got what it takes to face me and do it!"

Taylor felt the anger rise in her as she looked into those angry green eyes. He was goading her! It took a great effort to not rise to his clear challenge. "Potter, you have no idea what I am capable of but I have a message from an 'old friend' and he said that we need to get past this stupidity."

"Oh, so now I'm stupid am I?" Harry called out, his wand hand twitching.

"I did not say you were stupid, I said we need to get 'over' this difference and," Taylor said slowly, trying desperately to calm her anger and talk this through with Harry, but a new voice broke in on their conversation.

"Oh, a lover's spat, just imagine, the Chosen One and a Mudblood having their quarrel on the way to the school. How sweet," a sickeningly sweet voice said, as the owner walked out from behind a near by tree. It belonged to Pansy Parkinson, flanked by a bunch of other Slytherin's.

Taylor knew that she wasn't going to get Harry to see reason now, not with the Slytherin's there., With a flick of her wand she took the silencing charm off, so she could address Parkinson. "Parkinson, speaking of lover's spat, I heard that Malfoy's been snogging every skirt that he sees." Taylor turned the anger and frustration she felt at Harry onto the Slytherin girl and her friends. She noticed Harry turn and stalk off, out of the corner of her eye.

Two hours later she was once again coming out of the Headmistress' office with a detention, but the fight that she'd had with the Slytherin's had been worth it! Three of them were in the hospital wing; only one would have to stay the night, but it had felt good for a short while to let her anger take over and strike at something that could strike back. She had easily bested them. It had been four against one. Professor McGonagall had said she wouldn't suspend her this time, but if it happened again… Taylor sighed. She had no desire to go to the Great Hall for supper and all the pointing and talking that would go with it. So instead she headed for the common room. She still had to try to talk to Harry and an idea was forming in her mind.

When she reached the common room it was as she had expected, empty. Without pausing she set off up the stairs, but it was into the seventh year boys' dorm that she stepped when she opened the door. A quick scan of the room showed that it too, was empty. She spotted Harry's trunk right away and went and got out of it what she had come after. He would be really pissed off when he found out what she took, but she would cross that bridge when she came to it. She went back down to the deserted common room and carefully spread the piece of parchment on a table. Then she took out her wand and pointing it at the paper said. "I solemnly swear I am up to no good!" A smile spread across her face as the lines spread across the Marauders Map. She located Harry with some difficulty in the Great Hall. After a couple of minutes of thought she again pointed her wand at the map and closed her eyes. When she opened them again she said, "Show me Harry Potter." And the minuscule dot that was Harry suddenly turned bright red and it was easy to see as he moved with a number of other dots out of the Great Hall. Taylor nodded in satisfaction and headed out through the portal to meet Harry half way up to the common room.

Using the map she wound her way down through the castle so that she would meet Harry halfway up and hopefully get him into a deserted classroom to have their talk. Taylor was so intent on watching where Harry was headed that she almost missed the strange hidden passageway that she had just walked by. Her eyes grew wide though when she looked at the hidden passageway closer. It was right behind her and it seemed to lead almost straight down through the castle. Taylor's heart was pounding as realization of what this might mean came to her and she made a split second decision. Instead of facing Harry, she slipped behind a tapestry and hid until the throng of students on their way from the Great Hall had passed.

Carefully looking at the map to make sure that no one was around, Taylor went over and stood in front of the stretch of bare wall, behind which she could see the hidden passageway. "How do I get in?" Taylor whispered to herself. Beside the small dot that was labled Taylor Porter a little bubble appeared and read, "I am Lord Voldemort" Taylor was amazed when a door folded out of the stone wall and a dark passageway opened up before her.

* * *

><p>AN Ohhhhhh a cliff-hanger! :) So what did you think? I know maybe Harry's reaction is a bit over the top... but then again maybe not if you remember how he reacted with Ron in the fourth book. Poor Taylor... making her brother angry just because she told him the truth. I can see their relationship being fairly rocky as they struggle to be not only friends but brother and sister. Plus I love to write about conflict not only in the physical sense but the emotional as well! So hope you are holding on! ;) I will update again soon, and I don't write too many nasty cliff-hangers!

As usual I would love to hear from you! I would like to thank those of you who have reviewed and added this stroy to your favorites! Plus if you have read this far then I want to thank you as well! Hope you continue to enjoy this story!

Thank you to my bata barbc! Until next time, cytpotter


	19. Tom Riddles Passageway

Still don't own Harry Potter just this story and the charactors that I made up.

This chapter is the result of a dream I had... a very vivid dream that I can still recall even though I had it over three years ago! Hope you enjoy what my unconscious mind came up with!

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter Nineteen<strong>

**Tom Riddle's Passageway**

Taylor glanced up and down the empty hall. She wondered briefly if she should go after Harry and let him know about what she had found, but then she reasoned to herself, what had she found? A passageway. She looked down at the map and could see the tiny dot labeled Taylor Porter standing at the mouth of the new passageway. She took a deep breath and entered the dark tunnel. As soon as she was in the tunnel the door folded shut and she was in complete darkness. "_Lumos"_ Taylor whispered and lit her wand tip. The soft glow from the tip of her wand barely pushed the blackness a few feet back. Taylor began walking slowly down the passageway. The floor in the tunnel slopped sharply downward and Taylor had to work at keeping her balance and not go tumbling down, to who knew where.

Forty minutes later, covered in a fine sweat, the floor finally leveled out and Taylor found herself standing on the edge of a huge cavern, high up on the wall. She could see faint light as it glowed from the walls closer to the bottom of the cavern. She took the map back out of her cloak and looked at it but, as she had expected, she had traveled too far down under the castle to still be on the map. She put the map away and studied the edge of the rock. There had to be a way down. She walked closer to the edge, got down on her hands and knees and looked over the side. There, about four and a half feet below, was a narrow ledge. She swung her feet out over the edge and lowered herself down onto the narrow ledge. It was only about four feet across. Again Taylor crawled to the edge and again there was a narrow ledge almost five feet below. Again and again Taylor lowered herself down onto the ledges, until finally she came to the bottom of the great cavern.

The cavern itself was huge and she could just make out the small dark hole she had emerged from, almost a half hour ago. The light seemed to come from the rocks themselves; a weird unnerving greenish glow. The ground that Taylor stood on now was pale fine sand and she could see her footprints in the smooth sand easily. The sand sloped away gently towards a darker area, almost like the shore of a beach. Taylor could feel the hairs on the back of her neck standing up and she looked all around, trying to locate anything that might indicate some sort of danger. The silence, except for her breathing and the sound like hands running over course material, was complete. She didn't know how long she stood there listening. But the hairs still stood up on the back of her neck and the rubbing sound, if you could call it that, didn't get any louder, nor did it go away.

Taylor looked back the way she had come, then began walking very, very slowly down again toward the darker mass in the center of the cavern. She held her still lit wand up so that she could see as far ahead of her as possible. She was almost to the dark area when she stopped. Out in the middle, she could now make out a rock and laying on the rock was what looked like a cup. Taylor's heart was pounding heavily in her ears as she tried to see what lay before her and the rock. Slowly like a tide crawling up a beach on a calm day, Taylor finally saw what was making the rubbing noise. Snakes! Thousands of them, slithering over one another. Taylor stuck her hand into her mouth to keep from screaming.

"Harry, if you are so worried about where Taylor is, why don't you just go and look for her. She's probably in the library studying. She hasn't exactly been hanging around in the common room lately, you know," Hermione said. She was getting tired of Harry's anger every time Taylor was around; but when she wasn't, like now, he was asking them if they knew where she was. It was driving her mad.

"Hermione, it's past curfew; besides no one has seen her since she left McGonagall's office hours ago," Harry said in an agitated voice. He wasn't going to admit it out loud, but he was angry with himself for walking away and leaving his little sister outnumbered by a bunch of Slytherin's. Sure she had whipped their butts, but that wasn't the point. He ran his hand restlessly through his hair and then tried to flatten it down again.

"I know mate, why don't you just take a look on the map," Ron finished quietly so only Harry could hear.

Harry could have smacked himself in the head. Why hadn't he thought of that? He jumped up and raced up the stairs.

Hermione watched him go and sadly shook her head, "We've got to get those two back talking to one another before they drive me insane!"

"Harry's waiting for Taylor to apologize, I think" Ron said as he looked up the stairway where his best friend had just disappeared.

Ginny rolled her eyes and snorted from the table she was working at right behind the chairs the three others had been sitting in. "If you ask me, Harry just doesn't know how to tell Taylor he forgives her. He's not really mad at her anyway, he never was. He just hates Snape so much that, for him to think that Taylor saved him, was just too much to handle."

Ron stared at Ginny dumbfounded and Hermione had to fight to hide her smile.

"It's not up there. None of you guys have it do you?" Harry asked when he reached the bottom of the stairs again, looking from one to the other. They all shook their heads.

Hermione asked, "When did you have it last?"

Harry sat down again and ran a troubled hand through his hair. Something was up, he knew it, and because his scar wasn't bothering him, he knew it had to do with his sister. Horrible thoughts began invading his mind. He could see her laying in a deserted hallway, having been ambushed by a bunch of Slytherin's, or…

Taylor had been so thankful that the Fat Lady had been in her portrait, that she didn't immediately take in the people who were sitting in the almost empty common room. She had actually turned to go up to her dorm room when a demanding voice brought her out of her thoughts.

"Just where the HELL have you been?" Harry demanded, coming up out of the chair he had been sitting in.

Taylor swung her eyes up into those angry green eyes and a shudder ran down her back. She wiped at the sweat that was running down into her eyes and tried to think of what she was going to tell Harry. Encountering him in the common room hadn't even crossed her mind.

Hermione noticed the dirt that covered Taylor and the whiteness of her face. Concerned she asked, "Taylor, where have you been? What's happened?"

Taylor looked at Hermione and relief flooded her face. She wasn't going to have to face Harry alone. Although after what she had just seen in that cavern, telling Harry should be easy.

"Taylor you look like you've run a mile. Where have you been?" Ginny asked, as she joined Harry and Hermione who were standing by a dirty, sweating Taylor.

Taylor said, in a not too steady voice, "I think I might have found what we've been looking for, but I think I'd better sit down before my knees give out." She attempted a little laugh to try to break the tension, but failed miserably.

Harry's eyes narrowed and he felt some of the blood draining from his face, as he realized what Taylor was hinting at. He watched as Hermione and Ginny guided her over to the chairs where the three of them had been sitting and got Taylor a glass of water, once she had sat down. Just where, in Merlin's name, had his sister been anyway? He was thinking as he walked over and stood in front of the fireplace, turning to look at Taylor.

Taylor drank the water that Hermione gave her and thought it was the sweetest water she had ever drunk. Taylor's hand still shook slightly as she lowered the glass and set it on the floor in front of her, then she looked up at Harry and could plainly see the worry etched in his face. She took a deep breath and heard Ginny say "Muffliato". She nodded thankfully at Ginny and began to tell her tale, starting with taking Harry's map and ending with when she came through the portal just a short while ago. There was silence when she finished talking. Taylor didn't take her eyes off of Harry. She could see the emotions as they crossed his face anger, fear, and determination.

"So you say that the entrance to this passageway is about halfway along the blank wall on the fourth floor? Why haven't we ever seen it before?" Ron asked.

Taylor chewed on her lip for a second before she answered, "I was kind of thinking it might have had something to do with the charm I used on the map to show me where Harry was."

Hermione's eyes were narrowed and she was quickly going over things in her mind, then she looked at Taylor her eyes widening. She said "It was Dark Magic you used, wasn't it?"

Harry's question was swift on Hermione's last, "Taylor, you have been warned about using Dark Magic. How could you just go and do it again?"

Taylor cut him off mid sentence, "Harry don't start. Look...what I think is important right now is that I know where one of Voldemort's Horcruxes is." Again this was met with silence.

"I need to go get it." Harry said, as if to himself.

"What! Not right now. We need to plan this thing through. How are you supposed to get past all those snakes?" Hermione said trying to sound reasonable as usual.

Ron stood up and nodded his head, "I'm with you mate."

Harry looked at his friend and nodded his head. "We'll need the invisibility cloak, and the map. Taylor you still have my invisibility cloak, don't you?"

Taylor nodded and got up to go get the cloak from her trunk.

She could see that a heated argument was going on between Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Ginny when she came back down into the common room, but because of the silencing charm she couldn't hear what was being said.

With an angry swish of her wand, Hermione lifted the silencing charm and continued to say, "This is ridiculous Harry. We need to sit down and plan this out, and not go charging off without thinking this through!"

"Hermione, I've made up my mind. Ron and I are going to take a look and see what we are up against, tonight." Harry said with a look that made it useless to try and talk him out of it.

"Right and I'm coming too," Taylor said as she swung the invisibility cloak over her head.

"Taylor, I'm not taking you!" Harry growled.

"You're right, you are not taking me. _I'm_ taking _you_, now let's go." And Taylor started out through the portal so the other two had to follow.

Taylor could hear the snakes as they crawled over one another, her hair once again standing on end. They hadn't met anyone as they made their way through the castle with the help of the map. Harry and Ron had been a little surprised by the password to enter the passageway but neither of them had uttered a word since.

Harry was walking back and forth on the sand looking out at the rock in the middle. "How am I to get out there?" he asked.

"I don't know but there has to be a way, maybe we could fly out on a broom?" Ron said, but as if the cavern had heard him the air was suddenly filled with millions of flying things that looked like razor blades and the three of them had to dive onto the sand to keep from being cut to ribbons.

"I don't think we had better mention the 'f ' word again, okay?" Harry said as he crawled up to where Ron and Taylor where lying on the sand. The flying razor blades slowly receded up into the blackness that was above them.

The three of them stood up again, and started to walk down towards the black mass of snakes, but they didn't get very far because the snakes started to move up the sand towards them and they were forced back up onto the first ledge on the cliff.

"They didn't do that the last time I was here. I walked right up to the edge of them, before I realized what they were and they never moved toward me," Taylor said her voice tight, she could almost feel the snake crawling over her skin.

Harry was silent for a moment then he nodded his head, "When Professor Dumbledore and I went after the last Horcrux, he said that he didn't think the magic that protected it could pick up underage magic." Harry looked at Taylor, she was still underage.

Taylor nodded her head that made sense. "I could go out and get the cup. They probably wouldn't bother me." She said barely above a whisper.

"No, if there is some kind of magic keeping the cup there, then you won't be able to do it alone, just like Dumbledore couldn't do it without me. We'll have to go together." Harry said determinedly. He was quite sure that Taylor had thought of that all ready. "Ron you stay here, in case we need you."

Ron nodded his head. He wasn't sure if he could have spoken just then anyway. The sight of all those snakes coming up the sand after them! It had affected him almost as much as if they had been spiders.

Harry looked at Taylor but her face was full of determination too. "Let's do this," he said and jumped lightly down off the ledge where they had been standing. The sea of snakes had ebbed away once more. Taylor landed lightly beside him and they started for the middle of the sea of snakes. When they came to the edge of the snakes they paused for a moment, then Harry spoke in Parseltongue to move the snakes out of the way and Taylor followed closely behind. It was slow going, the mass of snakes that were all around them was staggering. If only a tenth of them were poisonous they wouldn't make it two steps before they would be dead. The hissing and slithering sound was almost a roar now as they neared the rock. The wall of snakes on either side was almost up to their shoulders.

When at last they stepped up onto the rock, Taylor was surprised to see it had taken them almost twenty minutes to reach the rock. She could barely see Ron standing on the ledge, where they had left him.

Harry was looking closely at the cup sitting on top of the rock. There didn't seem to be anything stopping him from just picking it up. He reached out to touch it but his hand couldn't seem to get any closer then a foot, from the cup. There was something shielding it somehow. Harry turned to look at Taylor and she shrugged her shoulders. He squatted down to stare at the cup. He was positive that Taylor had been right with her assumption. It was Helga Hufflepuff's cup, that Dumbledore had shown him in the pensive last year. He didn't know how long he stared at it but soon he could make out the domed shape of the shielding charm around the cup. He knew that shielding charms when performed by a wizard to protect one's self was very draining but this had to be different. He placed his hand on the shield and ran his hand all over it. It didn't push his hand away but just wouldn't let it get any closer to the cup. He took his wand and prodded it, and suddenly the snakes began slithering up on to the rock. He quickly put his wand away, and the snakes slipped back off of the rock. He looked over at Taylor again, and she was shaking her head. He understood. Don't try that again. An idea slowly began to take shape in his mind, and he pulled his belt off of his pants. Taylor's eyes opened wide, then she caught on to what he was going to try. Harry bent the tongue on the belt and lowering it down to the shield and through it, he hooked the cup by the handle and withdrew it from its resting place.

Taylor understood. It was a muggle belt. There wasn't anything magical about it. It was one of Dudley's hand me downs. Taylor smiled at Harry, but the celebration was cut short when a big snake suddenly appeared out of nowhere and sunk its fangs into Harry's leg. Taylor's wand was in her hand and she blasted the snake off of the rock. Harry fell forward on to his knees, the cup held tightly in his hand.

"Harry! Are you okay?" Taylor asked, her voice echoing the panic that was beginning to take over her, as she watched the snakes slither back up on to the rock.

"Help me up, we've got to get out of here." Harry said through clenched teeth, reaching for Taylor.

Taylor sent a jet of water at the snakes, washing them off of the rock. Then she slipped under Harry's arm to help him stand and got a look at the blood on his leg, where the snake had bitten him. "Harry, can you stand for a second? I know of a muggle trick to maybe keep that poison from spreading to quickly." Taylor said as she knelt and grabbed the belt from where Harry had dropped it. She wrapped the belt around Harry's leg just above the bite and cinched it tight. Then she stood up again and took some of Harry's weight on her shoulders. Harry hissed through clenched teeth, in Parseltongue and they slowly made their way back through the sea of snakes. The snake language that Harry was speaking seemed to work less and less as they neared the middle of the mass of snakes.

"Taylor, we're not going to make it, leave me and run for it," Harry said his face white and soaked with sweat.

Taylor looked up at him and shook her head, "No! I will not leave you, I've got an idea, but it might not work…"

"Taylor, you'd better try now!" Harry said as several huge snakes made their way from the writhing mass, towards them.

Taylor closed her eyes and forced herself to be calm. Another breath and she opened her eyes, lifted her wand and spoke so softly that if Harry hadn't been standing right beside her, he would never have heard her. Suddenly there erupted from her wand a massive reflective shield that covered the both of them. The pathway that Harry had been making by telling the snakes to move aside and not attack collapsed on top of them but the shield held. Slowly, very slowly, they pushed their way through the sea of snakes. Time stood still as step by step they crept closer to the wall that would save them, if they could just reach it.

Harry leaned more heavily on Taylor as time went on but Taylor didn't dare stop concentrating on her shield to perform a levitating charm. She knew as they approached the wall and Ron came into clear view that she wasn't going to be able to keep her shield up much longer. She could already see small snakes slipping in through the holes that began to appear in her shield. They were within twenty feet of Ron when the first small set of fangs sunk into her leg.

"Come on Harry, just a little closer! Taylor, watch out! They are getting in behind you!" Ron called as he reached towards them, but they were still too far away.

"Ron, I'm going to drop my shield, be ready to magic Harry over to you," Taylor said her legs shaking from the effort to keep the shield in place.

Ron looked at Taylor but he understood what she meant, get Harry to safety. He pointed his wand at Harry and nodded his head.

Taylor let her shaking arm drop as Ron yelled _"Accio Harry!"_

Harry flew off of Taylor's shoulders and up onto the ledge where Ron was standing. Taylor felt at least two more sets of fangs sink into her trembling legs, before Ron's _"Accio_ _Taylor!"_

Ron stood looking down at the sea of writhing snakes. He had just been able to get Taylor out of there before they had attacked in mass. "We've got to get out of here! Are you okay, Taylor?"

Taylor nodded her head, "Yeah, you climb up to the next level and then lift Harry up, I'll crawl up behind. Maybe we won't activate those razor blades by just lifting." She looked down at Harry. His eyes were starting to roll into the back of his head and his face was soaked with sweat.

So Ron swung himself up to the next ledge and then pointing his wand at Harry levitated him up there with him. "Taylor, you want me to bring you up too?" Ron asked as he knelt and looked down over the ledge again.

Taylor shook her head but took his hand and pulled herself up onto the second ledge. "Look Ron, you can't take both of us with you. It will take too long." Taylor stopped to get her breathe, then went on "You've got to get Harry to Madame Pomfrey. Tell her that he was bitten by a full size cobra. She'll know what to do, then you can come back and get me. You've got the map?"

"But Taylor, there has to be another way," Ron began but Taylor held up her hand to stop him.

"Ron, he doesn't have much time left. Go! I'll follow along behind," Taylor said and Ron nodded.

"I'll be back as soon as I can," he said and turned and lifted himself up onto the next ledge, then levitated Harry up behind him.

"Ron, look after that cup!" Taylor called as she watched Ron disappear over another ledge. Within several minutes Ron had reached the mouth of the tunnel and disappeared with Harry. Taylor forced herself to stand up and crawl up onto the next ledge. She wasn't sure how many more she was going to be able to climb. She could feel the effects of the poison from the bites already making her movements sluggish. She pulled a rope from her robes and wrapped it around first one leg then the other. She wasn't sure if it would help but that was the only thing she could think of to try.

The sight of a snake's head poking up onto the ledge she sat on was the only thing that gave Taylor enough strength to get up over the next ledge.

By the time she crawled up onto the last ledge, Taylor wasn't even certain where she was. Her eyes were swollen shut and it was only the cold air coming from the tunnel that guided her into it.

Ron had run up the tunnel pulling Harry's weightless body behind him. When he reached the door and it had folded back to let him through, he hadn't even paused to check the map to see if the coast was clear. No one was there. So he ran as fast as he could towards the Hospital wing and help. Somehow he didn't come upon any of the people that were patrolling the school at nights. When he reached the Hospital doors they were shut and locked.

"Madame Pomfrey! Please open up! Madame Pomfrey!" He bellowed as he beat on the doors with his fist and tried to catch his breath. The first person he saw was Lupin, followed closely by Tonks and Professor Shacklebolt.

"Ron! What's happened," Lupin asked as he looked down at Harry's still floating body.

"What is going on out here? It is still very early in the morning!" Madame Pomfrey asked, as she unlocked the hospital doors and looked out at Ron. Then she caught sight of Harry and opened the doors wider. "Bring him right in, Mr. Weasley. What has happened to him?"

Ron followed Madam Pomfrey in and put Harry onto the bed that she pointed at, then he quickly told her what Taylor had said about the snake.

"Mr. Weasley will you please tell me how Mr. Potter has ended up with a snake bite in the middle of the night, when the both of you should be asleep in your beds!" A very angry Professor McGonagall demanded as she came hurrying up to them, tying up her dressing gown. Tonks was right behind her.

Ron looked at Professor McGonagall and shook his head "Please Professor, we've got to go get Taylor. I couldn't bring them both and she told me to get Harry some help and go back after her!"

"Taylor, you mean she's hurt too?" Lupin asked his voice full of concern.

"Miss Porter is where, Mr. Weasley?" Professor McGonagall demanded.

"I can't tell you, I'll have to show you. I'm not sure if she was bitten to or not, but she was too tired to keep up, so she told me to come back after her," Ron said in a rush hoping that they would just let him go get Taylor.

Professor Shacklebolt spoke up, "Maybe these questions are best left until after we have returned with Miss Porter, Headmistress."

McGonagall nodded her head and said, "Yes, I agree. Please Professor Shacklebolt, and Lupin, will you go with Mr. Weasley here and bring Miss Porter back here?"

Shacklebolt gave a nod of his head and said to Ron. "Mr. Weasley please lead the way."

Ron glanced at Harry who hadn't moved or uttered a sound since he had started up the tunnel with him. His chest tightened up and he wondered if he had gotten his friend to help in time. Taylor still needed help. He looked up at Lupin and Shacklebolt then set off out of the hospital and through the castle at a run.

When he came to the empty hallway he pulled out the map and looked at it. He could see the passageway on the other side of the stone wall. "I am Lord Voldemort," he said and both of the men jumped. However, the wall folding back to reveal a tunnel stopped any questions that they might have been going to ask.

Ron pulled his wand out and led them into the dark tunnel. Downward he hurried as fast as he could. How long had Taylor been down here alone? How far could she have come? What if…? And Ron shook his head refusing to think along those lines.

The three wizards had made a lot better time then Taylor had the first time she had come down the passageway only hours ago. Still it was almost a half hour before they could see a shape lying on the floor of the tunnel ahead of them.

* * *

><p>AN Well there you have it. The dream I had put into writting! I wasn't even thinking of having a hidden new passage way until I had that dream! My poor husband thought I had lost my mind when I stayed up most of the night trying to finish this chapter! The errie green cave and the snakes... they were so vivid! I could even hear Harry and Ron's voices! It was one of the strangest dreams I have ever had! So what did you think? I would really love to hear your oppinion! This chapter was written before the seventh book ever came out... though we are quickly getting to the point in the story where it will be after the book was released... but I will let you know when that happens.

All reviews are greatly apperciated! As well as those of you who have added this story to their favorites! I also would like to say thank you if you have read this far! Even that means a whole lot to me! A speacial thanks to my bata barbc! Well until next time, cytpotter.


	20. Venom

Disclaimer- same as always(that will never change)

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter Twenty<strong>

**Venom**

Ron stood looking down at his two friends as they lay in the beds at the Hospital Wing.

The sun was just setting and the sound of birds was coming in through an open window on the beautiful, early October day. It had been two days since they had gone down into the tunnel and neither Harry nor Taylor had yet regained consciousness. Ron had dropped by to check on Harry and Taylor after his last class of the day. He knew Hermione and Ginny would be along shortly. McGonagall had been so angry when he had gotten back with Taylor that night, he was sure if it hadn't been for Lupin and Shacklebolt suggesting that this was Order business, he would have at the very least had detention. Not that he had told any of them what Harry, Taylor and he had found in the cave. But Lupin and Shacklebolt seemed to know that Harry was searching for something, and they had stepped in to vouch for their 'reckless actions' as McGonagall had put it.

"Mr. Weasley, I'm sure you will be pleased to hear that Mr. Potter has improved a lot the past day, and I believe that he should be waking up sometime soon," Madam Pomfrey said as she came over to check on Harry.

Ron sighed with relief, "That's good news. Maybe Ginny will stop hexing me every time she's seen me. She is upset that I let Harry get bit by that snake. Sisters!" he mumbled as he shook his head. "What about Taylor, is she going to wake up soon too?" Ron knew by the look on Madam Pomfrey's face though that it wasn't good news.

"No, I'm sorry Mr. Weasley but Miss Porter isn't doing so well. The venom from her snake bites isn't responding nearly as well. I've done everything I know of. Only time will tell if she's strong enough to fight, well…" Madam Pomfrey's voice trailed off and she shook her head sadly as she finished her check on Taylor and turned and went back into her office.

Ron looked down at Taylor. Her face was as white as the sheets she was laying on. He didn't hear Hermione and Ginny come into the Hospital Wing until Hermione touched his shoulder. He turned towards Hermione and pulled her into a fierce hug.

"Ron, what's wrong?" Hermione asked as she hugged him back. She had seen the worry on his face when he hugged her.

Ginny's voice quivered when she spoke, "Is Harry going to be alright? Ron! Tell me what Madam Pomfrey told you!"

Ron looked over at his sister and said, "She said Harry should be okay, he should be waking up sometime soon." He looked down at Hermione, his own voice quivering a little when he said, "She said, Taylor isn't doing so well. She said that there isn't anything more she can do for her. Hermione, I shouldn't have left her, I should have brought her back with Harry. If I had, maybe she …" his voice trailed off.

Hermione hugged him tightly again, then said "Ron, you couldn't have brought them both back together, we've already been over that. I know Taylor would never have let you bring her back first, not with Harry hurt. You didn't have a choice. You made the right decision. Taylor is strong, she'll be okay."

The three friends sat down, with nothing to do but wait and hope. But tonight they didn't have that long to wait. After only a few minutes Harry began to stir. Ginny who was holding his hand looked up.

"Ginny," Harry's voice was barely a whisper, but Ginny heard him.

"Harry! Oh thank Merlin!" Ginny cried, her hand squeezing his.

"Harry, mate you've had us worried," Ron choked out.

Harry's eyes opened and he looked at a blurry Ginny and his two best friends. He felt so tired, but he did manage a weak smile.

"Here Harry, these will help," Hermione said as she slid his glasses onto his face. "How are you feeling? Madam Pomfrey said you are going to be okay."

"Yeah, thanks 'Mione," Harry whispered. "Where's Taylor?"

Ron and Hermione exchanged a quick look, "She's right beside you Harry," Hermione said, as she nodded her head towards the bed beside him.

Harry turned his head in the direction Hermione had nodded and he could see Taylor laying there. His head pounded as he tried to remember why he was here in the first place. Suddenly images of a cup and a huge snake came to him. He groaned softly as he remembered, but what had happened to Taylor? She had carried him back to the safety of the rock wall, or at least he thought she had. He turned his head to look at Ron.

Ron glanced nervously at Hermione and cleared his throat. "I ah, well, you see, by the time Taylor got you back to the wall, you were unconscious. I ah… well… Taylor told me to take you and go get help," Ron looked at Harry. He wasn't sure just how much he should say right now. He didn't want to upset Harry.

Ginny spoke again, her voice soft, "When Ron got you to the Hospital Wing, he went back to get Taylor. She had been bitten too and Madam Pomfrey is looking after her."

Harry looked at Ginny and she smiled. He closed his eyes. He was so tired. Ginny's hand felt so warm holding his, he could feel the blackness closing in again. He felt safe laying here with his friends and he welcomed the blackness like an old friend.

Hermione sighed as she saw Harry's eyes close and he went back to sleep. She knew the next time Harry awoke he would want more answers. She only hoped they weren't full of bad news, and she looked over at Taylor who was as pale as death.

Over the next week Ron, Hermione and Ginny would visit with Harry as often as they could. He was weak but he was getting stronger every day. Taylor on the other hand hadn't woken up yet, nor did she appear to get any better.

Madam Pomfrey had just finished fussing over him and he watched as she went to check on Taylor. His jaw clamped tight and he tried unsuccessfully to not become angry at what he had allowed to happen to his little sister. How could he have been so stupid? He should have known better than to let her go down there with him. A small voice in the back of his head said "You know damn well that you would have had to put her in a full body bind to keep her from going with you." "Yeah, well, it would have just been payback," Harry mumbled to himself.

"Talking to yourself, Harry? That's never a good sign," a familiar voice said.

Harry looked up to see Lupin standing at the end of his bed. "Hey, sorry I missed you the other day. Ron said you were by. I get tired so easily still and then I sort of pass out, as Ron puts it," Harry grinned at Lupin, who was smiling back.

"I'm glad to see that you're feeling better." Lupin said, but his eyes flicked over to where Taylor was laying. "I heard you were mad at Taylor about what she did for our greasy haired friend, but she had no choice. Harry, you can't expect her to watch someone die or worse, if she can help. She's not like that, she has too much of her mother in her."

Harry was quiet for a moment and he looked at the still form of Taylor, she was so pale. "I'm not mad at Taylor, not anymore. Lupin, I don't know what I'll do if I lose her. You know she put me in a full body bind to tell me about her 'detention' with you and Moody?" Harry chuckled at that, as did Lupin. "You know what? And this is a funny thing. I saw more fear in her eyes that night when she told me about that, then those snakes we had to face at the end of that tunnel. How do you make someone you love more afraid to tell you the truth, then when they have to face thousands of poisonous snakes?" Harry's voice wavered, and he looked down at the floor. He wasn't sure what had made him confess that to Lupin.

"You know Harry, I was fortunate enough to have a few very good friends, and I know that sometimes having to tell them something that you know is going to upset them, is harder then facing thousands of poisonous snakes, or a full moon." Lupin replied with a nod of his head, and a knowing half smile.

Harry looked up at the worn face and graying hair of his parents' friend, and his too. "I don't know how to protect her. I have, … a job to do, but at every turn I seem to get her deeper involved. I think part of the problem is I want her around. That is so selfish of me, right?"

Lupin looked at Harry with a sadness in his eyes, that seemed to go right to his soul, "Harry, I am the wrong person to talk to about protecting the ones you love. In that I have failed miserably, but I can offer you this piece of advice, in my opinion the ones you love will fight beside you or fight with you, to be beside you. There's no way to truly protect those we love. Look at all the people Voldemort has had killed, a lot of them thought that they were safe and they weren't. All you can do is try. Your friends will be seen by some, as your greatest weakness, but really they are your greatest allies. Besides, which of them do you think you could convince, that they can't help you?"

Harry turned his head and he could see Ron, Hermione and Ginny coming through the doors of the Hospital Wing. Even from this distance he could see the mischievous glint in Ginny's eyes. Her hair was pulled up in a bun and a few pieces had fallen out, she looked so pretty. Hermione's hair was tied up too, but it didn't have the same effect, as frizzy pieces of hair stuck out everywhere, but she was smiling at something Ginny was saying. Ron looked like he had just woken up, and he probably had, if Harry could remember correctly Ron would have just had History of Magic, an excellent class to catch up on one's sleep, in Harry's opinion.

"Yeah, you do have a point there," Harry said with a smile, as his friends came over to his bed.

"Hi, Lupin," Hermione said as Ginny went and gave Harry a kiss on the cheek, then sat down beside him.

Ron was able to get out something that sounded like, "Hey, Lupin" as he yawned and then stretched.

Lupin smiled at them with a twinkle in his eye and said, "Hello. Nice to see you guys are keeping Harry up to date with his school work. Well I better go. I've got guard duty tonight. Take care." He gave them a nod, then he turned and left the friends so they could be alone together to talk.

Madam Pomfrey decided that Harry was well enough the following morning to be released from her care, and he went straight to the Great Hall for breakfast. He met Ginny on the way there, she had been coming to see him, so they entered the Great Hall together and sat down opposite Hermione and Ron, who was making his way through a big plate of pancakes.

"Hi Harry," Hermione smiled at her friend, she was so glad to see he was out of the hospital. "You and Ron have a free period, so you can finish your reading for double DADA. How is Taylor this morning?"

Harry looked up from the eggs he had put on his plate and started to devour, his appetite was back anyway. Leave it to Hermione to think about schoolwork first, but he said as soon as he took a drink of pumpkin juice, "Yeah, Ron and I should get those chapters read, no problem. (Harry could see Ron rolling his eyes behind Hermione's back) There's no change with Taylor, she hasn't…" Harry shook his head and looked down at his plate.

Ginny put her hand on his arm and said quietly, "She's going to be okay, Harry."

When Ron and Harry got back up to the Gryffindor common room after breakfast, it was empty except for a couple of their fellow Gryffindor seventh years. They both flopped down in front of the fireplace in the comfy chairs they usually sat in.

They sat, enjoying just sitting there, as any teenage boys would do, instead of doing their homework. Ron was the first to break the silence "You know Harry, I was thinking maybe we should take a closer look at that cup. We still have almost a half hour before our next class."

Harry nodded and he followed Ron up to their empty dorm room. Once inside with the door shut and magically sealed, Ron went over to his trunk and took out the cup that Harry and Taylor had brought back through the sea of snakes. He carefully unwrapped it from the socks he had wrapped around it and passed it to Harry.

Harry took the cup and sat on his bed. He was flooded by a mixture of emotions. Anger, relief, sadness, worry, but in the end anger won out over all the others. Too many people had paid the ultimate sacrifice for these Horcruxes. He could only hope his sister wouldn't be the next.

Slowly he began to turn the cup around in his hand, looking at it carefully. It was a small golden cup with two thin handles and a badger engraved on the side. It was Helga Hufflepuff's. But other than that the cup looked to be just that, a cup. Harry ran his finger along the rim of the cup and it was then that he felt the first indication that this was not just an ordinary cup. Suddenly his hair all stood on end and sparks flew from the cup to anything within a ten-foot radius.

Ron let out a yelp and jumped back, "Bloody hell Harry! What's going on?"

With great difficulty, the cup seemed to be stuck to his hands, he put it down on his bed and stepped back. "I guess maybe it has something guarding it too," Harry mumbled as he remembered what Dumbledore had said about the Horcruxes and spells guarding them. Carefully he took the sock and wrapped the cup back up. He then opened his trunk and placed it inside. Closing the lid he said to Ron, "maybe we'll wait and see if Hermione can find anything out about what's guarding it." Ron nodded his agreement.

Over the next week, with any free time they had, Hermione had them all researching in the library for any spell that could be used to protect an object. They had a large list already and were finding more everyday.

"If we hurry and eat our lunch we could get a half hour or so in the library before our next class," Hermione said to Ron and Harry as they were eating.

Harry looked at Hermione and wondered, for the thousandth time since he had known her, how she could read all those books and remember what was in them. His head was swimming with all the spell books he had read over the past week, besides all the reading that he had to do for his schoolwork. He had only been up to check on Taylor a couple of times, he was ashamed to admit it, but the sight of her laying there like that made him feel so helpless. So he had decided to try to focus on a task instead of dwell on the condition of his sister.

As if somehow fate knew what he was thinking.

"Harry!" Colin Creevey came running up to him as he was finishing his lunch. Breathlessly he said. "Harry! Madam Pomfrey wants to see you right away!"

Harry was up out of his seat and out the Great Hall doors before Hermione, Ron and Ginny could grab their bags, and Harry's, and head out after him.

Harry ran all the way to the hospital wing, his heart pounding, his chest constricting tightly with fear, the "what if", paralyzing his mind. When he reached the doors to the hospital he forced himself to slow to a walk, and with a shaking hand he opened the door and went in.

Madam Pomfrey was tending to another student, but when Harry entered she looked up and smiling she said, "Oh good Mr. Potter, someone wishes to speak to you," and she pointed over towards the bed where Taylor was laying.

Harry's eyes flew to the bed and he could see Taylor was looking at him. Waves of relief hit him. He had to blink his eyes rapidly, as he made his way over to her bed. She still looked so pale, but there was a weak smile on her face. "Taylor," he choked out as he sat down beside her.

"Hey, Harry," she whispered and a tear slid down her face.

Harry reached over and wiped the tear away, trying to get a hold of his own racing heart, he smiled at her and said. "You scared the hell out of me."

Taylor's eyes slid closed then slowly opened again, "I'm sorry, I was scared when I woke up and you weren't here. I just wanted to see you," her voice barely above a whisper.

Hermione, Ron and Ginny arrived then and after they all said their hellos, Taylor couldn't keep her eyes open any longer, so they waited until they were sure she was asleep and they got up to go.

Madam Pomfrey came over and said to them, "Miss Porter is a fighter. I think she is going to be okay now but it will take a week or two before she has completely recovered. I hope I didn't worry you unduly Mr. Potter, but when Miss Porter woke I had to threaten to tie her to the bed to keep her from getting up to go search for you. I trust that you will be stopping by to check on her daily?"

Harry nodded to Madam Pomfrey, then he took Ginny's hand in his and the four friends walked out of the hospital, with a much lighter heart.

* * *

><p>AN Well there you have it, another chapter that was written before the seventh book came out. Hopefully you enjoyed it. Reviews are all greatly cherished! As are alerts and favorites! Thank you if you have read this far as well... though reviews are a writters pay... the only thing that I get for the time that I have so lovingly and anxciously poured into this story over the last four years.

Thank you to my bata barbc... you are the best! So until next time, cytpotter.


	21. The Madness Within?

Disclaimer- Still not JK Rowling and I do not own Harry Potter. Just playing with him for a while.

Out of all the chapters I have written(remembering that I have completed this story!) this is my least favorite chapter. I have tried rewritting it but I could never make it _'right' _There are some important things that happen in this chapter... but it still the one I like the least. Hopefully you don't give up on me and can bare to make it through! The next ones are better! In my humble oppinion anyway! :)

* * *

><p>Chapter Twenty-One<p>

**The Madness Within?**

Taylor was sitting in the Great Hall finishing her supper along with the rest of the school. Ron and Harry were stuffing their faces with as much food as possible, as usual. Hermione and Ginny were talking about a new potion that Slughorn had shown the sixth and seventh years. Taylor was glad to be back, not just from the hospital, but also with her friends. It had been a long three weeks since she had told Harry about her 'detention', and saving Snape. This past week in the hospital she had done a lot of thinking about Snape, the cup that they had found, and the curse guarding it. Hermione had told her about the curse the day after she woke up, against Harry's wishes. She could still see the look that he had on his face when Hermione had told her! If looks could kill, well if they could Harry would have killed her a long time ago, but poor Hermione. At least reading through the books that they brought to Taylor, along with her school work, had made the week in the hospital go faster, even if she hadn't found anything that she thought might help.

"Taylor, did you read that chapter for Professor Sprout yet? I want to finish that essay for Herbology right after supper so we can still have time to get to the library before curfew," Hermione said as she finished her supper, and brought Taylor out of her thoughts.

"No, but I only have a couple of more pages to read and I'm half way through the essay, so I should be finished in about an hour. I still have that Transfiguration home work to do, but I need to go to the library to do that anyway," Taylor said. She was almost caught up from all the schoolwork she had missed while she was in the hospital, with Hermione's help of course.

"Yeah, well I can finish up my essay in the library, that way we can all go, right Harry?" Ron said as he looked at Harry and grinned. Hermione rolled her eyes and got up from the table. What Ron really meant was, Harry and he would take their work to the library and Hermione could help them.

An hour later, Taylor was just finishing her Herbology homework. They were all in the crowded common room taking up one whole table. Ron was still doodling on the same piece of parchment he had taken out of his bag a half hour ago. Hermione was just allowing her Herbology essay to dry and trying hard not to glare at Ron. Harry was trying to correct a mistake on his essay with a Quik-Correction quill. Ginny was seated in a comfy chair nearby reading her DADA book.

A commotion over by the entrance to the girls' dorms drew the interest of the five-some. Two fourth year girls were yelling at one another, with wands drawn. Hermione quickly got up and went over to see what was the matter. She was after all Head Girl.

Taylor watched as things were going from bad to worse, and fast! Suddenly the common room was full of hexes and curses as the two angry girls started to throw spells at one another and anyone within sight, so it seemed. Taylor was instantly off of the chair she'd been sitting on, and crouched behind a nearby sofa, wand in hand. One of those curses had landed too close for her comfort. Harry, Ron and Ginny were doing the same. The common room was filled with screams as students scurried to get to cover. Hermione had taken cover behind a desk with three first years.

Harry, his eyes narrowed, knew this wasn't just some normal fight between witches. This was something more. He glanced over to where Taylor was crouching and their eyes met. He nodded his head, sure she was thinking the same thing as him. Together they sprang to their feet, wands pointing at the two troublemakers and silently, just as they practiced in their 'research sessions' with Professor Shacklebolt, with a slight flick of their wands, dropped them in their tracks.

The common room fell silent as students realized that the fight was over. Then the buzz began again as questions began to fly around the room as thick as curses had moments before. What had just happened? Why? Was anyone hurt?

Ron got to Hermione first and helped her to her feet, "Are you okay?" He asked as his eyes raced over her as if to reassure himself that she was.

"Yeah, I'm okay. Are you?" Hermione asked, then turned to the three frightened first years she had pulled behind the desk with her. "Are you okay?" They all nodded their heads. "What happened? Who stunned them?" Hermione asked Ron as she looked over to where the two fourth years lay on the floor.

Ron had only time to nod his head toward where Harry and Taylor still stood, before the portal swung open and Headmistress McGonagall came hurrying in followed by Professor Shacklebolt.

"What is going on here?" asked McGonagall in a tight voice, her lips white, as she surveyed the common room and the many worried and frightened faces that looked back at her. Her eyes come to rest on the two unconscious fourth years lying on the floor. Then she looked over to where Harry and Taylor stood wands still in their hands, as if rooted to the spot. "Potter, what happened here?" McGonagall demanded, again.

Harry's mind had kicked into overdrive as he tried to sort out what had just happened. Why had two fellow Gryffindors attacked one another? Was there more to this then a simple disagreement? Of that he was certain, but why? He had glanced over at Taylor and he was almost certain, when she met his gaze, that that was what she had been thinking too. Then McGonagall had come and was asking the same questions, but he had no answers. "I don't know Professor. One minute everything was okay. The next those two were arguing and began throwing curses, everywhere." Harry nodded towards the two girls who were lying on the floor.

Shacklebolt, who had quickly assessed the situation, was looking at Harry and Taylor too, but he had a better idea of what had happened, to the two unconscious girls at least. Or more precisely how they had become unconscious. He spoke quietly, but his voice easily carried in the now silent room. "Headmistress, I believe these two young witches should be taken to the hospital wing right away. And maybe a more private word with Mr. Potter and Miss Porter, might be more productive?"

Professor McGonagall glanced at Shacklebolt. She had caught the warning in his voice. So she nodded her head and pointing her wand at the two unconscious girls, she conjured a stretcher then levitated them up off of the floor. "Miss Granger, Mr. Weasley, I want you to find out what is behind these two young witches' actions. Mr. Potter, Miss Porter, I want you to go to my office right now!" And with that McGonagall turned and went out the portal, with the two stretchers floating behind her. Harry and Taylor climbed out and Professor Shacklebolt was the last out through the portal before it swung shut.

Hours later, Taylor was finally crawling into her bed, her head pounded and she was exhausted. Harry and she had spent over three hours in the Headmistress' office. Once they had told McGonagall, Shacklebolt, and Moody, who just happened to arrive at the stone gargoyle when they did, about what had happened in the Gryffindor common room, McGonagall began asking them about the 'adventure' they had in the snake filled cavern bellow Hogwarts. Of course McGonagall wanted to know how they had found the cave to begin with, why they had gone down it and what had happened down there. When Harry and Taylor told her reluctantly that they couldn't tell her, McGonagall had become furious. If it hadn't have been for the calm, reasonable Shacklebolt, telling McGonagall that it was one of the Order of the Phoenix's standing orders that Harry, and to a lesser degree Taylor, remain in school, Taylor thought McGonagall might have suspended them.

What a mess they were in, and it all came down to Voldemort and those Horcrux's that Harry was supposed to find. Taylor just wished sometimes that they didn't have to remain a secret. Merlin! She wished that 'who she was' didn't have to remain a secret. She put both her hands up to her temples and tried to message the pain away.

Then when they had finally made it back to the common room, Hermione, Ron and Ginny wanted to know what had happened in McGonagall's office, and if the two fourth year girls were going to be alright. Taylor's head had already started to pound by then so she had let Harry do most of the talking. The two girls, they had heard from Madam Pomfrey, before they left the office, were going to be alright, but that they were almost certainly under some sort of spell. But it was broken now, perhaps by the stunning spell Harry and Taylor had used to stop them. That in itself had caused a great deal of concern and theories to be discussed by the group. In the end though they were no closer to finding out why the two fourth years had acted like that and neither Hermione nor Ron had turned up anything in their search of the dorm or their questioning.

When Taylor had finally stood up and said she was heading to bed, it was after midnight. What a first day back, she thought as she lay in her bed with the coverings closed and tried to shut her mind down so she could go to sleep. Every little sound seemed to go right through her aching head, the ticking of an alarm clock or even the soft snores of Lavender Brown two beds away. So she reached under her pillow pulled out her wand; gave it a wave and muttered '_Silencio_'. As the wonderful silence filled her bed, her busy mind began to let go of its many thoughts, the same way the sounds had slipped from her searching ears, and she fell to sleep.

It was a dream filled sleep. It started out on the sunny lawns near the lake. Harry and Ginny, Ron and Hermione and Taylor with a boy without a distinct face. They were all sitting by the lake enjoying the sun. The lake was still except for the occasional ripples made by the squid that resided there. It was a great spot for a snog and that was exactly what the three couples were doing. Taylor could feel the cool lips of the boy she was kissing, the warmth of the sun was shining down brightly.

Suddenly everything changed. She was no longer by the lake kissing a boy in a fantasy afternoon, instead she was in the Shrieking Shack with Harry, Hermione, Ron, Lupin, Sirius and a squealing Wormtail being held up by his tail. Sirius was telling Harry about how Wormtail had betrayed Lily and James. How Wormtail had then cut off his finger and killed all those muggles. Taylor stood rooted to the floor beside Harry, anger filling her every fiber as she listened to how a man, who was supposed to be a friend to her parents, tore the life she should have had away from her. Then slowly as the events that happened that night in the Shrieking Shack continued to unfold before her, Taylor was aware of something different, something terrifyingly different. A cold mirthless laugh was coming from somewhere, it was getting louder, but the others in her dream seemed to not hear it as they faded away. Taylor broke out in a cold sweat. Whoever was laughing suddenly spoke "Yes, Wormtail you have done a good job" then the laughter started again. Taylor tried to move, tried to speak, but she couldn't. Pure terror filled her. A flash of green light, then she heard it, the slithering of the snake. It was at her feet, she could see it as it slowly began to wind up her body. She could feel the cold smooth skin of the snake as it made its way over her wet clammy skin, up towards her heart. She could feel the weight of it, as the snake started up over her stomach. She could see the snake right in front of her face, open its mouth and swallow her soul. The tail coiled firmly around her heart. Taylor began to scream.

Hermione had followed Taylor up to bed around a half hour later, She knew Taylor was tired and even though her friend hadn't said anything, Hermione was sure that Taylor had a headache. Poor Taylor, thought Hermione as she got ready for bed, if Madam Pomfrey knew what a day Taylor put in she wouldn't have let her out of the hospital! Hermione glanced over at the coverings pulled shut on Taylor's bed and smiled wearily. It was good to have her back though. Then Hermione slipped into her bed pulled her coverings and went right to sleep.

Hermione awoke suddenly and lay still in her bed listening. She couldn't hear anything but something wasn't right. She sat up to listen better, but still she couldn't hear anything out of the ordinary. She reached over and pulled her coverings open to have a look and grabbed her wand, knowing that something had definitely woken her up. There was a pale light shining in through the window from a sliver of moon that hung low in the sky. Hermione slowly looked around the sleeping dorm and caught sight of movement out of the corner of her eye. When she turned to see what it was, all she could see was Taylor's coverings moving slightly.

"_Lumos_" Hermione muttered as she got up and went over to Taylor's bed. She took hold of the coverings and pulled them back. What she saw made her blood run cold. Taylor's mouth was wide open as if she were screaming, but no sound came. She was shaking like a leaf in a gale and she was soaked in sweat.

"Taylor" Hermione whispered and tried to shake her awake, but it didn't work.

"Try igniting your wand tip, that might help. Then you can lift the silencing charm,"

"Thanks," muttered Hermione as she ignited her wand tip and touched it to the side of Taylor's neck, but she didn't stop to wonder where the voice came from.

Taylor's eyes flew open and she looked up at Hermione, Taylor's eyes were full of terror and Hermione wasn't sure if her friend even recognized her but at least she had stopped the silent screams.

"Taylor, are you alright? What happened?" Hermione asked looking down at Taylor, who was still shaking. Then Hermione remembered the silencing spell and with a flick of her wand released it. She could then hear the ragged breathing of her friend. Hermione glanced around behind her to see if anyone was there. She wanted to get some help to try to calm Taylor down but she didn't want to leave her alone to do that, but no one else in the dorm was awake.

"Taylor, I'm going to get some help okay?" Hermione said, wondering just whom she should go and get at this hour, but Taylor's hand grabbed a hold of her before she could turn away.

Taylor still shaking, shook her head. She couldn't have spoken a word if her life depended on it, but she had to stop Hermione from leaving. One reason was because she didn't want to be alone, the other was she didn't want anyone knowing she'd had a … again nightmare didn't begin to describe it.

Hermione stood beside Taylor for a minute or two, then she sat down on the bed beside her, all the while trying to figure out what her friend was terrified of, but she didn't ask any more questions, she just gave her time to calm down some.

Taylor tried hard to overcome the fear that seemed to eat at her very ability to think or act. When Hermione had stayed beside her, relief was the first emotion besides fear that she felt. The pendant that hung around Taylor's neck was burning hot again and she wrapped her cold fingers around it. How long she lay there looking at Hermione, who had sat quietly on the bed beside her, she didn't know but after awhile she felt as if she could once again talk.

Hermione was watching the terror slowly leave her friends eyes. She had stopped trembling, almost anyway. Hermione decided to break the silence, "What happened, Taylor? Can you tell me about it?" She asked quietly.

Taylor took a big breath and let it out slowly before she answered, her voice quivering at times. "It was the sn… snake. I saw it… again. I couldn't move. It was like I was fr… frozen."

Hermione looked at her friend puzzled. What snake was she talking about? Nigini? But why would Taylor dream about Voldemort's snake, Nigini? And when did she dream about Nigini before?

"Taylor, you mean you've had this dream before? When? Did you have it while you were in the hospital?" Hermione began to wonder if it might have been a reaction from being in the cave with all those snakes.

Taylor looked at Hermione and she briefly wondered how much she should tell her. She tried to think back to that other night, in Godric's Hollow, what had Dumbledore said? Taylor was starting to think clearer now and she had questions herself, but no ready answers. "I, well… yeah I have had this…dream before, but it's like no other dream I've ever had. A nightmare doesn't even describe it. It's been awhile, not long enough, but it happened during the summer holidays." Taylor knew she wasn't very specific, but that was all she was going to tell Hermione for now.

Hermione could see the wall Taylor was stepping behind, and she knew she wasn't likely to get a clearer answer than that from Taylor, not tonight anyway. Taylor reminded Hermione of another one of her friends in this way. A black haired, green-eyed friend. "Do you think that your dream had anything to do with… Vol…demort?" Hermione whispered. She still didn't like saying his name.

Taylor eyed Hermione for a while, again considering her answer carefully. "I have a theory, but it's a weak one." Taylor paused, "I can't tell you what it is…" another pause, "please believe me… that if… or when, I am sure that this theory is correct. I will let you know."

"If you even suspect you are having a dream about Vol… Voldemort or… or his snake, I think you should tell Harry. Maybe it has something to do with that cup you guys found." Hermione said, her mind trying to work around the wall that Taylor had put up.

Taylor felt her breath catch as Hermione so wisely said the very things she didn't want Hermione dwelling on, for fear that she might put the facts together and come up with the right answers. Taylor shook her head and said "No Hermione, I am not going to tell Harry about this dream. If he knew he'd never let me help him again. You know how he gets all noble and protective. Besides, it was just a silly dream wasn't it? What could Voldemort or his snake possibly have to do with me anyway?" Taylor prayed that her friend wouldn't push this any farther tonight. She didn't like telling Hermione half-truths and misleading statements. Someday I promise you Hermione I will tell you everything! Taylor thought.

"Ok Taylor, but if Harry finds out, he will not like it at all," Hermione reluctantly agreed.

* * *

><p>AN And there you have it... the LAST completed chapter before Deathly Hallows came out! This chapter gave me so much trouble that even though I started it in May of 2007 I wrote and tried to rewrite it several times but never really gettting it just the way I wanted it... hopefully you didn't find it too painful! I did go on to write part of the next chapter before Deathly Hallows came out but it was really just in draft form before the seventh book came out. This chapter was why I put this story on the back burner for almost three years! Don't worry I have accepted that I don't like this chapter and contented myself with the fact that there are better ones... much better to come! :)

As always thank you for reading! Thank you for adding this to your favorites or alerts! And anyone who has reviewed thank you!

Thank you goes out to barbc, my wonderful bata!

So until next time, cytpotter


	22. More Questions Then Answers

Nope still not JK! Still don't own anything but the story line and my charactor that formed in my mind so long ago!

Well here it is folks! The LAST chapter that was written before Deathly Hallows came out(besides the ending of this story that is ;) ) Or I should say most of this chapter was written before the seventh book. If you are interested you could leave a review and let me know and I can tell you what paragraph that was written AFTER I read the book! ;) Of course that might been seen as shameless bribery but... if the shoe fits...

Now on with the next chapter!

* * *

><p>Chapter Twenty-two<p>

**More Questions Then Answers**

The Great Hall the following morning was abuzz with what had happened the previous evening in the Gryffindor common room. Stories and speculation ran rampant at all four house tables. The only ones to know the truth, or as much of it as anyone at the school knew, were sitting in the middle of the Gryffindor table, doing their best to eat their breakfast.

Hermione was just finishing her toast when the owls arrived with the mail. She watched as a large brown owl landed in front of her with her copy of the Daily Prophet. Once she had paid for it she opened it and began to peruse the stories, sure of one thing at least, tomorrow's mail would be heavier when worried parents wrote to their children about the attack at the school.

Harry sighed and shook his head. The atmosphere at the school had been strained at best, but with all the violence happening outside of school grounds, the student body as a whole had been coping. Now though, with an attack at the school? He wasn't sure what had caused those two girls to fight last night, but if it was a spell like Madam Pomphrey thought, then all students were going to be in a lot more danger. Also, if the school became unsafe for students, then there was the danger that it might be closed. It's funny, just a little over a month and a half ago he hadn't wanted to come back, now he didn't want to have to leave.

"Oh, that's just stupid!" Ginny said angrily as she turned back around to the table, bring Harry out of his thoughts.

"What's stupid," Harry asked, as he noted the frown on Ginny's face, and the cute way her eyebrows drew together when she was annoyed. Oh boy, where did that come from, he wondered.

"Oh, those stupid idiots over at the Slytherin table, who told a bunch of first years that the food was cursed and once you ate enough of it you'd start attacking people!" Ginny said, still glaring over her shoulder in the direction of the Slytherin table.

"Yeah, that is dumb!" Ron said, between mouthfuls of cereal.

Taylor had been watching the students in the hall while she ate her breakfast. The stories were definitely wild, at least some of them. She hadn't gotten much sleep last night. She hadn't been able to go back to sleep at all after her 'dream', she'd just sat up in her bed the rest of the night thinking. "Yeah, if that were true you'd have started attacking people weeks ago Ron," Taylor replied dryly. She might be tired but she just couldn't pass that one by.

Hermione snorted into her glass of pumpkin juice and Harry and Ginny grinned. That at least was true, Harry thought.

Taylor could tell when Hermione walked into the Great hall for lunch, that she was angry. While Taylor had Charms with Hermione, Harry and Ron right after breakfast that morning, Hermione had Ancient Runes and the others had a free period, so they had made it into the Great Hall for lunch before Hermione. Well, actually, Taylor and Ron had made it here. Harry had run into Ginny, if you can call going halfway over to the other side of the school on purpose, running into someone. Anyway, Harry and Ginny would be along shortly. Taylor grinned to herself when she thought about her brother and Ginny in some broom cupboard snogging.

"What's wrong, Hermione?" Ron asked when Hermione dropped into the seat beside him.

Hermione sent a withering glance over her shoulder towards the Slytherin table before she said, "I don't know why Professor McGonagall ever let some of those students back into the school."

Taylor raised her eyebrows questioningly and looked at Hermione. What, she wondered had the Slytherin's done to deserve her friend's wrath? Hermione was always so open to giving people a chance and working together.

Hermione glanced at Taylor then at Ron and demanded, "Where's Harry? You two didn't leave him alone did you?"

Ron's ears started to turn red and he was just about to mutter something when Harry and Ginny walked into the Great Hall and headed over to join them

Taylor tried hard to hide the smirk on her face as she had watched Ron struggle with admitting that his sister and Harry had been off snogging. She wasn't sure what his problem was. She sure didn't mind the fact that her brother was kissing Ginny. She actually thought it was good that Harry had finally found someone to love. Now if Harry was snogging someone like Lavender Brown, that would be different.

"Hi Guys," Harry and Ginny chimed together.

"Hermione, what's wrong?" Ginny asked, sitting down beside Harry.

Hermione looked from Harry to Ginny and back again, "And just where have you two been?" Hermione demanded.

Taylor watched as Harry turned a not so becoming shade of pink, but Ginny grinned at Hermione from ear to ear and said, "Inspecting the broom cupboard on the Third floor."

Hermione's mouth dropped open and then she closed it again. She was just about to open it again when Luna Lovegood, who just happened to be passing by, stopped.

"Ginny, I didn't know you and Harry were looking for a pink winged broom-hopper too. I have been searching all the broom cupboards and empty classrooms but I haven't had any luck yet. What about you?" Luna asked in her usual dreamy voice.

Taylor who had been struggling not to laugh ever since this scene had started to play out, had her finger in her mouth biting it, but the tears were starting to run down her face. She wasn't sure how much more she could take before she busted a gut. Then she glanced at Hermione who sat staring at Luna as if the Ravenclaw had two heads. Taylor lost her battle and burst out laughing, tears rolling down her face.

Harry had been wondering why Hermione was angry, then he had caught a glimpse of his sister, whose face was flushed and eyes were all watery, but full of laughter. He knew something had tickled her funny bone and then Luna had just pushed her over the edge. Harry grinned too, at the look on Hermione's face.

After Taylor was finally able to stop laughing and Luna had moved on, Hermione began to tell the other four what she was so angry about. When Hermione was on her way to Ancient Runes, Ernie Macmillan had joined her and then told her that some of the Slytherin's in his Herbology class had slipped off into the forest on their way back to the castle. He had been going to go tell McGonagall, but when he reached the second floor he happened to look out a window and saw them heading back into the castle. Ernie had said that he didn't bother going to tell McGonagall then, but he was sure that the Slytherin's had been up to no good.

Harry glanced over at the Slytherin table. He was in agreement with Macmillan on that one. But why did they go into the forest? Or more precisely, who did they go into the forest to meet? Harry wondered who had been in the group. "Hermione, did Macmillan say who they were?" Harry whispered. Hermione just shook her head.

After lunch Ginny left with a group of sixth years and the four friends headed out to the greenhouses for their Herbology class. The sky was overcast and a light drizzle was falling.

Harry looked over towards the forest as they walked past, wishing that he had been the one to see the Slytherin's slipping off. He was sure that whatever they were up to had something to do with the two Gryffindor's fighting last night. He said as much just before they reached the greenhouse.

Taylor glanced at Harry as they sat down at a table and Professor Sprout began to talk about the importance of keeping a well-organized garden for potion making. Taylor, however, was mulling over the events of last night. The way those two girls fought bothered Taylor, even more then the fact they were fighting, and the jinxes they were using weren't your standard fare either. Of course the five-some had talked about that last night. Then there was the 'dream'. Taylor could feel herself break out in a cold sweat just thinking about it. What did it mean? Surely they had to mean something, but Taylor wasn't sure she wanted it to mean what she thought it did. She knew that Hermione was right. Harry would want to know about it, but Taylor was just as sure that if she told her big brother about having the dream again, he would… what? Try to protect her somehow she was sure. Definitely not let her go with him when he went to search for more Horcruxes.

If he lets you go after what happened in the cave you'll be lucky, a small voice said, yeah but I did help out. That has to count for something, Taylor thought back.

Suddenly Taylor's shin was hurting from where she had just been kicked under the table.

"Miss Porter, can you please tell me the three ingredients in fertilizer that will produce the best herbs to be used for potion making?" Professor Sprout was asking.

Taylor looked at Professor Sprout, trying to think of the answer as a blush crept up her cheeks for being caught not paying attention. "Ahh…, one part dragon dung, two parts engorgement potion, and… a ground up doxy wing. Mixed together with six parts water and put on the herbs at sundown." Thank goodness, Taylor thought, I always read a couple of chapters ahead.

"Well done Miss Porter, but I still think you should pay attention in class," Professor Sprout said, giving Taylor a hard look.

Taylor just nodded her head.

On the way back to the castle, the drizzle had stopped for the moment. Hermione dropped back with Taylor and whispered, "I think you should tell Harry. I know what you said last night but, what if…" Hermione looked at Taylor and her face was full of concern, as was her voice.

Taylor looked at the back of Harry's head as he walked a little in front of her and she warred with the conflicting emotions of telling Harry. But her resolve to get to the bottom of this, and not worry her brother with anything else, won out. She shook her head.

All through supper Taylor wrestled with what she should do next. Where could she go for answers? She needed to talk to Dumbledore, that much she knew, but she also wanted to ask someone else a few questions. She just wondered if she dared.

Later in the library Taylor made up her mind to get some answers tonight if possible. "Harry," Taylor whispered as she sat down beside him at a table. He was reading one of the many books they had out, trying to find out what they could about the curse on Helga Hufflepuff's cup. They weren't making much headway and the five-some was getting frustrated. "I want to borrow dad's cloak and the map." Taylor finished whispering. She'd had enough reading through books. She couldn't concentrate on them anyway, not with so many questions running through her mind.

Harry turned and looked at Taylor. Just what did she need the map and invisibility cloak for? Harry's eyes narrowed but he asked quietly, "And just where do you think you're going that you need those?"

Taylor was ready with an answer. She was going to tell him what she wanted with them, well half of it anyway. "I want to talk to Our Older Friend, privately," she was sure Harry would get that she was talking about Dumbledore.

Harry regarded her for a few seconds then slowly nodded his head. He suddenly wondered if Taylor had spoken with Dumbledore's portrait since she had gotten out of the hospital. He hadn't, but then Taylor had the painting in her dorm room. That wasn't a real excuse but it was what he had told himself instead of facing Dumbledore and telling him how he had allowed his sister to be hurt to save him in the cave. "Yeah, but I want you back in the common room before curfew," he said, well at least this way maybe she couldn't get into too much trouble, could she? "Where are you going anyway?"

Taylor knew that if Harry found out what else she had planned that he would probably jinx her into next week but… "The RoR." She said simply, the Room of Requirement was the best place to talk to Dumbledore, in her opinion, plus it would give her a little bit of time to look for the other wizard that she wanted to talk to.

It had only taken her 15 minutes to go to the common room, get Dumbledore's portrait, the map and her dad's invisibility cloak from Harry's room, and into the RoR, as she liked to call it.

Dumbledore's painting had been listening carefully as she told him about the cave and the cup they had found, plus all the research they had been doing trying to figure out how to break the curse. She also told him about her 'dream' last night and not telling Harry about it. When she finished, the painting was silent a few minutes as the sharp blue eyes peered at her through painted half moon spectacles.

"You have been busy since we last talked," Dumbledore said, his voice a little chastising, "I suspect that Harry will not be happy about not telling him that you had another 'dream' last night, but I knew you did."

Taylor was very surprised to hear that and she said so, "But how," she began and Dumbledore cut her off.

"Taylor, I may not be able to see behind the picture of your aunt and uncle but I can still hear and you were not exactly laying still." Dumbledore said but his voice was softer this time. "Miss Granger was very worried about you. She may start asking questions about hearing a male voice in a girls' dormitory." Dumbledore's eyes twinkled at this though and Taylor smiled, wondering how she would explain that one.

"However, I am not quite as patient as Miss Granger and I would like to hear this theory of yours about the dreams; and, Taylor, I may be limited as a painting but I can still tell when I am being lied to," Dumbledore said this lightly enough but Taylor didn't miss the warning in the words.

Taylor nodded her head and began pacing back and forth. She had been mulling this over since the summer. Then she had used that Dark magic on Snape and it had seemed to confirm her suspicions more then dispel them, and she had that same 'dream' last night. The nagging feeling that she was right wouldn't go away but to admit it out loud, that was something she wasn't sure she wanted to do yet. But she had no choice now. Dumbledore would know if she didn't tell him the whole truth.

"Well, it's all about Voldemort and that night when he came to Godric's Hollow to kill Dad, Mom and Harry. You said that he wanted to create another Horcrux, right, and you told Harry that when Voldemort tried to kill him that he somehow transferred some of his powers to him. Well…. what if … what if he transferred some of those powers to me too? Well, what if he did? I don't have some sort of mind link with Voldemort like Harry but what if that is the reason that I can use Dark Magic? Why I see a snake about to swallow my… well, me?" Taylor had stopped her pacing and was staring at the painting of Dumbledore, almost wishing for him to contradict her statement.

Dumbledore's piercing painted blue eyes seemed to drill into Taylor's, but he didn't deny or confirm what she had just said.

"What if when he tried to kill Harry… and his powers were broken, that some of them found me… as well as Harry?" Again Taylor stopped and looked at Dumbledore. She broke out in a cold sweat as fear surged through her.

"What if the coiling of the snake," Taylor began to tremble as she struggled to continue, her shirt becoming soaked as she fought the fear that went with her 'dream'. "What if its tail…around my heart… its…, swallowing… my soul." Her voice was no more then a mere whisper. "What if… I'm turning into a Dark Witch?"

There wasn't a sound in the Room of Requirement for several minutes as Dumbledore stared at Taylor as she stood looking very pale and frightened about what she had just admitted.

Dumbledore's voice, when he finally spoke, was full of concern and a little something else, "I think, Taylor, that what you just said is, well… it is a possibility. I must admit that right now I cannot disprove your theory, _but_ nor can I prove it. I am going to have to ponder this for a while."

"However, I will tell you this, and it has been a theory of mine for many years, that the power of _love_ is the purest magic there is, and no Dark Arts can truly ever control it. Harry, like you, has the power of love. I have seen you both demonstrate it time and time again. So if my theory is true, Dark will never be able to take over you. The decisions will always be your own. I do believe, however, that this should not be repeated to anyone for the time being."

Taylor could have laughed. Like I'm going to walk around and tell everyone that I think I have a piece of the most evil wizard's in history, power in me. She shook her head, "No I won't tell any one."

After Taylor packed up the picture of Dumbledore and pulled out the Marauders Map to check it before she left the RoR, she couldn't believe her luck. The other person that she wanted to talk to was walking past the Room of Requirement right now! Taylor quickly pulled the invisibility cloak over her head then checked the map again, and sure enough a small dot labeled Remus Lupin was now almost to the end of the corridor. Pushing the map into her pocket she slipped out of the Room of Requirement and as quietly as she could, set off after Lupin.

Taylor watched as Lupin turned the corner and raced to see which way he went, but when she turned the corner there was no one in sight on the stairs or in the corridor.

"_Petrificus Totalus!" _a quiet voice said from behind a tapestry.

Taylor's heart stopped as her arms and legs snapped together. How could she be so reckless? Fear gripped her as she teetered and fell over backwards to the floor. The invisibility cloak pulled up over her feet. Taylor's mind raced. She had been concentrating so fully on catching up to Lupin that she had left herself wide open to attack. But all she could do now is look up from the floor and pray that this wasn't a fatal mistake!

"Don't you know it's dangerous to follow someone?" asked the same quiet voice.

All Taylor could see of her attacker was a dark robe and a hand descending towards her face, grabbing a hold of the cloak and pulling it off.

A soft gasp and then Lupin's face was looking down at her, a deep frown on his face. "Taylor! What are you doing following me around?"

With a flick of his wand Lupin released Taylor and she scrambled to her feet, and stuffed the cloak into her bag. She could feel heat rising in her cheeks as her fear was overcome with embarrassment at being caught so unprepared.

"I'm sorry, Lupin," Taylor said, trying to get over her embarrassment. "I was, ah… in the RoR, and I saw you go by as I was about to come out. I wanted to ask you something about…" Taylor's voice trailed off as she glanced around not wanting to be over heard, and saw the look of confusion on Lupin's face. "You know the Room of Requirement."

Lupin nodded his head slowly but the frown never left his face. "That answers the where, but not why you are here, all by yourself. I would have thought that after what happened last night, you would have the common sense to stay close to your friends."

Taylor's mind raced back to her 'dream' and wondered how Lupin knew about it. Then Taylor realized that he was talking about the fight between the two Gryffindor girls. Taylor nervously glanced around, then said quietly "Lupin, I need to ask you something. Can we talk? In the RoR?"

Lupin stared hard at Taylor for a moment then glanced at his watch, before slowly nodding his head, and turning to walk back towards the Room of Requirement.

Taylor followed Lupin back the way she had just come and hurried to open the Room of Requirement, suddenly wanting to be out of the halls as if they had eyes. She was a bit surprised though when she opened the door and instead of the small bare room that she had just visited with Dumbledore's painting, there was a fireplace with a fire and a couple of comfy looking chairs in front of it. I guess this room really does know what a person wants! Taylor thought with a reluctant grin.

Lupin had a seat and looked at Taylor. He still wore a frown but now there was concern in his tired face as well.

Taylor sat in the other chair and folded her legs under her. She wasn't just sure where to begin now that she had Lupin's full attention. So she blurted out, "How did you know I was following you?"

Lupin allowed a small smile, that looked more like a grimace, to steal over his face and he said, "Tomorrow night is the full moon. I can hear and smell things a normal person can't for a couple of days before the full moon."

Taylor looked at Lupin. She was surprised that he would share something like that with her. It made her feel closer to him. With that thought her heart started to pound in her ears and she could feel her face starting to heat up. She looked at the floor and muttered a small "Oh." Taylor tried to calm her racing heart and start asking the questions that she had intended to in the first place. This thought seemed to help and she looked up at Lupin, who was watching her closely.

Taking a deep breath Taylor said, "The reason I wanted to talk to you is that, I have some questions I need answered and I think you might be able to answer them. I ah… do you know who my parents are?" Taylor needed to confirm that Lupin knew this piece of information before she could ask anything else.

Lupin looked hard at the girl sitting across from him and was again amazed at how much she looked like Lily, but the way her hazel eyes stared at him through a pair of glasses and the firm set of her jaw was unmistakably James Potter. "Yes Taylor," he smiled, "I know James and Lily are your parents."

Taylor nodded her head. Good, she thought, now I can ask him what I need to know. "I want to ask you about the night Mom and Dad died." Taylor watched apprehensively as Lupin's face paled and his eyes narrowed.

"What do you want to know," he asked warily.

Taylor thought about how she wanted to ask this next question, then she said, "Do you know if anyone else besides Voldemort, Sirius and Hagrid was at… well, there at the house when it happened?"

Lupin took a while to answer. He seemed to be picking his words carefully too. "Well… I've never heard of anyone else being there with Voldemort when he…" his voice trailed off, tight with emotion. "But as far as I know, Sirius arrived there alone and when he saw James and Lily… well he was just sort of…" Lupin's face was full of anguish as he relived that night.

Taylor could feel her eyes starting to burn and she blinked rapidly trying to keep from letting her tears fall, as they so often did when she thought about that night. Even though she couldn't remember anything about it, just what she had heard from Dumbledore and Harry. Her thirst for knowledge about her parents was huge but because of the promise she had made to Dumbledore she had never been able to ask anyone other then the Headmaster and Harry. Oh sure, she caught snippets here and there about James and Lily Potter but it was never enough! Not by a long shot! But she had a very unique situation here with Lupin and she wanted to ask a million questions but she tried hard to stay on track and just ask the questions she needed to figure out if Voldemort had indeed gone alone. To see if anyone could help her understand how she had acquired some of his powers along with her brother.

"I know from the accounts that I've heard from Dumbledore, that Sirius was standing outside when Hagrid arrived? And that he told Hagrid that he could have his flying motorcycle? Is that right ?" Lupin nodded. "But I was wondering if he ever mentioned to you about where he went in the house?" Maybe Sirius had seen something… Taylor took a deep breath and forcefully shoved her churning emotions away. This was too important.

Lupin turned and stared into the fire for several minutes and when he spoke his voice was raw with emotion. "Taylor, you've got to understand, that night when James and Lily… your Mom and Dad were killed, Dumbledore suspected that there was a traitor feeding secrets to Voldemort. You know that Dumbledore wanted to try and protect James and Lily, by making their house unplottable, and that Sirius wanted to try and further protect them by making Pettigrew the Secret Keeper?" Lupin's voice broke and he rubbed his hands over his face. Taylor only 'ah hummed' her agreement. "Well, you see, Sirius believed that I might have been the leak and so I didn't know about the switch in Secret Keepers until your third year at Hogwarts."

Taylor nodded her head. She well remembered that night in the Shrieking Shack, with Sirius, Lupin and the rat Wormtail! "Yeah, I know about that, but what I want to know is the small details about that night, when Voldemort lost his powers."

Lupin turned his head and looked at Taylor. What exactly was she searching for? He voiced that very question.

Taylor's eyes met Lupin's. How she longed to ask him about her parents and the good times that they would have had together, but she pushed on with her questions about that fateful night. "Please Lupin, it is very important that I find out this information. I can't tell you why it's so important but know that it is."

Lupin nodded. He had to admire this young witch. She truly had a one-track mind, so like her father. "Ah… well Sirius and I didn't talk about that, only but once or twice but… he said that once he saw James laying in the rubble, he checked on Lily… but that's when he heard Hagrid and then he went out. If you could call it that, there wasn't much left of the house still standing. He gave Hagrid his flying motorcycle then he left to search for Pettigrew. I'm afraid I can't be any more specific then that."

Taylor again nodded her head and got up to pace behind the chairs. This didn't help her any. She knew that this line of questioning was a long shot but she needed to exhaust every avenue of information about that night that she could. The need to prove to herself that she had some… Dark Wizards powers, the very thought made her stomach knot, was a driving force within her. She needed to know beyond a shadow of a doubt. This line of thinking cemented the need to ask her next question, even though there was a high probability that it wouldn't be answered in the affirmative.

"Lupin," Taylor said, coming to stand beside her chair and look him in the eye, "I need to speak to Snape."

* * *

><p>AN Well there is my first cliff hanger! Don't worry I'm not very big on them! ;) I just thougt I'd explain a bit about what happened in this chapter... you see when I wrote this so long ago I think I knew deep down that Harry was a Horcrux but I was in denial! Big time! So when I was writting my story... well not to give too much away... I couldn't let Taylor put that together here... And I will neither confirm or denigh if that is what happens in this story! ;) What I will say is try to put yourself in her shoes... you are having terrifying dreams and think that somehow you are _infected _with some power from the most evil wizard ever... That is how I see Taylor, like she is trying to wrap her mind around even this small peice of the puzzle. Did I confuse you even more? Sorry if I did, I am trying to explain what I was thinking 4and a half years ago and that is a bit hard at times! Hope you enjoyed the chapter even if you didn't understand my ramblings!

Thank you as always for reading! Any of you who favorited this story! (Is favorited even a word?) And if you are reading this then thank you for reading this far!

Thanks to barbc! You are the best! And until next time, cytpotter


	23. Dangerous Games

I have procrastinated on this chapter long enough! I am sorry for the long delay but a number of factors have caused this, some are personal and others are less so. However I am going to push through and post some more of my story. Hopefully you enjoy reading it half as much as I did writting it!

* * *

><p>Chapter Twenty-three<p>

**Dangerous Games**

Remus stared at Taylor in disbelief. What would ever make her ask such a question? What would she need to see Snape about anyway and what was with this very line of questioning about the night James and Lily died? What was she searching for? This wasn't just simple curiosity about her parent's deaths. This was something much more.

The sudden appearance of a white misty wolf stole Remus' eyes away from Taylor's and he looked at the Patronus as it relayed its message in a breathy voice. "Remus, I'm at our rendezvous point and you are late, please explain."

As the light from the Patronus faded away, Remus pulled out his wand and sent his own Patronus off with a hurried message of its own. Then he turned to Taylor who had moved over to the door of the Room of Requirement, her hand resting on the doorknob. "I've got to go, I'm late with my patrol, but I can't let you see Snape. It's out of the question. He's still at headquarters under tight surveillance."

"Yeah alright, Lupin, thanks for talking to me," and Taylor pulled open the door and hurried off down the corridor, her mind reeling from her talk to Dumbledore's portrait about the very real possibility that she also carried some of Voldemort's powers. Then there was the talk about her parents that had opened up a raw place in her heart. On top of all that, Lupin had said she couldn't speak to Snape, the only person she thought might have some answers. Even if she hadn't believed that she would actually be allowed to see him, it was a blow to hear it denied. Taylor soon found herself back in front of the Fat Lady. She glanced at her watch to see that it was a couple of minutes past curfew, "Gobbledygook" she said, wondering as she scrambled through the portrait hole, if Harry would notice her being a few minutes late.

"I see you can't tell time yet!" A voice growled from over in front of the fire.

Taylor rolled her eyes. She was in no mood to have her brother nit pick at her. "Why don't you go get yourself snogged!" was her snapped reply, as she turned to head up the stairs to the girls dorm.

"Hey, I heard that!" Harry said as he looked over the back of the sofa at his sister heading for the stairs. "Taylor did you get to have that talk?"

Taylor stopped at the foot of the stairs and turned back to look at her brother. She couldn't keep the emotions that threatened to overwhelm her, from her face as she met his green eyes. Fear, anger and frustration were the three strongest warring in her at the moment.

Harry's eyes narrowed as he caught sight of his sister's face. Something had upset her. That much he could see. "Taylor, are you alright?"

Taylor looked into those green orbs for a second, almost tempted to go and tell him everything, then she noticed a movement beside Harry. A mass of red hair, then deep brown eyes peeked over the back of the couch beside Harry's green ones. Ginny was sitting with him. Taylor shook her head and said, "Yeah, I'll be alright. I'm just tired." She turned and went up the stairs, the need to be alone and think overriding the brief desire to talk to Harry.

Harry watched his sister's retreating back as she went up the stairs. His brows drew together as he wondered just what she and Dumbledore had spoken about that had upset her so.

Ginny saw the concern in her boyfriend's face and sighed inwardly. She knew that the light flirting that they had been sharing before Taylor's entrance into the common room was gone for that evening. She again wondered at the strange relationship that the two seemed to share, not that she was jealous, she had no doubt about Harry's feelings for her, but it was indeed strange. Harry was protective of Hermione. That he cared for the bushy haired brunette went without saying. Like tonight, Hermione and Ron were out patrolling together, so Harry had made an excuse to stay in the common room waiting for them to get back. Sure, it had been a good plan. The common room had been almost empty the whole evening, as most of the Gryffindors had opted to study or hang out in their rooms instead of the common room, the fight from last night still fresh in everyone's mind. Ginny still couldn't shake the feeling though, that Harry had been just as worried about Taylor as he was about Hermione, maybe more so. She had been observing their strange relationship since that summer. They would pick at one another, not unlike how Ron and she did. The difference though, was their ability to communicate so easily with one another without saying anything. Like last night when they had stood and stunned those two girls together. Ginny highly doubted that she could get Ron to pay enough attention to her in the heat of the moment to cast a shield charm together, let alone a complicated spell like the one Harry and Taylor had used simultaneously.

Just then there was the sound of voices and Hermione and Ron climbed in through the portrait hole as they returned from that night's patrol. "…she was worried that something had happened, when he didn't show up on time, but I saw him heading down the second floor corridor just before I met back up with you." Hermione finished saying as she and Ron sat down in the other sofa in front of the fire.

"Who was worried?" asked Ginny as she snuggled closer to Harry, who had put his arm around her.

"Oh, Tonks was looking for Lupin. He was late getting to their rendezvous point, but I saw him a short time later heading towards her," Hermione said.

"I wonder what held him up. Lupin is usually very punctual," Ginny said.

"I don't know but he looked quite worried about something to me," Hermione frowned as she spoke, and she glanced around. "Where's Taylor?"

"She got back a few minutes ago, but she went straight up to her room," Harry said. He wondered if Lupin being late and worried had anything to do with how upset his sister was when she got back.

"Harry, McGonagall just informed the prefects tonight that there is going to be Quidditch after all! But because of the fewer number of students here this year the teams are going to be combined. We're going with Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff is with Slytherin. Thank Merlin! That McGonagall didn't put us with Slytherin, but I suppose she knew that Slytherin and us just wouldn't work! I pity the poor Hufflepuff's though. She is going to let us know who the team captains are tomorrow at supper when she tells the whole school!" Ron told them, his voice excited.

Harry only nodded. He was still thinking about Taylor and he wasn't sure if he even wanted to play quidditch this year, with everything that was happening, the attacks on people, and the deaths and then there were the Horcrux that he needed to find. The old excitement for quidditch just wasn't there. Ron noticed his lack of enthusiasm, as did Hermione and Ginny.

Hermione frowned a little as she watched the lack of excitement in her best friend. She knew that just a few months ago Harry would have been just as excited as Ron about the chance to play quidditch again, but the weight of finding and destroying the Horcruxes and then having to face Voldemort, had robbed her friend of his carefree youth.

"Well, I for one think that this is a brilliant idea on our Headmistress' part," said Ginny as she looked at the frowns on Harry and Hermione's faces. "What better way to raise morale, and by combining the houses like that, make it less likely that students will dare to do anything against the rules with more eyes watching to see what the other is doing!"

"Yeah, if the Slytherin's don't curse all the Hufflepuff's into oblivion!" Ron said sarcastically.

Hermione rolled her eyes and stood up from the sofa, "I think I'm going to head up to bed too, I'll see you guys later." She smiled at Ron, then turned and made her way up the stairs and into her dorm room to talk to Taylor.

Harry frowned as he watched his best friend go up the stairs to do what he wanted to do and that was talk to his sister, because the more he thought about it, the more he was convinced that somehow Lupin being late and worried, and his sister returning to the common room upset, were connected.

Taylor was sitting on her bed looking out the window at the black night sky, the almost full moon playing hide and seek with the clouds. Lavender was down the stairs at another girl's dorm, braiding each other's hair or something of the sort, so Lavender had said when Taylor met her on the stairs. For a moment Taylor let herself imagine what it would be like to be a normal girl, getting her hair braided and talking about boys. Then she shook her head. It wasn't like her to want those things, besides her hair was so short right now she wasn't sure if she could even make a barrette stay in it, let alone a braid. The opening of the door brought her out of her musings.

"Hey Taylor. Harry said you were up here." Hermione said as she walked over and sat down on her bed. She looked closely at Taylor and saw the worried knot in her eyebrows.

"Yeah, I got back a little bit ago and came right up here. I had some things I wanted to think about."

"Does it have anything to do with that dream you had last night? I really think you should tell Harry about it. Where did you go when you left the library? All Harry said is that you went to talk to someone." Hermione questioned, her voice was gentle but, her eyes stared hard at her best friend as if she could somehow read Taylor's thoughts.

Taylor visibly tensed as Hermione questioned her, the turmoil of that night's discussions with first Dumbledore's painting, then Lupin, had left Taylor feeling raw and exposed. Normally, Taylor confided with her bushy haired friend about everything, other than the fact that Harry was her brother, but she couldn't tell Hermione about what she had talked to Dumbledore about, even if Dumbledore hadn't made her promise to not tell anyone.

"Taylor, you said that you would tell me what that dream was about later and this is later," Hermione knew that she was pushing Taylor but she had been thinking about what Taylor had said to her after her dream, and… well, it worried Hermione, a lot.

Taylor, though, had reached her breaking point, "Hermione…. Just drop it ok!"

"No, I can't just drop it Taylor. You are my best friend and last night… well… quite frankly you scared me."

Taylor stood up and began to pace in agitation. She wasn't going to tell Hermione any more about that 'dream', that was for sure. And she couldn't tell her about what she had just talked to Dumbledore's portrait about either. Then there was the discussion that she'd had with Lupin and that too, was out of the question. Taylor ran her hands through her hair, causing the already heavily finger combed mahogany hair to stick out even worse. Taylor shot a look at Hermione as she paced past and saw the heavy lines of worry etched into her friend's face. This caused Taylor to pause in her pacing. Hermione was worried about her. Taylor's hands raked up through her hair once more, "Aarrgghhhh!"

Hermione watched as Taylor paced in front of her. She had never seen Taylor like this before. Something was really bothering her friend, but Hermione knew that no amount of coaxing would get her to open up if Taylor made up her mind to not tell.

Hermione decided to try, "Taylor, please I know if you just…"

"Hermione! No!" Taylor wheeled and faced Hermione, her voice full of all the raw emotions that she was desperately trying to keep in check. "I can't tell you… I just can't!" Taylor looked at Hermione willing her to just let it go, but knowing that she wouldn't.

Taylor began to pace again, "I know what I said last night, but I can't tell you any more. Please, Hermione you are my best friend, but I can't tell you."

"Taylor, it's ok to be scared…" Hermione began again.

"Scared! Oh hell, Hermione! Scared just doesn't even begin to scratch the surface, but I'm not scared for myself. Can't you see, I'm trying to protect you!" Taylor faced her friend again.

"Protect me, but I..."

Once again Taylor cut Hermione off, "Yes protect you, but not just you. Harry, Ginny, Ron and everyone else, if anyone knew…" Taylor shuddered thinking what could happen if anyone found out, if Voldemort found out… "Hermione I promise you one thing I will never allow this, this _thing_, to hurt you or anyone else. I would rather die than allow that to happen." Taylor stood right in front of Hermione and looked down into her brown eyes and made that solemn promise. One Taylor vowed to keep.

As the weeks went by, life at Hogwarts settled down. There were no more students attacking one another, at least that couldn't be easily explained, like when several Slytherin's decided to get their revenge on Taylor for putting Pansy Parkinson and her friends in the hospital wing. This time, though, Taylor didn't have to worry about her back as Harry and Ron were there to cover it. Taylor still couldn't help but smile at the thought of the grossly misshaped piles of robes on the floor that used to be Slytherin students, transformed by the various hexes that the three friends had used. Hermione wasn't in the hallway with them that day, because she was at a prefect meeting that Ron had conveniently forgotten.

Although Taylor knew that Hermione hadn't forgotten about their talk in the girls' dorm that night, Hermione hadn't mentioned anything about it again.

Taylor adjusted her scarf and pulled her cloak tighter as the cold wind blew past her and the other students making their way to the Quidditch pitch. This was going to be the first game of the year, Gryffindor against Ravenclaw. There had been such an uproar against the proposed combining of the houses that McGonagall had withdrawn her suggestion of combining houses and left it the way it had always been, much to the relief of the vast majority of the student population, especially the Hufflepuffs, who weren't looking forward to combining with the Slytherins! Harry, who had been appointed captain again this year, had agreed to play after Ron, Ginny and Taylor had promised to disown, hex and poison him, respectively, if he didn't.

Taylor followed the student body up into the seating area. She was to meet Hermione there, as both Ron and Ginny had again made the team this year. Taylor smiled to herself as she thought about how much more relaxed Harry was, now that he was playing Quidditch again. It wasn't that the five-some had lost sight of looking for the Horcruxes, or how to destroy the one that they had. No, it was more that quidditch was a distraction from the real horrors that were out there, not just for the five-some but for all the students and the teachers too. Taylor knew all to well that physical activity was an excellent way to release pent up frustration; the pillows in the RoR bearing testimony to that fact.

"Hey Taylor!" Hermione called as she made her way through the throngs of excited students all hurrying to get to a seat. The cold wind was playing havoc with her hair and had already painted her checks red, but she was grinning as she sat down in the seat Taylor had saved for her.

"I ran into Hagrid on the way up into the stands. He was heading for the teachers' seats. He said to say hi." A roar from the crowd cut off any more talk between the two friends, as the Gryffindor and Ravenclaw teams came out onto the field.

It wasn't the best of weather for a quidditch match. The wind was blowing so hard that it kept pushing the players off course. The chasers from each team had the quaffle intercepted by someone from the opposite team because of the wind, more than once! The beaters were having a tough time of it too. Once a beater from the Ravenclaw team miscalculated the winds force and hit a bludger into the stands opposite where Hermione and Taylor were sitting. Hitting two students from their own house.

Taylor watched as Harry circled the pitch searching for the snitch, the wind pushing him around like a leaf. Twice now Harry had made a dive towards the ground, the other seeker following him closely, only to pull up inches shy of the ground and move off back down the field. Taylor wasn't sure if Harry had seen something, or was just trying to mess with the other seeker.

Every time the quaffle came near Ron and the goal, Hermione would grab Taylor's arm and squeeze it, digging her fingernails into Taylor's arm even through the thick cloak she was wearing. Ron's attempts at defending the Gryffindor goal hoops, although ungainly, were mostly successful. Whether or not the wind helped or hindered him, Taylor wasn't sure, although she kept this to herself.

An hour and a half later, the wind showing no sign of letting up. Gryffindor was in the lead by only one goal, when suddenly the Ravenclaw seeker, who had been following Harry for most of the match, made a sharp turn and headed back up the field, towards where Taylor and Hermione were sitting. The cries from the crowd drowned out the announcer's call, but Taylor knew that this wasn't a feint, for even she could see the snitch hovering half way up and just out from the stands several meters.

Taylor's scream was lost in the roar, as Harry wheeled around and took off back up the field, laying flat to his broom. He'd been momentarily distracted as Ginny flew by several meters below, her hair whipped back by the wind, balancing on her broom as she made a difficult pass to the other chaser Dean Thomas.

Harry growled at his broom to urge it faster, knowing that his momentary lapse could cost Gryffindor the game. He was flying directly into the wind, causing him and his broom to be bounced up and down, side to side as his broom sought to push through the head wind. His superior broom handling the force of the wind better then the Ravenclaw seeker's and this was the only reason that he was able to catch, and then pull along side, the other seeker. Arm outstretched, reaching for the snitch as his broom took him just out in front of the other seeker, Harry's fingers closed around the snitch as he flashed past just below Taylor and Hermione.

* * *

><p>Well there you have it the first qudditch match of the year! :) I really did enjoy writting the games! Yes there will be more! So what did you think?<p>

I want to say a HUGE thank you to Twighlightgirl105! This chapter is being posted because you added this story to your Favorites! Thank you! As well as all of you who have read to this far! Thank you!

Also thank you to my wonderful bata barbc... She makes this story readable!

So until next time(which I really hope is much sooner then this time!)

cytpotter


	24. Magical Kisses

Still don't own anything recognizeable... just the stuff that isn't! ;)

I know 2 chapters in one day... hope you enjoy!

* * *

><p>Chapter Twenty-four<p>

**Magical Kisses**

The celebration party in the Gryffindor common room had gone on for the whole evening. The Creevey brothers, it seemed, had found out where the kitchens were and had shown up with food and pumpkin juice. The hidden passageways were still sealed up, so no one could get into Hogsmeade for some butterbeer, but no one seemed to notice. It wasn't quite as spectacular a win as some that Harry had been able to pull off in his quidditch career, but the party was as boisterous as any he could think of. It was a rare chance to truly relax and enjoy themselves and all of Gryffindor wholly embraced the opportunity.

It was late, or early in the morning, depending on how you wanted to look at it, when at last the five friends finally found themselves alone in the common room. Ginny sat next to Harry, who had his arm casually draped over her shoulder. Taylor sat on the other side of Ginny, and Ron had his arm around Hermione as they sat on the other sofa by the fire, which had died down to mere coals. It had been quiet for some time, the friends lost in their own thoughts.

"You know what I think Taylor?" Ginny asked, breaking the comfortable silence. "I think we need to find you a boyfriend."

Taylor's head whipped around so fast to look at Ginny that she got a crick in her neck. Harry leaned forward to look around his girlfriend to get a good look at Taylor, a funny look on his face. Ron's snort and the sound of Hermione's hand smacking Ron's arm was all that followed Ginny's proclamation for a full couple of breaths. Then…

"A boyfriend? What do I need one of those for?" Taylor asked finding her voice at last. Harry was nodding his head in agreement.

"Oh well, I just thought…" Ginny began again, but Taylor saw a mischievous light dancing in Ginny's eyes and she knew the red haired witch was up to something.

"I think that is a wonderful idea, Ginny!" Hermione chimed in, having already caught on that Ginny was up to something.

"But I…" Taylor started to say, I don't need one, but Ginny's next remark stopped that thought before it left her mouth.

"Oh well, then maybe we could find you a witch instead, you know if you prefer!"

"What!" Harry exclaimed, before he took to coughing and Ginny had to pound him on the back several times before he was able to breath properly again.

Ron's face was blank, his mouth opening and closing like a fish, but no sound was coming out.

"A witch, uhhm, I'll have to think about that," Taylor said, deciding to play along. She glanced over at Hermione and could see that her best friend was trying hard to conceal a smile.

Ron finally found his voice, "A witch! Bloody Hell! You've gotta be kidding!"

Harry looked from his sister, to his best friend, then to his girlfriend finally noticing the smiles that each witch was trying to hide. He swallowed audibly, relief washing over him that this was just one of the girls' jokes. He was a little surprised at the way he felt when Ginny had mentioned getting his sister a boyfriend. He now totally understood the way Ron felt towards Ginny! Then, when Ginny mentioned a…, breathe, just breathe Harry, he said to himself.

"Yeah, Ron, I'm kidding. Don't go getting your knickers in a knot. Merlin, you'd think you were born in the dark ages or something. It's totally acceptable for two witches to be together, or two wizards for that matter." Taylor said, shaking her head at Ron's incredulous expression.

"Oh, you know Ronnie-kins, he is still in the dark ages when it comes to women's lib. He still thinks women should be barefoot and pregnant!" Ginny's snappy reply had the desired effect on the boys, just as she knew it would. Ron started to sputter, his face going bright red, and Harry's face went white, then when he meet Ginny's gaze, the same shade of red as Ron's.

The three girls decided that now was the best time to retreat to their dorms. Their laughter could be heard all the way up the stairs until their dorm door shut, cutting off the sound, leaving the boys to recover on their own.

The following day was Sunday and the five late goers slept in late, then headed down to breakfast together, the girls still giggling each time they caught each other's eye.

The Great Hall was almost empty, so the five had little trouble getting seats together. They were almost through eating when Professor Shacklebolt came down from the teachers' table and stopped by them.

"Good morning, Professor," Hermione said in greeting, as the rest of the friends nodded.

"Good morning Miss Granger," Shacklebolt's deep voice was pleasant, but his eyes were sharp as he looked from Harry to Taylor. "Mr. Potter, Miss Porter, I want to see you in my office in one hour, please. I am in need of your assistance with the research paper I am doing for the Ministry."

"Yes sir," Taylor and Harry said together as they watched Shacklebolt continue on his way out of the Great hall.

Hermione leaned forward so only the five of them could hear, "What do you think this is all about? You don't think something has happened do you?"

"Don't know, but I guess Taylor and I will find out shortly," Harry said just as quietly as he met Taylor's glaze.

An hour later Taylor and Harry stood outside the office of their Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher, Harry was just about to knock on the door when it was opened by Professor Shacklebolt.

"Mr. Potter, Miss Porter, ah good, you are here. Please come in," Professor Shacklebolt said as he stepped back to allow them to enter his office, closing the door behind them. "Please, have a seat. I've asked you here for a couple of reasons," Shacklebolt continued as he took his seat behind the desk.

Harry glanced at Taylor, but she shrugged her shoulders slightly before sitting in one of the two chairs that the Professor had indicated.

Harry looked around. It was very similar to when Lupin had been here, with some gadgets like Moody might have had, and even a couple of things it seemed that were leftover from Snape. This was the first time that Harry had been in the office this year. All of the 'private lessons' that Taylor and he had that year were always in the Defense classroom.

Taylor was looking around too. If I were Spiderman, she thought, I'd say my spider sense was tingling. She noticed that the door to the storeroom was slightly ajar, but the sound of Shacklebolt's voice had her full attention once again on the professor.

"First of all I wanted to let you know that the school will be closing early for the upcoming Christmas holiday, (Why Professor?) because the Ministry is implementing some new census legislation and I quote 'to improve our data base so that funding and resources are used where they are most needed'."

"But Professor, that has to be Voldemort's doing. He is interfering at the Ministry!" yelled Harry coming to his feet.

"Harry, please, sit down. The Order knows that this is Voldemort, but there is nothing we can do. We cannot force our hand with the Ministry, and we don't know whom we can trust there anymore. Voldemort is working his puppets up in the Ministry. We just don't know how high he is able to pull the strings.

"Will the school reopen in January, Sir?" Taylor asked, speaking for the first time.

"As far as we know yes, but with the Ministry becoming just a pawn to Voldemort, we're afraid we aren't sure just who will be allowed to come back." Shacklebolt's solemn deep voice brought the point home.

"Muggle borns you mean," Taylor's voice was barely above a whisper, and even though she wasn't a muggle born, only Harry and Lupin knew the truth about her parentage.

Shacklebolt nodded his head.

Harry turned to Taylor just realizing the full impact of what had just been said. "Taylor, but your…"

"Harry! Look, Professor Shacklebolt just said that this is just one possibility, maybe it won't even come to that right, Professor?" Taylor interrupted Harry before he said too much.

"That is right, Miss Porter. We don't know what will come of this census. To be sure, it has something to do with Voldemort, but as of yet we don't know any more.

Harry looked over at his sister and suddenly he realized the precarious position that she could be in, if muggle borns where to be prosecuted. His stomach clenched as he thought of all the times that she, herself, had proclaimed to be a muggle born. Hermione's face flashed before his mind's eye. More than just his sister would be in trouble.

"The Order needs to know what your plans for this holiday are, Mr. Potter. We believe that it will be unadvisable to stay at the school. We can make preparations at The Burrow. However, we feel that maybe a lesser-known location might be safer. Miss Porter, I believe you will be returning to Briggs Cottage for the holidays?"

Harry shot Taylor another look. They had already decided that they were going to go looking for Horcruxes over the holidays, but he wasn't about to tell Shacklebolt that. "Ahh, well I'm not sure Professor," Harry said stalling for time, "I'll let you know in a couple of days, ok?"

"Yeah," Taylor said, thinking that she wasn't really lying, she did intend to go to Briggs Cottage over the holidays. She just didn't plan on being there longer then it took to get the Dark Magic books that were hidden there, and leave.

"That will be fine, Mr. Potter. Good, Miss Porter. Now the second reason I wished to speak to the two of you is that we have finally gotten the results back from the tests we were running after those two Gryffindor girls attacked one another," Shacklebolt was looking right at Taylor as he said this, as if gauging her response. "It's been determined that Dark Magic was used to manipulate those girls…"

Taylor looked right back at Shacklebolt, the hair on the back of her neck stood on end. So they were trying to implement her as the bad guy here.

"Professor, I told you before that I had nothing to do with those girls attacking one another," Taylor said defensively.

"I know what you told us and I want to believe you, but how can you explain the presence of Dark Magic in this school, other than that which you performed? It's a very obscure form of magic, you know." Shacklebolt's voice held no censure in it. He was merely looking for another explanation.

Taylor's knuckles where white as she fought the urge to scream. They didn't really trust her! She looked at the floor as she tried to think of what she could say. She wanted to look at Harry to see how he was taking this, but all she could see were his hands doubled up into fists, so he wasn't all that happy about it either.

Taking a deep breath, Taylor decided to try to explain as best she could. "Professor, I haven't used any Dark Magic, since I was in the cave with the snakes, a full couple of weeks before those girls attacked one another. And, yes, it is a very obscure form of magic, but as Snape told me, I am not the only one able to use it. Voldemort can also." Taylor forced her hand to open and put it up to stop from being interrupted. "No, I do not think that Voldemort has been in the school, but it would not be all that difficult for him to manipulate a potion to get those girls to act like that. I could more than likely work it out given the time."

"And just how do you explain," Moody's gravelly voice suddenly spoke, causing Taylor's head to whip up and look to the store-room door where Moody stepped into the room followed by Lupin, "how this 'potion' got past the wards of the school?"

"The forbidden forest! The day after the attack, Hermione said Macmillan saw some Slytherins heading into the forest, but they came back out a short time later. What if it wasn't the first time that they had gone into the forest? What if…" An almost inaudible moan caused Taylor to glance sideways at Harry who had his head bowed and one hand up on his forehead, a fine sheen of sweat covered his face.

"Harry!" Taylor was out of her seat and kneeling in front of her brother in a heartbeat. She knew that Harry was having one of his 'visions' about Voldemort. Harry's eyes were squeezed shut as he fought the pain. Slowly he started to slide out of the chair as he lost consciousness. Taylor slid her arms around her brother's chest and carefully lowered him to the floor.

A hand grabbed hold of Taylor's arm and yanked her away from Harry, dragging her across the room. Taylor's wand was suddenly in her hand as she looked to see who dared to take her away from her brother when he needed her.

"I think you had better stay over here, Porter," Moody growled menacingly. He too had his wand in his other hand.

Taylor could feel the pendant on her chest burn as she fought the urge to strike. Her only desire was to get back to Harry. "Let me go!" She twisted, trying to break Moody's grasp of her arm.

"Not until you tell me what is happening to Potter!" Moody tried to keep his hold on Taylor but with a flick of her wand he yanked his hand off, his hand slightly smoking. His initial stunning spell ricocheted off her shield charm as she ran back towards Potter. His next spell he didn't fool around. "_Crucio!_"

Taylor heard the spell cast and felt it smash through her shield charm. She had almost made it back to her brother's side when the pain hit. Pain, like nothing she had ever felt before, exploded in her body. It was like being electrocuted. All her nerve endings were on fire.

Professor Shacklebolt and Lupin, who had been kneeling beside Harry trying to see what was the matter with him, looked up, shocked to hear an unforgivable curse used. Lupin watched in horror as Taylor was struck with the curse and dropped to the ground, screaming. He was immediately on his feet, his own wand drawn.

"Moody! Enough!" Shacklebolt's voice boomed through the office.

Moody lifted his wand, and then looked over at Shacklebolt, reaching into his pocket with his smoking hand, he withdrew a small compass-like gadget. "Dark Magic has been used in this room, and Potter is unconscious. Do you still think that Miss Porter is harmless?"

"Moody, we do not use _unforgivables_ on students!" Shacklebolt's voice was commanding.

Taylor was trembling uncontrollably. With a huge effort she looked to where Harry was lying, just a little more then arms reach away. She could hear what was being said right above her but she didn't look up. She needed to get to Harry. Slowly she reached out with her right hand. Somewhere in her garbled thoughts she realized that she no longer had her wand, but even stretching her fingers out she couldn't quite reach Harry.

"Man, have you lost all the sense Merlin gave a flobberworm?" Lupin asked his voice trembling from anger.

Taylor forced her knee up towards her hip. The rough stone tiles scraping against the jeans she was wearing. Then she pushed her body along the tiles until her fingers at last touched Harry's cold hand. She wrapped her fingers around her brother's, then she laid her head on the floor, praying that the trembling would soon pass.

"How do you explain the Dark Magic that was just used in this room, if not from Miss Porter?" Moody challenged as he clumped closer to the two prone students on the floor, his magical eye shifting from one to the other, just in case.

"I don't believe that Taylor would ever do anything to hurt Harry," Lupin said, he had to be careful here, he didn't dare say any more. Moody was suddenly looking right at him. Lupin forced all his churning emotions into the back of his mind. He was never sure just what Mad Eye could see with that magical blue eye of his but it wouldn't do to allow his feelings toward the Potter kids to be too close to the surface of his mind right now. Dumbledore had a reason for hiding Taylor's true identity and he didn't plan on being the one to expose it.

Lupin met Mad Eye's stare. All traces of his thoughts safely put away.

"Taylor is it now, not Miss Porter? I'm surprised at you Remus, I'd have thought that you would know better than to place too much trust in a _friend_." Moody's stare seemed to drill into Lupin as if he were trying to see his thoughts.

To Taylor it felt like an eternity of heart beats but in reality only a couple of minutes had passed since the Crucio curse had been lifted. The uncontrollable shaking had subsided, leaving her just feeling weak. Taylor felt Harry's fingers tighten around hers and she lifted her head up to look at her brother. She blinked a couple of times then realized that the reason he was fuzzy was because she had lost her glasses, but she could still see that his eyes were starting to flutter, he was coming to.

"Mad Eye! I think that is enough!" Shacklebolt had watched the exchange between the two Order members closely, trying to read between the lines. Was there more going on here than met the eye or was he just becoming paranoid like Moody? "Lupin, now is not the time," and he glanced meaningfully down at his two students who were starting to come around. He stepped between the two older wizards and went to check on his students.

Gathering her strength, Taylor pushed herself into a sitting position, and then shifted so that she was right beside Harry, who was as white as a ghost. A hand was suddenly on her shoulder and she turned to see that Shacklebolt had knelt down beside her, his face full of concern.

"Taylor, are you all right?" Shacklebolt asked softly.

"Yeah, I think so, but Professor I didn't have anything to do with…" Taylor's voice cracked slightly and she glanced down at Harry, whose eyes were blinking as if to bring things into focus. Taylor wasn't sure if she should tell them that Harry had just had a 'vision' of something that Voldemort was doing. She was fairly sure that even the Order members were not privy to that little bit of information.

Harry blinked his eyes. The pain was slowly receding and he could see Taylor and Professor Shacklebolt looking down at him. Just where he was, slowly came back to him. The vision of what Voldemort had been doing still burned in his mind's eye. He shuddered. He went to sit up but a hand on his shoulder stopped him.

"Easy Harry," Taylor said softly, he still looked so pale. She was afraid for him.

"Harry. Are you alright? Maybe I should send for Madame Pomphrey?" Shacklebolt's deep voice was filled with concern.

Harry shook his head. The last thing he wanted was for the school nurse to be called. He'd had these 'visions' before. He'd be all right in a few minutes.

Taylor took an uneasy breath, and then looked up where Moody and Lupin were standing a few meters away. Moody had accused her of using Dark Magic on her brother. She could have laughed at the audacity of the accusation. Remembering what Moody said to Lupin, she said, "In these times Moody, trust is the first victim. Mistrust and fear are what has allowed Voldemort to become as powerful as he is. I have no one in this world, but… Harry and my friends. There is _nothing_ that Voldemort could offer me that can compare to that." Taylor slowly came to her feet and faced Moody. She held up her arms, like a muggle, defenseless. "If there is some way that I can prove to you, that I will never ever, hurt Harry, then I will do it now,"

Lupin gasped as he realized just what Taylor, surely inadvertently, had offered to Moody. Fear anew clenched his insides.

Harry looked from his sister to Moody trying to figure out just what was going on. What had he missed that had led to this?

Shacklebolt watched with held breath. What was the old auror going to do?

Moody stared at Porter for a long time, trying to decide what he should do next. This offer of Porter's to prove herself trustworthy wasn't expected. If she was, as he suspected, turning to the Dark Arts then… she would never stand before him defenseless and offer that which she did to him. She could be using Occulemency but his gut told him that she wasn't. She stood before him on pure nerve, a true Gryffindor. Slowly the old auror nodded his head, "Porter, that is a very alluring proposition. You are either the most skilled Occulenceman I have ever seen, or incredibly foolish."

Moody flicked his wand and Taylor felt the oddest sensation, as if a sound wave passed through her body, starting from the right side and exiting out her left hand.

Moody's "humph" when the spell had passed was followed by, "I do not believe this proves that you will not turn to the Dark Arts, however," the gravely voice continued grudgingly, "as for what happened to Potter right now, I believe you had no part in it."

Taylor snorted, then tried hard to wipe the smirk off her face as she lowered her hands and said, "Well Moody, that sure is good to know," she knew she shouldn't continue on saying what she was but she just couldn't stop herself. It must be from the shock of having just endured the Crucio curse. Bending, she picked up her wand and glasses, sliding the wand into its holder and her glasses onto her face. "Of course if you would have just asked, I'd have told you that he just fainted. See, I just kissed him out in the hall before we came in here, and well," Taylor glanced down at Harry, shock written all over his face, Taylor winked at him, an impish glint in her eye, before she continued. "I'm one hell of a kisser!"

"Taylor!" gasped Lupin trying to overcome his shock at the flippant remark she had just made.

"Miss Porter! I believe that will be quite enough!" Shacklebolt was just as stunned by the words coming out of her mouth.

Taylor, the devil be damned light dancing in her eyes, reached down and grasped hold of Harry's hand, helping him to his feet. Harry was still speechless.

Moody watched. This girl was smart. Instead of trying to lie her way out of this mess, she was using one of the oldest tricks in the book, misdirection. And by the looks on Lupin and Shacklebolt's face it had worked. "I was under the impression that Mr. Potter here was dating Miss Weasley."

"Oh he is. I just wanted to see if Harry was as good a kisser as Ginny said he was." Taylor continued in that same flippant voice. "I guess I have my answer."

* * *

><p>AN Well there is another chapter! I am fairly certain I took some liberties in this chapter with the fact about the Order knowing about Harry and his 'visions' from Voldemort. I know Dumbledore knew, and Sirius and Snape... but I just couldn't remember if the others knew or not... so I run with the idea that no they did not know... hopefully that isn't too hard to imagine. I just figured that Dumbledore wouldn't want it widely known(even in the Order) that Harry was having 'visions' about Voldemort. As for Taylor's atitude at the end of the chapter I tried to channel what I thought James might be like and I could always picture him with a snappy comeback and enough nerve to sink a boat! Hopefully that was the way it came off! I would like to know what you thought!

Thanks to my bata barbc!

Until next time(which won't be today but hopefully very soon!)(plus in the story we are getting close to Christmas so I'm gonna try to post as much as I can for this holiday season!), cytpotter


	25. A Census of Trouble

Nope still don't own anything! :-)

Wow! I was so happy to see all the alerts and favorites! You have no idea how much those warm my heart! And a HUGE thank you to yukikiralacus for taking the time to leave a review!

THANK YOU ALL!

No without further ado...

* * *

><p>Chapter Twenty-five<p>

**A Census of Trouble**

A half-hour later, Harry and Taylor were walking down the corridor away from Professor Shacklebolt's office.

"What bloody reason did you have for telling them you kissed me?" Harry growled when they were far enough away from Shacklebolt's office not to be overheard.

"Well, what did you want me to tell them? The truth?" Taylor asked a grin playing at her lips just thinking about the looks on Lupin's and Shacklebolt's faces.

Harry snorted but he didn't answer. He didn't want them knowing he was having a _vision_ from Voldemort either, but Taylor could have come up with something besides kissing him! He didn't think any of them bought the lie anyway, especially Moody.

Taylor walked silently beside her brother for a couple of minutes. An empty classroom just ahead prompted her to say. "How about we have another one of our famous talks?"

Harry shot Taylor a quick look but then he thought he knew she was hinting at his _vision_. Their talks tended to be quite heated.

"This room looks empty…" Taylor said as she opened the door and stepped into the empty classroom. She took a second to quickly look around to make sure that Peeves, nor anyone else, was hiding in the room, be they alive or dead.

Harry followed Taylor into the room and at her nod he sealed the door and performed a silencing charm.

"Ok Taylor, what really happened back in Shacklebolt's office? And don't give me any wise cracks. Why was Moody watching you so closely? Did something happen while I was visiting Voldemort's mind?" Harry asked as he watched Taylor carefully. He knew something had happened in that office while he was having his _vision_ of what Voldemort was doing. He'd never seen Taylor be so flippant or bold before, not with a teacher.

Taylor eyed Harry for a long moment before she answered. She didn't plan on telling him about the Cruciatus curse Moody had used. Especially seeing as how Lupin and Shacklebolt had so kindly _not_ mentioned it. Making Harry angry with Moody wouldn't serve any purpose and besides the old auror was trying to look out for Harry.

"Moody thought I used Dark Magic on you when you were having your _vision_. He pulled me away from you and I used the repelling charm Shacklebolt taught us to get free of him. His next spell was a bit more forceful, is all. No biggie. What did you see in your _vision_? What is Voldemort up to?"

Harry wasn't sure if he totally believed Taylor. She was just a little too nonchalant about it. He decided however not push it. Maybe he'd just ask Lupin about it later.

"Voldemort was angry at one of his Death Eaters. It seems Voldemort is searching for someone and the Death Eaters haven't been able to find him." Harry said slowly as he summarized the vision. The horrific scene he had witnessed in the poorly lit room did not need to be repeated to get the gist of the _vision_, especially to his younger sister. Harry shuddered at the feelings of hate and anger that he was always left with when he had these _visions_. The residual feelings from Voldemort were always difficult to deal with.

After his fifth year when Voldemort had been trying to control and manipulate him through their mind link, Harry was now just left with a shadow of the Dark Lord's feelings at the time of the _vision_. An unpleasant experience to be sure but no longer over powering like it had been in his fifth year.

Taylor knew Harry hated this connection to Voldemort, and she did too. It was difficult to see your best friend and brother being forced to deal with something like this. However, other than the end of Harry's fifth year, these _visions_ had come in handy and saved lives too!

"Who is Ole Voldy searching for now?" Taylor asked as she tried to be as up beat as possible. If she could coax a smile from Harry it would go a long way to helping him get over the after-effects of the _vision_.

Harry shot a look at Taylor. His little sister was about the only person he knew who called the most evil wizard of all time 'Ole Voldy'. Most witches and wizards wouldn't even say his name.

"I'm not sure but Voldemort is really angry that his Death Eaters haven't been able to find this person."

"Ole Voldy didn't give you any clue as to who this person is, did he?" Taylor asked as she began to pace. She could think better when her feet were moving.

"No. No names were mentioned. I'm not even sure if it's a witch or a wizard that they are looking for. It wasn't a very long vision." Harry said as he watched Taylor pace in front of him.

"Maybe it's not a witch or a wizard. It could be a muggle. Or a vampire or a werewolf. Did they say how long they have been searching?" Taylor asked as she pondered on whom the Dark Lord was searching for. It couldn't be Harry because the whole of the wizarding world knew he was at Hogwarts.

"No, they didn't say how long they've been searching but I suspect it's been for some time, otherwise Voldemort wouldn't be so frustrated. And I doubt it's a muggle. Why would Voldemort search for a muggle?"

"Who knows why Ole Voldy does half the stuff he does? Maybe the pressure to be the worst has finally gotten to him and he's snapped!" Taylor said it in such an off hand way that she got the snort of laughter she was looking for.

"Taylor!" Harry cried, exasperated at his sister's flippant remark then rolled his eyes when he saw the mischief in her eyes. She'd been trying to get him to laugh.

They spent the next little while talking about Harry's vision until they had rehashed the whole thing several times.

"Well, we should get back to the Common Room. Maybe one of the other's might have a new outlook on it." Harry said as he straightened from the desk he'd been leaning on, to head out of the classroom and back up to Gryffindor Tower.

"Harry…" Taylor started and then stopped. She knew she needed to tell Harry about a few things but she dreaded the idea of rocking the boat. The past few weeks had been going so well. They hadn't had one disagreement. However with school work, Harry's quidditch practices, their lessons with Shacklebolt every other night and also trying to research the curse on Hufflepuff's cup. Plus trying to fit in some social time, there really hadn't been any time for Taylor to talk to Harry privately. Until now.

Harry looked at Taylor curiously, but he saw the sudden apprehension in her eyes and how she was chewing on her bottom lip with her teeth. A habit Hermione had when she was nervous about something too. He wondered if this was the real reason Taylor had asked him into this empty classroom. Something was really bothering his sister. He remembered with crystal clear clarity the last time he'd had a private conversation with his sister. He supposed he should be glad Taylor hadn't jinxed him yet.

Taking a deep breath, and remembering also his talk with Lupin in the hospital, he tried to keep an open mind. "Yes Taylor?" He prompted.

Taylor looked at her brother as he settled against the desk again, his arms crossing over his chest as he waited for her to begin. She should feel relieved that he was willing to listen to her but still her heart was pounding. What she was going to tell her brother probably would cause a rift between them again.

Taking a deep breath and gathering as much Gryffindor courage as she could around her, Taylor began. "I had another… nightmare… about the snake. It was almost the same as the one I had in Godric's Hollow."

Surprised, Harry stared at his sister. "When?"

"It was the night I was released from the Hospital Wing." Taylor said softly and she began to pace again. "I don't know why I had it that night, unless it was just the tension from the two witches fighting in the Common Room or the questions in McGonagall's office. Hermione woke me up from… Dumbledore knew about it, I talked to him about it the next night. He said I should tell you." Taylor stopped her pacing and glanced at Harry's shirt fearfully, unable to meet his eyes, waiting for him to get angry with her again.

Harry pushed up off the desk and ran a hand over his chin, barely noticing the slight roughness of his unshaved whiskers from this morning. "Why didn't you tell me about it sooner?"

Taylor began to pace again. The softness in Harry's voice unnerving her more then if he had yelled. "I'm sorry. I should have but I was…" How did you tell your brother that you were scared of telling him something? "I didn't want to worry you. There's nothing you could do. It was over." She shrugged her shoulders to show it didn't matter. She couldn't tell Harry what other conclusions she had drawn from her nightmare. As the silence stretched on she began to doubt once again the wisdom of even telling Harry this much.

"Taylor, look at me." Harry said softly as he stepped in front of his sister. She hadn't met his eyes the whole time she had been talking. Harry realized that there was a lot that he needed to say to his sister. While they hadn't fought in the last few weeks they hadn't talked, really talked, either. Not since their fight in Grimmauld Place.

Taylor looked up and met Harry's eyes as he continued. "Look Taylor, I'm sorry. I know that sometimes, I'm not very… understanding. I also said some things to you that I'm not very proud of… but you need to know that I am your brother and I don't want you to be afraid to tell me things. You are the only family I have and we need to stick together." Harry paused as he searched for a way to let Taylor know how he felt. Also how sorry he was for being so unforgiving of her about Snape and her saving him.

Taylor could see that Harry was struggling. "It's okay Harry. I said some things I shouldn't have either. I'm sorry too. I know you have a lot to deal with and _I _should be more understanding. All I want to do is help you, but sometimes I just end up getting in the way."

Harry sighed and rolled his eyes. "Taylor you don't get in the way. You've been a big help. You found Helga Hufflepuff's cup for crying out loud!"

For the next couple of hours, brother and sister talked about all the things that had happened since that fateful day at Grimmauld Place. They discussed Snape and the Dark Magic spell that Taylor had used, and Harry truly listened to his sister as she explained what she had found out about her ability to use the dangerous form of magic. It was the first true heart to heart talk the two of them had ever had as brother and sister.

The darkening sky outside the classroom windows signaled the end of their lengthy talk.

In a way Taylor felt bad that she couldn't tell Harry everything. However she felt so relieved to have truly talked to her brother about all the other things. It was like a huge weight had been lifted off her shoulders just knowing that her brother wasn't mad at her about using Dark Magic and he understood, even if he didn't agree with her for saving Snape from the Dark Magic spell she had cast. So it was with a lighter heart that she asked as they left the classroom and started for the Great Hall for supper. "So what do you think we should tell the Order we are doing for Christmas holidays?" At Harry's skeptical look she continued. "Well, we didn't really give them an answer. I doubt Moody will be impressed if we say what we really have planned." Taylor grinned at what she thought the old auror would say.

"I don't know. Agree with whatever they say I guess. More than Moody are going to be upset. Mrs. Weasley is likely going to skin me alive the next time she sees me." Harry said with a sheepish look on his face.

Taylor's grin grew bigger. "Yeah, you're right Harry. Maybe you should ask Professor Flitwick for a charm to keep your skin in place!"

"Very funny, Taylor!" Harry growled.

A few minutes later the two walked into the Great Hall with grins as they continued to joke about how Harry was going to survive his next meeting with Mrs. Weasley. They spotted Hermione, Ron and Ginny right away and sat down across from them.

"Where have you two been anyway?" Ron asked suspiciously. "We saw Professor Shacklebolt and Professor Sprout, walking across the grounds towards the greenhouses over two hours ago."

Taylor felt a spark of irritation at the suspicion in Ron's voice. She wondered when he was going to figure out that she didn't have any romantic intentions for Harry? Probably not until he learned that they were siblings! If that day ever came!

"We were looking for a pink winged broom-hopper of course!" Taylor snapped as if that was the most logical thing that she and Harry could have been doing.

Harry's head whipped around to look at his sister, as Ron demanded. "In broom cupboards I suppose?"

"Well, where else would you look for a pink winged broom-hopper?" Taylor asked in an innocent voice.

Ginny looked up at Taylor as Hermione rolled her eyes.

Ron's face was getting redder and redder as he stared at Taylor and she knew he was going to blow his lid if she didn't say something to cool him off.

"What? Did you think I was off snogging Harry? Well I thought that, just last night, we settled on the fact that I prefer witches to wizards, Ron!" If Taylor had dosed Ron in a stream of cold water, his face couldn't have lost color faster.

"Taylor!" Harry exclaimed as his jaw dropped open. He wasn't sure why his sister was so interested in kissing all of a sudden. First she told Shacklebolt, Lupin and Moody that she'd kissed him, now she was telling Ron she'd rather kiss… Harry's face went beet red at the thought of Taylor kissing another girl.

Ginny laughed and Hermione joined in as they looked at the expressions on the two boys' faces.

"Oh Ron! You deserved that one!" Hermione said as she tried to stifle her giggles.

Ron took on the look of a fish out of water and opened his mouth several times before any sound came out. "Well… well what were you and Harry doing all this time then?" he finally managed to get out.

"Just because you can't think of being alone with a girl for five minutes and not snogging doesn't mean that Harry does! If you must know we were talking." Taylor replied.

"That must have been some conversation." Ron grumbled still eyeing Taylor distrustfully.

"Ron, Taylor and I had some things to talk about. After supper we'll fill you all in too." Harry said with just a bit of an edge to his voice.

Any further comments were cut off when Neville, Seamus and Joan, a girl in Ginny's year who was dating Seamus, sat down beside Harry.

"Hi Guys!" Neville greeted them with a tentative smile. "Great game yesterday Harry!"

A long discussion ensued on yesterday's quidditch game and the upcoming match between Hufflepuff and the team that Slytherin had, even with Slytherin having so few returning students this year. By the time the desserts arrived the eight students were divided down the middle as to Hufflepuff's chances against Slytherin.

As the last of the dessert was being eagerly eaten by one and all, Professor McGonagall rose from her seat at the teachers table and called for attention.

"May I have your attention please? The Ministry of Magic has just passed into law a full magical census to take place beginning the first of December. So, to comply with the new law, Hogwarts will be closing on November thirtieth for the Christmas holidays. Your parents are being informed about this change in dates. Professors are going to adapt their respective courses to ensure that your studies do not suffer for this unusually long break. Students may return to their dormitories now. Goodnight."

A long several seconds of silence followed Professor McGonagall's announcement before the Great Hall erupted in a symphony of anxious and frightened voices.

"A census?"

"Why does the Ministry want to do a census?"

"Bloody Hell! An extra three weeks off school!"

The five-some exchanged worried looks listening to the exclamations of their fellow students before Harry said quietly. "Let's go."

Rising, the five-some followed the throng of students heading out of the Great Hall towards their Common Rooms. Once out of the huge double doors however Harry led them out of the mass of students to a hidden stairway just off the Entrance Hall. No one said a word as they climbed the narrow crooked stairway for several floors.

"Harry? The Common Room is going to be crowded more then likely. Why don't we swing left up here and go to the Room of Requirement? It's early yet so we have a couple of hours before curfew." Taylor suggested from the back as she brought up the rear of their little group.

Harry paused on the next landing. "Yeah, that's a good idea." He replied, before he headed left down a corridor in the direction of the Room of Requirements.

A few minutes later the five-some was settling down in comfy, over-large chairs in front of a cheery fire. Somehow the room had anticipated only the need for three chairs and this found Taylor sitting between Harry with Ginny sitting on his lap and Ron and Hermione sharing the chair on the other side of her, sitting the same way.

"The Ministry is imposing a census. I suppose you two already knew that from your talk with Professor Shacklebolt didn't you?" Hermione asked in her no nonsense way to get the conversation started.

"Yeah we did. Shacklebolt told us just before asking what our plans for the holidays were." Harry said as he looked over at Hermione.

"That means Voldemort is influencing the Ministry." Hermione said.

"Yeah, that was our first thought too." Harry replied.

"You know he will be going after muggle borns as soon as the census is finished. Why he'll know where each of them lives and everything!" Hermione said as her voice rose slightly.

"Yeah, I know. Shacklebolt said something more too. He said that he wasn't sure if Hogwarts would be reopening after the holidays or if muggle borns would be allowed back." Harry said softly, as if to soften the blow for Hermione. Even still, she gasped and her eyes became disbelieving. Everyone present knew how much completing school meant to Hermione.

"How do you think they are going to conduct this census? Is everyone going to have to go to the Ministry?" Ron asked as he held Hermione tight in his arms trying to console her.

"If we do, anyone professing to be muggle born will be a sitting duck for Voldemort and his Death Eaters! He can pick them off as they exit the Ministry!" Hermione answered.

"They just passed this law today I expect, so I imagine that the Daily Prophet will have the story in it tomorrow. We should know more about how they are going to go about it then." Harry said reasonably. He could see Hermione was getting upset and he wanted to help calm her down.

"What if Hogwarts doesn't reopen? What are you going to do then? What about the Horcruxes?" Ginny asked as she looked at Harry.

"If Hogwarts doesn't reopen… I think I need to search the school and grounds as thoroughly as possible in the next two weeks before the school closes for the holidays. After that, well I might not be returning anyway." Harry said slowly as he worked out in his mind just what he needed to do. "My priority is to find the remaining Horcruxes."

"We haven't figured out how to destroy the one we have yet." Ron put in.

"You have one thing wrong there, Harry. _We_ need to search the school, and _our_ priority is to find the Horcruxes. If you don't return to school then neither am I." Taylor said quietly but with absolute conviction. She wasn't going to let Harry think for one second that he was going off without her.

"Well that just stands to reason Taylor. Harry knows he isn't going without me either!" Ron exclaimed.

"Oh and you all know that you need me too!" Hermione cried.

"Well I ain't being left out either!" Ginny proclaimed too.

"NO!" Three voices yelled at once.

"No!" Hermione's voice followed.

"Hey that's not fair!" Ginny said as she looked from one of her friends to the other, finally settling on Harry's set face.

"You're too young Ginny! Mum would kill me if I let you go. Besides, you're still underage!" Ron said, sounding just like an overbearing brother.

"Taylor's the same age I am and you guys seem to think it's fine if she goes!" Ginny shot back.

"Taylor's different! At least she's in her seventh year!" Ron snapped, his face was set firmly.

"What Ron is trying to say, Ginny, is that no one is going to worry about me if I go. I have no parents or _brothers_ that will kill Harry or the rest of us, for letting you come along!" Taylor said as she tried to reason with her.

"That's really lame you know Taylor!" Ginny started but Harry cut her off.

"Ginny I'm not letting you come with me. It's too dangerous. I'm not going to take the chance that you will get hurt. In a way Taylor's right. I couldn't do that to your mum and dad." Harry said gently but firmly.

Taylor could see that Ginny wanted to argue with Harry but her brother wrapped his arms around Ginny and pulled her tightly against his chest as he dropped his head and whispered something to his love. Ginny put her arms around Harry's neck and laid her head against his chest. Taylor knew that Ginny wouldn't argue anymore. She suspected that her brother had said that he would die if Ginny were hurt; it's exactly what Taylor would have said.

Hermione reached over and picking up a quill and parchment, that the Room of Requirement had provided. She began writing down what Harry decided he needed to do before the school closed for the holidays. Once the list was completed, talk turned to when and from where the four seventh years would head out on their own. They discussed where they should look first and when they should go to Briggs Cottage. Naturally then the conversation turned to what had happened in Shacklebolt's office and Harry's _vision_ there.

A clock on the wall chimed ten o'clock and the five-some headed back to the Gryffindor Common Room so they wouldn't be out after curfew. They were halfway there when they met Lupin and Tonks on one of the stairways.

"Harry! What are you and your friends doing out of your Common Room so late?' Tonks asked as she shook her head disapprovingly. "You should know better than to be out wondering the halls this late!"

"We were just heading there now." Harry said as he glanced at Lupin again.

"Well you had better be hurrying along," Lupin said in a firm voice, "and maybe we will escort you the rest of the way. I know your propensity for getting into trouble Harry."

Taylor couldn't help her snort of laughter at that. This was, after all, coming from a Marauder.

"Miss Porter, I seem to recall you too like to wander the halls when you shouldn't and seem to find yourself in just as much trouble as Harry." Lupin's voice was slightly chastising as he pinned Taylor with a hard look.

"You don't know the half of it Lupin!" Ginny piped up as her eyes took on a mischievous glow.

"Ginny!" Taylor cried and slapped a hand to her heart as if she were hurt there, while Harry and Hermione rolled their eyes at the antics of the two younger witches.

Ginny and Taylor kept making faces at one another for the rest of the way back to the Common Room.

When they were almost there Hermione spoke up with her question. "Lupin, do you have any ideas what is behind this census?"

Lupin looked at the bushy-haired muggle born and shook his head sadly. "Nothing for sure. Just the same speculation that I'm sure you have come up with. Right now it looks like it is what the Ministry is saying it is, but who knows what will happen when they have gathered all the data from it."

"Do you think they will use anti-lying and anti-exclusion charms?" Hermione asked tentatively.

Lupin nodded his head sadly. He knew that Hermione was trying to ask him about protecting her parents. "Yes, Hermione, I'm afraid that they will use every charm and spell they can think of to make sure they get what they want."

They arrived at the Fat Lady and Ginny said the password. As the portrait swung open Harry turned to Lupin.

"Could I have a quick word with you, please Lupin?"

"Yes, of course Harry." Lupin said as he looked at the young man in front of him who looked so much like his long deceased best friend.

Taylor paused at the portrait hole and looked back at Harry, then at Lupin curiously. She wondered what Harry wanted to talk to Lupin about but she couldn't think of a way to keep from entering the Common Room. So when Ron gave her a nudge in the back she crawled in through the porthole into the nearly deserted Common Room.

Harry watched Taylor, Ron and Hermione follow Ginny through the porthole before he turned to Lupin.

"You wanted a word, Harry?" Lupin prompted as Tonks walked down the corridor a ways to give them some privacy.

Harry made sure that the Fat Lady had swung closed once more before, out of habit more then anything else, he put up a silencing spell. "Yeah. I… wanted to ask you why Moody is so suspicious of Taylor. He _did_ give her a hard time. That's why she was so defensive when I _woke up_."

Lupin's lips thinned and his eyes turned angry. "Moody was out of line today, Harry. Not that it excuses him but he is finding it very frustrating to know so little about your sister. He thinks she is a threat to you, but he can't prove it, of course, so he can't convince the Headmistress either. He's worried. We're all worried with Taylor's use of Dark Magic." Lupin ran a hand over his scarred face.

"I know Taylor isn't into the Dark Arts. Lupin, I know she isn't!" Harry said, his voice rising as he tried to make his parents' remaining friend understand.

Lupin looked into Harry's eyes and he could see the conviction there. He didn't believe James and Lily's lost daughter was into the Dark Arts either but… "Harry, do you know Taylor asked me if she could go see Snape at the Order headquarters?"

Harry's jaw clenched and his green eyes turned hard. No, his sister hadn't mentioned that. Lupin seemed to know Harry wanted to know more. Harry's knuckles were white when the older wizard was finished speaking.

In a tight voice Harry said, "She didn't say why she was so interested in talking to the murderer did she?"

Lupin shook his head. "No she didn't. I want to warn you Harry that if people find out that Taylor is able to perform Dark Magic then they will assume she is into the Dark Arts. You know yourself how easily people's opinions can be swayed to believe the worst." Harry nodded, thinking back to his second year and his ability to speak Parseltongue. "If Voldemort should ever find out about her ability… I don't want to make you worry any more. I just want you to be aware."

Harry nodded again. He was going to have a talk with his little sister!

"I think you should stay at Order headquarters over the holidays Harry. It will be the safest place. Maybe you should see if you couldn't talk Taylor into staying there as well. Mr. Weasley has already suggested that maybe Hermione's parents could stay with them at the Burrow." Lupin paused and looked down the corridor at Tonks who was pointing at her watch. "I'm sorry but I really have to go Harry. I'll see you over the holidays! And don't be too hard on your sister tonight. The Cruciatus can take a lot out of a person, as you well know." Lupin said, as he put his hand on Harry's shoulder and then hurried off to join Tonks to finish their rounds.

* * *

><p>AN Oh dear it looks like Taylor is going to be in trouble with Harry again! (hehehehehe evilily laughs) So what do you think? enjoying it so far? I am trying to channel James and what I precieved his attitude to be into Taylor. Hence the flippent words to Kinglsey and her willingness to joke and try to make Harry laugh. I wanted to show Harry and Taylor are slowly becoming closer and I believe Harry has matured into his role of big brother... but there is still going to be fireworks between the two because of their brave, protective natures! :)

Thank you to all who have read this far!

Thank you as well to my wonderfuil bata barbc!

Until next time, cytpotter


	26. Cruciatus Curses and Tears

Nope, sorry, still not JK Rowling!

Hope you enjoy! Oh just a caution... there is the dropping of the "f... bomb" in this chapter, don't want to offend anyone!

* * *

><p>Chapter Twenty-Six<p>

**Cruciatus Curses and Tears**

It had taken a prompt from the Fat Lady to break Harry out of his thoughts and head into the Gryffindor Common Room. He was seething that Taylor hadn't mentioned either her request to see Snape again or the fact that Moody had used an unforgivable on her.

He spied Taylor sitting in front of the fire with Ginny, Hermione and Ron. Her hazel eyes were apprehensive as they met his over the sofa. He recognized the flash of fear in them as he marched toward her before they narrowed and darkened with anger.

"Taylor, I need a word with you right now!" Harry growled before he even reached the sofa.

The other three looked up in alarm at the anger in Harry's voice and all three looked over at Taylor to see her stand slowly.

"Alright Potter." Taylor said as she gave a quick glance around the common room. There were only two other students still in the common room at this hour. The two third years were sitting at a table in the far corner over by the stairway leading up to the girls' dormitories.

Harry walked past the sofa to the opposite corner from the two third years and Taylor followed him.

Harry spun around and faced his sister as he said, "_Muffliato_!" He knew that the others could still see him but he was too angry to care at the moment.

"I suppose you didn't think I'd find out about you asking to go see that murdering bastard did you?" Harry snarled.

Taylor paled and her heart hammered heavily in her chest. Shit! She hadn't expected Lupin to tell Harry about that, but she guessed maybe she should have.

"I…" Taylor began.

"Don't lie to me Taylor!"

"I didn't! I just omitted telling you because I knew you'd be angry! I was right, wasn't I?" Taylor snapped, as her anger returned full force.

"What else have you _omitted_ telling me, Taylor? Were you using Dark Magic? Huh? Is that why Moody needed to use _an unforgivable_ on you?" Harry yelled, as red sparks few out of the end of his wand he still had clenched in his hand.

"No! I told you what happened! I just didn't mention that Moody used an unforgivable because I thought it would make you mad!"

"What else are you not telling me, Taylor? Huh? How can I trust you if go behind my back and ask to see that murderer?" Harry yelled furiously.

"I…" Taylor could feel the fear rising up in her chest, threatening to choke off her throat. She couldn't tell Harry everything! She couldn't tell him about…

"So you _are_ hiding other things from me?"

"Dammit Harry! I only wanted to talk to Snape so that I could ask him about my ability to use Dark Magic! He has studied the Dark Arts for years! He may know something that could be useful to me!" Taylor said as she felt the sting of tears in her eyes. "He also knows Voldemort and his ability with Dark Magic! I have _no one_ I can ask about Dark Magic, Harry! Every day I have to concentrate harder and harder to not use Dark Magic by accident! Every time I do, it just comes easier the next time!" Tears were trailing down Taylor's cheeks as she admitted this fact to her brother.

"Why didn't you tell me?" Harry asked, as he calmed down a little, startled by his sister's admission.

"Why? So you could go off the deep end at me? Well, I'm telling you now, _Harry Potter_, that I, your _unknown little sister,_ am able to use some ancient form of magic without even hardly thinking about it. Something that no one knows much about, but everyone fears! There, are you happy now?" Taylor cried as she turned to leave.

Harry reached out and caught her arm, stopping Taylor from leaving. His anger fled as he looked into the confused, fearful eyes of his sister. He should have known that it would be some reason like this. It was just that the mere mention of the murdering traitor Snape, sent him off "the deep end" as Taylor put it.

"Taylor, I…"

"I'm sorry, ok? I should have told you, so that you could be _angry_ at me, again! You don't have to worry though, Lupin refused to let me see Snape. And _maybe_ I deserved that Cruciatus from Moody today, because _I can_ do _fucking_ Dark _fucking_ Magic!" Taylor screamed as the crushing weight of her secret overwhelmed her. She yanked her arm out of Harry's grasp and raced across the common room and up the stairs to the girls' dormitories.

Shocked, Harry stood watching his sister run away from him. Dear Merlin, he hadn't meant to upset her like that. He had never seen his sister lose it like that. How could she think that she deserved to be hit with the Cruciatus curse? Harry wasn't sure how long he stood there but he was pulled out of his pained thoughts by a hand touching his arm.

"Harry? Are you all right? What happened with Taylor?" Ginny asked in a gentle voice.

Harry pulled his gaze away from the empty stairway up to the girls' dormitories and looked into his girlfriend's concerned brown eyes. He closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose, "I think I screwed up, Ginny," he said softly.

"Why? What happened? Why were you so mad at Taylor?" Ginny asked gently as she looked up into his sorrow filled face. With a gentle pull she led Harry over to the sofa and sat him down.

Hermione had watched the heated argument, but not being able to hear what was being said, she could only guess what it was about. She knew, though, that Harry had been extremely angry and that Taylor had been very upset when she had run up to their dorm room. She had been going to go right up after Taylor but she thought better of it. She knew from her long friendship, that if Taylor was half as upset as she appeared to be, then her friend would want some time to herself. Hermione had decided to let Ginny go over to Harry alone too, knowing that the young redhead had a knack for handling Harry in most situations.

Ron had watched the argument with interest, not because he thought his best mate and Taylor were doing something they shouldn't have, but because he figured that Taylor had gone and done something to piss Harry off. A few minutes later Ron found out he was right.

"Harry, what happened?" Hermione asked quietly once Harry was sitting on the sofa.

Harry rubbed his hand up over his face and pinched the bridge of his nose again. With his eyes closed he told his two friends and his girlfriend about his conversation with Lupin. When he was done, his friends all had a comment.

"Moody used the Cruciatus Curse on Taylor?" Hermione gasped.

"What the hell would she want to see that slimy bastard for?" Ron demanded.

"Oh, Harry!" Ginny exclaimed as she saw the regret in Harry's face for the argument he had with Taylor.

"I was so mad. I didn't even stop to think that she might have a good reason for wanting to see the bastard." Harry said sadly, as he shook his head.

"A good reason? What the hell kind of reason would she have for wanting to see him?" Ron demanded.

Harry then explained what Taylor had told him.

Hermione's eyes became round and filled with dismay as she whispered, "Oh no, Taylor! Harry, you believe her don't you? About Snape I mean? If she has to concentrate on not using Dark Magic, it must be very scary for her. I've never even seen more then a brief mention of Dark Magic in all the books I've read."

"Yeah Hermione, I believe her. I might hate Snape but I can see why Taylor might want to talk with him. Her ability to use Dark Magic… people will fear her and accuse her of being in the Dark Arts if they find out." Harry's quiet voice held an edge of the fear he had for his sister.

The four friends were silent for a few minutes, before Hermione broke the quiet.

"Harry? Did Taylor say _why_ Moody used the Cruciatus on her?"

Harry shrugged his shoulders and told his friends what his sister had said about Moody suspecting her of using Dark Magic on him, when he was having his vision of Voldemort.

Silence followed and Harry looked up towards the girls' dormitories. He knew he couldn't get up the stairs to Taylor's room. The charm on the stairway would just turn it into a slide if he tried to go up. The more he thought about what his sister had said, the more he wanted to go check on her and see if she was alright. She had been so upset, and afraid. He wasn't used to seeing his sister like that. It worried him, greatly.

"Hermione?" Harry asked as he looked at his best friend. "I'm worried about Taylor. I doubt she will come down to see me, but could you go up and check on her, please?"

Hermione looked into Harry's green eyes and saw the worry in them. She nodded. It had been nearly twenty minutes since Taylor had gone up to their dorm room. Maybe Taylor would have calmed down enough by now to be willing to talk. "Sure, Harry. I was planning on going up anyway." Hermione started to rise but Harry caught her hand.

"Thank you. Could you… well… let me know if she is ok, alright?" Harry asked awkwardly.

Hermione gave Harry a reassuring smile, "Sure Harry. If I can't get her to come back down, I'll come myself, ok?"

Harry just nodded.

Hermione made her way up the stairs after smiling at Ron, who wished her luck.

The door to their dorm was closed and Hermione paused a second. Not hearing a sound, she opened the door and went in. She could see the coverings on Taylor's bed were drawn shut, but so were the ones on Lavender's, as well as a soft snore. Hermione stopped beside her friend's bed. She whispered, "Taylor? Are you all right?"

When she didn't get an answer, Hermione put her hand out and touched the heavy coverings. They were charmed shut. She didn't doubt that probably Taylor had put a silencing charm up too, so that no one would hear her if she were crying.

Hermione thought for a moment, then with a flick of her wand she whispered, "_Expecto Patronum_" a silvery white otter formed and Hermione sent it in through Taylor's bed coverings. A few seconds later the coverings stirred gently as the sticking charm was removed.

Hermione put her hand up on the heavy coverings again and pushed it out of the way. Her best friend sat up by the headboard with her arms wrapped around her legs and her head resting on her knees. Red puffy eyes looked back at Hermione.

"Oh, Taylor!" Hermione whispered as she sat on the bed, reaching a hand out to lay on her friend's arm. "Are you ok?"

Taylor tried to nod and smile but just more tears leaked down her already wet face.

Hermione knew that her friend didn't cry very often. Had in fact only cried several times in all the years Hermione and Taylor had been friends.

"I'm sorry, Hermione. I'm… I'm just scared. I think that maybe the damn Cruciatus wore me down more than I should have let it." Taylor said softly as more tears ran down her cheeks. One of the side effects of the Cruciatus Curse, one of the more minor side effects, was a lower emotional threshold. Taylor and Hermione had researched the three unforgivable curses thoroughly in their fourth year.

"You're not weak, Taylor. I'd be scared too, if I could use Dark Magic." Hermione paused then said gently, "Harry is worried about you. He didn't mean to upset you like this."

"Yeah I know. It's just that I know so little about this kind of magic." Taylor told Hermione about talking with Harry and telling him about her _nightmare_ about the snake and about using Dark Magic on Snape.

Hermione listened and then she said cautiously, "I don't want to make you upset again, and I know you don't like talking about your parents or your aunt and uncle, but… do you think your ability to use Dark Magic could have come from them? I mean…"

"No!" Taylor said, cutting Hermione off. "I know that it didn't come from them! They were _not_ Dark witches or wizards!"

"But you don't know that Taylor." Hermione whispered.

Taylor closed her eyes. From what Hermione knew about Taylor and her family, she knew that it was an easy conclusion for her friend to arrive at.

"Hermione, I just know that my mom and dad were not into the Dark Arts. They were most likely muggles for crying out loud!" Taylor added the last part to keep up the pretense she had always used.

Hermione looked sadly at her friend but she didn't push her anymore about it.

A watch beeped from Lavender's bedside table as a particularly loud snore came from the bed.

Hermione knew it must be midnight. She thought she should go back down to the common room to see Harry like she had promised.

"Do you think Harry is still up?" Taylor asked.

Hermione smiled. "Yeah, I think he is."

Together the two friends got up and walked down to the common room. The fire was little more then coals now but they could still see Harry and Ginny sitting on the sofa and Ron in one of the armchairs.

The three looked up at the sound of the two girls approaching.

Harry jumped up and pulled his sister into a crushing hug. He had been berating himself ever since his little sister had run up to her dormitory. "I'm sorry Taylor," he whispered, "Are you alright?"

Taylor hugged her brother back but the deep concern in his voice made the tears start running down her face again. "Yeah, I'm fine." Taylor whispered but was shocked at how thin her voice sounded.

Harry leaned back and looked down to see his sister's face. The tears he saw running down her face made him feel like a heartless git, "Oh God, Taylor! I didn't mean to say those things to hurt you," and he hugged her tightly again.

Taylor felt a sob welling up in her chest and fought to get control of her emotions. She wasn't going to go to pieces on her brother like this. Forcing herself to take several deep calming breaths, Taylor pulled away from her brother a little to wipe the offending tears from her face. "I'm ok Harry. It's just that stupid curse of Moody's."

Harry watched his sister wipe at the tears on her face and try to smile at him. He could see the fear and worry lurking in her eyes, though. Keeping one arm around her shoulders he guided her to the sofa so he could sit down beside her, and Ginny could be on his other side.

Taylor wiped at her face again as she sat down and her brother sat beside her. His arm went back around her shoulders and more tears leaked from her eyes. "Harry, I'll never be able to stop this foolish crying if you don't stop!" Taylor exclaimed in exasperation, but there was gratitude there too. Harry's answering soft chuckle made Taylor smile.

The five friends talked for the next hour and a half about Taylor's ability to use Dark Magic and what it could mean. The common room had become almost dark as the fire died to just a few embers.

Taylor's eyes were growing heavy as she thought about Hermione's last statement, "I've just never heard of someone just being able to do something like Dark Magic without having to spend years studying it. It's almost like you being able to speak Parseltongue, Harry."

The group had been silent for over five minutes, whether they were deep in thought or almost asleep was questionable, when a loud pop in the silent room startled them.

"Harry Potter! Sir! How are you doing?" Dobby asked in his high squeaky voice as he bowed to Harry.

"Hi, Dobby. How are you doing?" Harry asked as he smiled at the house-elf.

"I's doing good! Harry Potter. Sir! Winky, she is doing better now too!"

Taylor listened to her brother and the house-elf talk but an idea had taken root in her mind and she sat up straight on the sofa, all traces of sleep gone. As soon as Dobby disappeared with a pop again, Taylor jumped up off the sofa and raced up the stairs to the boys' dormitories with only an "I have an idea," as explanation to her startled friends. It only took a minute to locate what she was looking for in Harry's trunk before she raced back down to the common room now lighted by a roaring fire in the fireplace.

Taylor skidded to a stop in front of her friends with a big grin covering her face. "I know how we can easily identify the Horcruxes when we find them!" Taylor unwrapped Helga Hufflepuff's cup and set it gently on the floor. "Dobby made me think of it when he Apparated in here. You see Dark Magic can be traced, just like the magic we use now. It leaves a residual trace so that if someone looks for it, then it can be identified. As Dark Magic or, let's call the magic we use now, Light Magic, can also be identified not only as there being magic used, but which kind." Taylor paused and looked at each of her friends to see if they were following her and she was pleased to see that they were. "However, a house-elf's magic cannot be traced, because they use their own brand of magic. That's why they can apparate through the wards protecting Hogwarts." Hermione was sitting on the edge of her seat as she nodded. "What if it isn't actually their own brand but simply a combination of the two?"

Hermione grinned and began running this theory through her vast knowledgeable mind. The other three looked a little lost.

"It's like this!" Taylor said, excited by the possibilities as she took her wand out and pointed it at the cup. "_Horcrux_ _Reveal_", and the teacup shimmered and shook, as thick black acidic smoke poured out of it.

Coughing and waving their hands, Ron growled, "What the hell did you do that for?"

Taylor grinned as she silently made the foul smelling smoke disappear. "That is what would happen if we wanted to test an object to see if it was a Horcrux or not."

Taylor closed her eyes and the other spell rolled off her tongue, "_Revel thy Horcrux_", the teacup rocked back and forth and an evil looking thin green smoke rose, twisting and turning, as if it were writhing in pain. "And that is what it would look like if Dark Magic were used to reveal a Horcrux."

Silence followed as the green smoke reached the ceiling and dissipated.

"Taylor! Dammit! What the hell did you do that for?"

"Dark Magic! Bloody Hell Taylor!"

"Oh Taylor!"

"Is there a reason why you just performed that spell?"

Taylor ignored the others' complaints and looked at Hermione with a grin. "Of course there is a reason! I realized when Dobby showed up, that I think I can combine the two Magic's. It should be untraceable, like the magic the house-elves use!" Hermione's eyes widened as she looked at Taylor. "Of course it might not work… but…?" Taylor trailed off as she thought.

''Taylor, maybe you shou…" Hermione began.

Taylor closed her eyes, the calmness that always came with the Dark Magic settled over her once more but this time she used the first incantation, "_Horcrux Reveal_", Helga Hufflepuff's teacup remained still and a thin barely noticeable puff of green smoke wafted up from it and dissipated when a tiny draft of air pushed out from the roaring fire.

Hermione pulled out her wand as she stood and walked slowly around the cup muttering and moving her wand in intricate patterns. A ghost of green smoke and then a hint of black acidic smoke, curled up from the teacup. Hermione continued for another minute, before she looked up at Taylor, a hint of amazement on her face.

"Like I said, _untraceable_!" Taylor grinned.

"Yeah, it might be untraceable but… Taylor. Do you know how dangerous that was?" Hermione asked incredulously.

"However now we can figure out if an object is a Horcrux without having to touch it or bring a lot of attention to it!" Taylor pointed out.

"Dangerous how? Besides the fact that Taylor just used Dark Magic, again!" Harry asked, as he eyed his sister angrily. He could hardly believe that she had just done that in front of them, after being so upset about that actual ability just a short while ago.

"What Hermione means is that Dark Magic is, of course, old magic. It's like…" Taylor thought for a moment to find someway of explaining, "radio waves, am and fm. Dark Magic is am, and Light Magic is fm. The two don't combine very well, but if you do then the magic is untraceable!"

"And extremely dangerous!" Hermione huffed as she sat back down with Ron. "If one syllable or wand movement is off…"

"What's am and fm?" Ginny asked and Hermione explained about the different radio frequencies.

"Dangerous how? What would happen?" Harry asked.

"Well…" Hermione started but Taylor interrupted her.

"It would be like going into a huge pit of snakes without knowing how to speak Parseltongue." Taylor met Harry's eyes as she continued. "I knew I could do that spell before I attempted it, Harry, just like I knew how to remove that curse from Snape. I just know." Taylor shrugged her shoulders. She didn't know of any other way to explain it.

"So what now? Are you going to be able to apparate out of Hogwarts?" Ginny asked.

"But if that were true, that by combining the two Magic's you could apperate like the house-elves through the wards, then You-Know-Who could get through them too!" Ron said apprehensively.

"No, You-Know-Who can't, neither can Taylor. Combining the two magic's is extremely difficult, despite the fact Taylor just knows how to do it!" Hermione gave Taylor a disgruntled look, as if somehow Taylor was cheating. "So the more complex the spells the more difficult it becomes. A revealing spell is a long way from apperating! The chances for something going wrong increases _exponentially_."

Taylor thought and suddenly she knew. "Voldemort knows how to combine the two magic's! That's how he concealed the entrance to that passageway for so long. It took Dark Magic to reveal it. Something he thought only Dark wizards would ever use!" She glanced up from where she had been looking at the floor as she thought, to see her friends staring at her in shocked silence. Shit! She was going to have to be more careful with these revelations or her friends were going to start questioning how she knew these things.

* * *

><p>AN Well there you go! Another chapter! :) So what did you think? I appoligise for the Revealing spell and the lack of latin for it... I'm not very good at researching stuff on the internet(more like scared to venture out into that big wide world!) so hopefully you can forgive me for that little blunder! I did kind of get the idea to just use the words from the PoA movie when Snape grabbed Harry's Map from him and said "Reveal your secrets". Also hopefully Taylor wasn't unbelieveably upset... I do try not to get carried away with the emotions but not sure if I quite keep it believeable at times... let me know what you think!

Thank you for reading!

Until next time, cytpotter


	27. OverBearing Brothers

Nope didn't wake up this morning speeking an English accent so nope I still am not JK Rowling!

* * *

><p>Chapter Twenty-Seven<p>

**Over-bearing Brothers**

The five tired Gryffindors walked into the Great Hall the next morning, yawning from their lack of sleep the night before. It had been another three quarters of an hour after Taylor's last revelation before they had called it a night at three am.

They had barely taken their seats when the owls arrived with the morning post. A large brown owl landed with the Daily Prophet for Hermione, as well as a large, fierce looking horned owl that dropped a letter in front of Ron before taking flight again.

"Who's the letter from Ron?" asked Harry as he piled eggs and sausages onto his plate.

Ron opened the letter and then looked up, "It's from Bill letting Ginny and I know that he will be meeting us at Kings Cross instead of Mum and Dad," Ron was met by four pairs of interested eyes. "That's all it says though." And he handed the letter to Ginny.

Hermione dropped her eyes back to the paper. The Daily Prophet had devoted the first six pages to the new census. Hermione was almost done eating though when she finally found what she was looking for and after quickly looking up to get the other's attention she began to quietly read.

"'_All witches and wizards regardless of blood status are to report to the Magical Census Department at the Ministry of Magic to complete the new census no later than December 21__st__ of this year. You will need to bring your wand and any documentation of marital status, plus for muggle borns their muggle birth certificates. Failure to comply will result in arrest and five years in Azkaban.'_ Makes a person think twice about not complying doesn't it?" Hermione asked when she was done reading.

"Yeah, it sure does!" Ginny nodded.

Taylor sat thinking for a moment then leaned in and asked quietly, "I wonder what a person is supposed to do if they don't have that documentation?"

Harry looked over at his sister in alarm as Dumbledore's words came back to him _"Taylor, I erased your date of birth from the Department of Magical Births and Deaths so that I could be assured that no one would be able to trace you back to James and Lily Potter. It was for your own protection."_ How was his sister going to be able to comply with the census?

Hermione looked at Taylor with a steadily increasing anxious expression, "You don't have your birth certificate? But surely you must have something?"

Taylor didn't allow herself to look at her brother as she answered in a tight voice. "No, I don't. I told you I was admitted to Hogwarts as an underage witch. If I didn't have anything to prove how old I was then, I'm sure no documentation exists to prove my blood status or lack there of."

"But what are you going to do?" asked Ginny worriedly.

Taylor closed her eyes and took a deep breath; she was going to have to talk to Dumbledore's portrait about this. Opening her eyes again Taylor said in a firm voice that left no room for further discussion, "I'll cross that bridge when I come to it. For now we need to get to Potions class. I think we should meet in the common room at lunch to hash out the details of last night's plan."

In Double Potions with Slughorn they learned how to brew up a healing potion that could be used to help someone who had lasting effects from a number of curses. A very beneficial class, to say the least, in the troubled times in which they lived. Double Herbology wasn't quite as interesting, as Professor Sprout had them harvesting seeds from a reluctant tenacula.

Scratched, as well as sporting numerous bite marks, the four friends walked back up to the castle through the cold frozen grounds. They met Ginny in the entrance hall and continued on up to the common room.

A roaring fire blazed in the fireplace as the five-some sat down in their favorite chairs. The common room was empty, as the rest of the school was in the Great Hall having lunch.

"Let's get this over with, I'm starved!" Ron said impatiently.

Hermione just rolled her eyes at her boyfriend, but a slow smile spread over Harry's face before he called softly. "Dobby?"

A few seconds later a soft pop and the house-elf appeared in front of them.

"Harry Potter called Dobby?" asked the house-elf in his squeaky voice.

"Ah, yeah. I was wondering if we could have a plate of sandwiches and something to drink." Harry asked a little uncertainly. He had never asked Dobby for anything like this before but the house-elf was always asking if he could do something so he thought it would be okay. As long as Hermione didn't get too mad, he could see his friend was looking furiously at him now.

"Of course, Harry Potter!" Dobby cried in delight and disappeared with a pop.

"Harry!" Hermione started but Ginny cut her off.

"Hermione, don't start! We need to plan out how we are going to search the school and we also need to eat."

Two pops stopped Hermione from further comment as Dobby and Winky both appeared laden with a platter of sandwiches and another with a pot of steaming hot chocolate and five mugs. After thanking the house-elves the five-some settled down to planning their search of the school.

When the bell to end lunch rang, the platter and pot of hot chocolate were empty but a piece of large parchment displayed a drawing of the school cut into quadrants. They would search each quadrant thoroughly before they moved on to the next. That way they could keep track of where they searched. They had even made up a schedule so they would know who was searching where and when. It was decided that they would search in pairs or threes, and use Harry's invisibility cloak whenever possible.

The schedule had been fairly tricky to draw up, what with quidditch practices for Harry, Ron and Ginny. Patrol duties for Hermione and Ron, during which they were going to squeeze in a little searching also. Plus Harry and Taylor's extra lessons with Professor Shacklebolt. That didn't count the time they needed to do their homework. It had been Hermione though who had suggested that they combine their homework, whenever possible, as long as it wasn't something that they would need to arm themselves against evil, and use free periods also for searching.

Thursday evening, as Harry and Taylor left the Defence Against The Dark Arts classroom, Taylor rubbed her hand across her sweating forehead. Their lesson tonight had been particularly difficult. Taylor and her brother had advanced so far with these lessons from the beginning of the year. Tonight however had been different again. Shacklebolt had told them that they were learning to read each other too well and had asked Moody to join their training session so that they could practice against the old auror. Taylor wondered as she moved her already sore muscles if she would be able to get out of bed tomorrow morning.

"That was quite the lesson." Harry grinned as he wiped the sweat from his brow too. "I thought for sure I wasn't going to be fast enough that last time!"

Taylor looked over at her grinning brother and rolled her eyes. "Sure that's fine for you to say. You didn't have to deal with an _angry_ auror each time!"

Harry's grin just grew and he laughed. "Yeah, I noticed. I don't think Moody was pleased to see how good you've become at defending yourself! Did you see his face when you conjured those water balloons filled with bober pus?"

"Well I had to do something! I was tired of getting knocked on my arse every time!" Taylor said a little testily as the two of them headed for the quadrant they were going to search before they headed back to their dormitory.

They had almost reached the fifth floor by way of a rickety set of stairs and Harry had disappeared under his invisibility cloak. Taylor was about to join him, when the tapestry at the top of the stairs was pulled aside and several students started down towards them.

"Porter," said Ernie Macmillan "What are you doing out so late?"

Taylor drew in an aggravated breath, "I'm coming from Professor Shacklebolt. What about you?" Taylor felt Harry step up behind her so that hopefully none of the Hufflepuff's would brush against him on their way down.

"For one, I'm a prefect and two we were just up at the library, studying." Macmillan answered in his stuffy do-no-wrong voice. "Where's Potter? I thought you two had research with Shacklebolt together?"

Taylor's hands curled into fists, but she kept her voice even as she replied. "Yeah I do. Professor Shacklebolt asked Harry to stay for a few minutes and as it was almost curfew, I headed back."

Macmillan seemed satisfied with her answer as he said, "Good, but you shouldn't be roaming the school alone."

Taylor bit her tongue to keep the snippy reply that she had from passing her lips. She turned to watch Macmillan and the other Hufflepuff's walk down the stairs past her and an invisible Harry. When she turned back to start up the stairs she gasped and staggered backwards bumping into Harry and almost sending the two of them toppling down the stairs. A lone Hufflepuff was still standing at the top of the stairs.

"I'm sorry," he said as he bounded down the steps to grab Taylor's arm to steady her. "I didn't mean to startle you. I thought you had seen me."

Taylor's heart was pounding heavily both from her start and the stomach-dropping sensation of almost falling down a flight of steps. She quickly became very aware of the boy's hand that was still holding her arm.

"Are you alright?"

Taylor nodded her head as she answered, "Yeah, I'm fine, you just startled me."

The boy smiled, "Sorry again. It's just that I've been wanting to talk to you, but you are never alone."

Taylor looked up into his handsome face, as she felt a shy smile play at her lips, her heart starting to pound again for a different reason.

"It's good that you are always with your friends, especially now… but… well I just couldn't get up the nerve to come up to you with Potter and Weasley always there." The Hufflepuff said a bit bashfully.

Taylor's mouth opened but only a small, "Oh," came out.

A couple of awkward moments passed.

"I don't know if you know who I am…" the boy began but Taylor interrupted him.

"Yeah, you're Gregory Hunter. We were in a couple of classes together over the years. You're also a beater for Hufflepuff." Taylor said with a small smile.

"Spare beater actually, I managed to get detention for our last practice and the captain benched me." Hunter said with a shake of his head.

"Oh, well that's crappie."

"Yeah, it is. I… well I know you usually go to the games… and I was wondering if maybe… you'd go with me?" the Hufflepuff asked hesitantly, but hopefully.

"I don't know Gregory…" Taylor began.

"Greg, call me Greg, all my friends do."

Taylor felt a smile crawling across her face as her brother poked her in the back with his invisible finger. "uhm…" Taylor said hesitantly.

"You don't need to give me an answer right now, think about it. You can let me know when you decide." Greg said in a rush, "I had better be going… ahhh or I could walk you up to Gryffindor Tower, if you want. I need to meet Hermione there anyway. We are on patrol duty tonight."

Taylor noticed the badge pinned on the front of his robes for the first time. The Head Boy badge.

"Uhm…" Taylor said uncertainly as she tried to think of what to do, she kept getting distracted by Greg's incredible blue eyes looking into hers, or how his short dark hair, it was hard to tell if it was black or just dark brown in the dimly lit stairway, fell over his forehead.

"It would be the gentlemanly thing for me to do." Greg said in his deep voice and he turned to walk up the stairs.

Taylor hesitated for a second then followed, forgetting for the moment about Harry being behind her.

Taylor walked beside the Hufflepuff in a comfortable silence, down a long corridor and up another flight of stairs before she realized she had left Harry alone.

"Oh Shit!" Taylor cried as she clamped a hand over her mouth, and her addled thoughts caught up with her.

"What? What's wrong?" asked the boy beside her.

"I… ahh…" Taylor started when a clipped male voice called from behind her.

"Taylor! I thought you were going to wait for me?"

Taylor wheeled around to see Harry striding toward her.

"Hello Potter." Greg Hunter said as he turned to face Harry. "I was just escorting Miss Porter back to Gryffindor. I didn't think she should be walking around alone."

Harry glared at the Hufflepuff and growled, "How kind of you. I can see that she gets back to _our_ common room from here."

Taylor was shocked to see the aggressive look on Harry's face, and was even more shocked when he put his arm protectively around her shoulders, as he stopped beside her. She glanced up at Greg and thought for a moment that he was going to say something more to Harry, instead he looked down at her and smiled tightly.

"Thank you Taylor, I very much enjoyed our little walk. I am sorry it was cut short, however I will look forward to seeing you again tomorrow." Taylor watched as he looked at Harry, slowly taking in Harry's arm around her shoulders. "Potter," he said in an almost hostile tone before it softened, "Goodnight Taylor," and he turned and walked back down the hall.

Taylor watched until Greg Hunter turned the corner before she turned on her brother. "Just what the _bloody hell_ was that all about?" Taylor demanded.

"He's a smarmy git!" Harry growled as he turned and started down the hall again, "You don't know him! You _know_ how dangerous it is now to start hanging around with strangers!"

"He's Head Boy!" Taylor snarled back matching her brother's strides, "And of course I don't know him! He just spoke to me for the first time, not ten minutes ago!"

"Exactly! Why would he all of a sudden start talking to you? Unless he's up to something?" Harry countered.

"Of course he's up to something! He asked me out!" Taylor cried as excitement crawled through her at the mere thought of a boy being interested in her.

"He's too old for you!" Harry cut back.

"Too old! He's in our same year!" Taylor cried in exasperation as they reached the fat lady and said the password.

"Exactly! Too old! Plus he's in Hufflepuff!" Harry said bull-headedly.

"Since when would that matter? It's not like he's in Slytherin!" Taylor argued back loudly as she entered the common room.

"It always matters! What? Aren't Gryffindor boys good enough for you?" Harry challenged.

Taylor could see that the common room was fairly full, and that they were all staring at her and Harry but as her temper flared up at her brother, she didn't care at the moment. "Oh, there's _loads_ of choices here! Potter, you might be my… best friend but you are not my boss! If I so _choose_ to see him, _I will_!"

"Oh no you won't!" Harry yelled back hotly.

"What are you two fighting about?" Hermione asked as she stared from Taylor's angry face to Harry's and added in an angry hiss. "You do realize that everyone is listening?"

With a flick of her wand, that had slid easily from its holder on her forearm into her hand, Taylor put up a silencing spell, and then she stepped right up to Harry staring him angrily in the eye. "Potter, if you think you can stop me. Try!"

Harry stared at Taylor; surprised at her challenge. He was her big brother. He was supposed to protect her, but his knee-jerk reaction to seeing Hunter asking his little sister out was overpowering. He had wanted to tell the git to stay the hell away from his sister. He still might. It was Taylor's reaction to his actions that surprised him. He would have thought she would have appreciated him looking after her.

"Taylor? What is going on?" asked Hermione, who had been standing close enough to be included in Taylor's silencing spell.

Without taking her eyes off her brother, Taylor growled. "Potter here thinks he has the right to say who I can and can't see."

"See? You mean a boy asked you out?" Hermione asked surprised. Her friend had never had a date before, let alone a boyfriend.

Taylor ground her teeth together, before she answered. "Thanks for the vote of confidence Hermione! Yes, a boy asked me out! And I'm going to say, yes!"

"Oh no you're not!" Harry snapped.

"Who?" asked Hermione.

Pulling her eyes away from Harry's angry ones for the first time Taylor looked at her friend. "The Head Boy, Greg Hunter." Taylor wasn't sure why she had put the fact that he was head boy in there, maybe to help convince herself that he would be a good guy.

"Oh… he's nice… Oh no! Patrol!" Hermione exclaimed as she suddenly remembered that she was supposed to be out on patrol right now, with Hunter.

Taylor watched as Hermione hurried out of the common room before she looked back at Harry.

"Taylor," Harry tried to reason with his sister, "You don't know this guy. It's dangerous right now to be going off with strangers. It's hard to say who a person can trust." Harry thought that sounded like sound reasoning.

"I'm not going _off_ with the guy, Potter! He asked me to a quidditch game! With the whole school present!" Taylor answered angrily before she wheeled away from her brother and marched across the common room and up to her dormitory. She was afraid if she didn't go she might end up hexing him for being so pigheaded about this whole thing.

Ginny had decided to let Harry and Taylor alone to argue instead of following Hermione to try and break them up. She had a good idea what they were arguing about anyway, as did the rest of the common room, before Taylor had put up the silencing spell. She could hear the buzz as the Gryffindor gossips started up. Ginny waited patiently though for Harry to join her on the sofa. It didn't take him long.

Ginny was a little less conspicuous with her silencing charm as she looked up at her angry boyfriend. "So a guy asked Taylor out?" Ginny was surprised at the overbearing tone in Harry's voice as he told her what had happened. It reminded her forcefully of the way her brothers talked about her boyfriends.

"I've talked to Greg in the library and Hermione has mentioned him different times. He seems like a nice guy. A little quiet maybe, but he's among the top students and also a decent beater." Ginny said calmly as she tried to point out what she knew about Hunter.

"He's a smarmy git! You should have seen the way he was looking at my… Taylor." Harry snapped barely catching himself from saying, 'sister', in his anger.

Ginny sighed, somehow she knew that there was more to Harry's relationship with Taylor then he would say. This wasn't the first time she had heard one or the other almost say… _something_, before they caught themselves. She trusted Harry. She knew he loved her, but she also knew there were things he didn't tell her. Things she suspected he didn't tell even Hermione or Ron, only Taylor.

"Do you really think you are being fair to Taylor? She is smart. I'm sure she will be able to tell if he is a _smarmy git_."

"What, like when you were dating Michael?" Harry asked, refusing to let it go.

"Why Harry Potter! Are you jealous of my past boyfriends?" Ginny asked in a mischievous voice.

Taylor had been so mad at Harry for being so unreasonable last night that she hadn't gone back down to the common room. She had talked to Lavender and two other girls from fifth year that had been visiting when she came into her dorm room. They had talked about boys in general and what their plans for the holidays were. Of course Taylor had just said she was going to stay with Mrs. Briggs.

When Hermione had finally returned from her patrol, Taylor had managed to have a short conversation with her about Greg Hunter and Harry's _unreasonable_ reaction to him.

Taylor was thinking about that conversation as she made her way toward the Great Hall for breakfast. Butterflies flapped about in her stomach as she thought about who she was going to talk to. Greg Hunter. Her heart started to pound at just the thought of him. Hermione had said that he had asked a lot of questions about Taylor during their patrol together. Taylor had also asked Hermione a bunch of questions about Greg. Taylor had been pleased to hear that Hermione had no reservations about Taylor agreeing to go to the quidditch match with Hunter.

Taylor knew she was early, but the thought of seeing Harry and getting into another argument, plus the excitement that she felt at seeing Greg again had her up and down in the Entrance Hall a lot earlier then she normally was.

"Miss Porter, you are up bright and early this morning."

Taylor turned to see Lupin walking toward her.

"Good morning Lupin." Taylor said with a smile.

"I heard you had an exciting evening last night."

Taylor stared at him for a second, trying to figure out how he heard about her and Greg, when she remembered her research lesson, and the trouble she had with Moody. Funny how she didn't even feel any of the bruises, she had noticed when she had taken her shower this morning. "It was rather interesting."

"I heard you handled yourself rather well." Lupin said with a small smile, and a glint in his eye, before he looked over Taylor's head. "I think someone might be waiting for you."

Taylor turned and seen Greg Hunter standing on the other side of the Entrance Hall, her stomach did an awful flop before the butterflies started up again. Taylor turned back to Lupin as he said, "Have a good day, Miss Porter." Taylor gave him a weak smile before she turned back to look at Greg, her wooden legs carrying her over across the empty hall.

"Hi," Greg said when Taylor reached him. "I wasn't sure if you would come over or not, after last night with Potter…"

Taylor could feel her temper starting to rise at that. "Sure, why wouldn't I come? Potter was just being…"

"Look I understand if you and Potter are…" Greg began but Taylor cut him off.

"Potter's an over bearing git! He's been my best friend for seven years, but he's just that. A friend." Taylor said a little more forcefully then she meant to.

Greg smiled as he said, "A friend?"

"Yeah, just a friend, albeit an over-protective one at times." Taylor growled.

"Friends are good, I'm glad you have friends who care that much about you. Friends are important." Greg said quietly.

Taylor looked up into Greg's dark sky blue eyes and smiled, "Yeah friends are good. Even when they are a pain."

Greg nodded, "So… did you want to go to the game tomorrow with me?"

Taylor's smile grew, as did the excitement racing through her. "I'd love to!"

* * *

><p>AN Well there you have it another chapter! This is like the 5th one in less then a week! :) And I hope a few more will be up before the holidays! ;) So what did you think of the new charactor? Head Boy Greg Hunter? I was very unsure when he first poped into my head if I should use him... I mean did I really want to add another problem for Taylor to have to deal with? And the answer turned out to be... well that would be telling wouldn't it? :) I wanted to write these charactors as well as being as true to the Potter verse as possible I wanted them to be real as well... or as real as my mind could come up with!

Thank you to all of you who have added this stroy to Favorites or Alerts! Those mean so much to me! And a HUGE THANK YOU to those of you who have taken the time to review! Thank you to my bata barbc! Well until next time, cytpotter.


	28. Hufflepuff's Victory

Nope sorry don't own anything that you recognize!

I was a little torn what to do... post another chapter or respond to the reviews... so I decided to post this chapter as a THANK YOU for those of you who have reviewed and added this story to your favorites and alerts! (I will get around to answering the reviews! Just a little busy with the Holidays right now!)

* * *

><p>Chapter Twenty-eight<p>

**Hufflepuff's Victory**

Taylor found it hard to concentrate that Friday on anything. Everywhere she went between classes she found herself looking for a certain tall Hufflepuff. When she did see him, her heart would start to pound and the butterflies returned. She was amazed that she had gone from yesterday not noticing the dark haired Head Boy, to being incredibly excited every time she did see him today.

Harry, she noticed, would scowl at Greg every time he saw him and Ron, who had been out on patrol last night when they had returned, arguing, to the common room, had obviously sided with Harry and was now scowling at the Hufflepuff too.

The worst part of the day though was during their double study period when she was creeping along under Harry's invisibility cloak with him, searching their quadrant.

Harry kept on growling about how Hunter was too old for her, until she pointed out that Greg was the same age as he and Ginny. Then Harry started in on how suspicious it was that Hunter was noticing her now, with Voldemort back at full strength, and how it might be some sort of ploy to get at her. By the time the bell rang for them to go to their last class of the day, Taylor was ready to turn Harry into a pebble so that she could throw him out into the black lake with the giant squid.

At least that night Ginny came with Taylor and Harry when they went to search another quadrant and she quickly sided with Taylor and Harry stopped his complaining, but he still glared at Taylor whenever she happened to look at him.

Their systematic search of the castle was proceeding fairly quickly, except they had yet to discover a single clue that might lead them to another horcrux. Plus with all their energy going into searching the castle they hadn't had any time to research how to destroy the one they did have.

Taylor had to admit that she was feeling as if she was letting the others down by the time they all returned to the deserted common room late that night because she was going to the game tomorrow, instead of doing some more searching like they had originally planned.

Hermione seemed to read her mind though because she said after several silent minutes went by, as the five exhausted friends sat in front of the dying fire. "I think maybe we should all go to the game tomorrow. We need a break from this constant searching. Besides the way the Slytherins are talking the game won't last all that long anyway."

An animated discussion then broke out about Hufflepuff's chances against Slytherin the next day, and in the end the five-some decided that they would go to the game and see how it went.

Taylor was up early the next morning. The sky was still dark, heavy clouds hid the stars and a raw wind rattled the glass in the windows. By the time Taylor had returned from her shower a pale light was starting to turn the grounds a cold gray and a few snow pellets pinged against the windowpanes. Taylor put on her old jeans, turtleneck and the navy jumper she had received from Mr. and Mrs. Weasley last Christmas. She also dug out her scarf and mittens and laid them on her bed with her cloak. She glanced at the clock on Hermione's nightstand. It was only seven forty-five, too early to head down to the Great Hall for breakfast. After a moment's hesitation she grabbed her charms book and headed down to the common room to get a head start on her charms homework.

The common room was empty and Taylor curled up in front of the fire, transfigured a pillow into a blanket and settled down to read. It was almost an hour later before another Gryffindor joined her in the common room. The third year settled at a table on the other side of the common room and disappeared behind a mound of books and parchment. Taylor had finished her required reading assignment but thoroughly engrossed in the charms that they would be studying after the holidays, she kept reading.

"Hey Taylor, have you been down to breakfast yet?" asked Ginny as she sat down on the other end of the sofa.

"No. I thought I'd wait for you guys," Taylor said without looking up from her book.

The two sat in silence for a few minutes until Hermione joined them.

"Did you finish your charms reading?" Hermione asked and when Taylor answered "uhm hmm", she continued, "What did you think of the animation charm on page two hundred and eight?" The ensuing discussion lasted until Harry and Ron came down from the boy's dormitories at five to ten.

Taylor ran her book back up to her room and grabbed her cloak, scarf and mittens so she wouldn't have to return for them after breakfast. The butterflies were back in her stomach as she made her way down through the castle with her friends. Harry and Ron seemed to have accepted her coming date with Hunter. At least they didn't say anything to her about it.

The Great Hall was filled with chatter about the coming match, a rare sense of excitement in the air. The enchanted ceiling was steel gray, like the clouds outside and snow fell sparsely, disappearing before it touched the tables.

Taylor saw the dark brown hair of the Head Boy at the Hufflepuff table as soon as she entered the hall but she followed her friends over to the Gryffindor table and sat down to eat. The swarm of butterflies in her stomach kept her from eating more than a piece of toast.

Now that the time was almost here, Taylor was starting to second-guess her decision to go to the game with Greg. All the reasons Harry had come up with for her not to go, made perfect sense now. What did she know about the Hufflepuff? What if it was a ploy to get her away from her friends? Why should he be interested in her? She was just Harry Potter's friend. To everyone but her four friends she was just some lone muggle-born, nothing special.

"Taylor? Are you alright?" Hermione asked quietly as she leaned close to Taylor.

Taylor looked over at her friend's concerned face and shook her head slightly. "I think I made a mistake," Taylor whispered, "What was I thinking? I shouldn't be going on a date. I don't even know this guy. Besides, since when am I interested in guys?" Taylor rattled off the first few of her concerns that came to mind.

"Oh Taylor," Hermione smiled. "You didn't make a mistake. Greg is a nice guy. Don't let Harry and Ron ruin your fun today. You're not going anywhere but to a quidditch match. I think it's about time some guy finally asked you out." Hermione said softly, encouragingly.

"Hermione! I don't know the first thing about dating a guy!" Taylor whispered back as she started to panic.

"Just go, be yourself and have fun. And don't worry about those two clod heads," Hermione said softly as she inclined her head at the two boys sitting across from them stuffing their breakfast into their mouths, seemingly oblivious to the hushed conversation across from them. "Remember the hard time they gave me, and you always told me to ignore them, well I'm giving you the same advice."

Taylor smile weakly at her friend. She remembered telling Hermione just that, except that it had just been Ron who had really objected to Hermione dating.

"Hi, Taylor," a deep voice said behind Taylor and she looked up to see the boy who was causing her so much internal turmoil, standing behind her.

"Ah, hi." Taylor said quietly.

"Are you finished eating? I thought we'd head down to the quidditch stands if you were." Greg Hunter said with a smile.

Taylor glanced at Hermione and saw her best friend nod at her, smiling encouragingly. Taylor took a deep calming breath, wiped her sweaty palms on her jeans and stood up. She didn't look over at Harry or Ron as she said, "I'll see you guys after the game, okay?" She heard both Hermione's and Ginny's farewell, but neither boy said a thing. Feeling hurt as well as nervous, Taylor pulled on her cloak as she walked with Greg out of the castle and down to the quidditch pitch. They didn't talk at all the whole way and when they reached the huge stands, Greg led Taylor up into the area that the Hufflepuff's were gathering to cheer from.

"You know, if you don't want to stay…" Greg said quietly but Taylor interrupted him.

"No, I do. It's just that… uhm… well, I've never been on any kind of date before." Taylor stammered, and turned bright red. She wondered if she could have stuffed anymore of her foot into her mouth.

"Oh… well I'm glad. I was starting to think that maybe you didn't want to come with me. I don't usually date either." Greg said with a growing smile. "I have an idea. Let's not call this a date, let's just say we're two friends who have come to watch a quidditch match."

Taylor felt an answering smile on her face and she nodded, suddenly feeling much better. "Yeah, that sounds like a great idea."

The stands started to fill and Taylor and Greg soon found themselves surrounded by cheering Hufflepuff's. Greg told her about each player and she cheered along with the rest of the Hufflepuff's when the canary yellow team took to the field.

The weather hadn't improved from first thing that morning and a cold wind whipped snowy ice pellets at one and all from the gray clouds overhead. By the time the snitch was let loose Taylor's teeth were chattering from the cold, but she was starting to enjoy herself. Greg had a way of making her laugh at the most ordinary things and she found that she was watching the tall Hufflepuff beside her as much as the game.

True to the early predictions the game didn't last long. Just a little over half an hour, but it was the Hufflepuff seeker who caught the snitch, and the Hufflepuffs beat the Slytherin's soundly one hundred seventy to twenty.

Taylor cheered herself almost hoarse with the rest of the Hufflepuffs.

"Party! Hufflepuff common room, one hour!" Yelled a sixth year two rows over from Taylor and Greg. "Hey Greg, are you coming?" the sixth year called, then added with a wink. "You can bring your girlfriend too!"

Greg just laughed as he walked away with Taylor, but once they were on their way across the frozen grounds he asked, "Would you like to come to the party? You don't have to, but there will be hot chocolate to warm you up."

Taylor laughed at his hound dog expression. She had relaxed some during the game and the butterflies that had plagued her earlier where just a slight flutter in her stomach, as she said. "Sure why not? I'd love to see if Hufflepuffs can throw a party as well as Gryffindors, purely for academic purposes." Taylor added in a mock serious voice.

"Of course. I know there will probably be several questions on our N.E.W.T.S. about the comparisons between the two houses impromptu parties." Greg said with a straight face and a voice very similar to McGonagall's, and then he broke into a huge grin.

"Hey Taylor!"

Taylor turned at the sound of her name and saw her four friends walking towards her, each couple holding hands.

"Hey! Quite a game wasn't it?" Taylor asked unable to keep off the silly grin she'd had on her face for the last half hour.

The five Gryffindors and Hufflepuff continued on up to the castle talking about the game. When they reached the Entrance Hall, four of the Gryffindor's started up the marble staircase towards their common room.

"Taylor? Aren't you coming?" Harry asked as soon as he realized Taylor had stopped.

Taylor's heart started to pound as she met her brother's green eyes then looked quickly away. "Ah… no actually. I'm going to the Hufflepuff party. I'll see you guys later, okay?"

"Yeah, okay, Taylor. We'll see you at supper?" Hermione answered, and Taylor glanced at her bushy haired friend, then at her brother again. Harry didn't look happy but he didn't say anything.

"I'll deliver Taylor to the Gryffindor table myself," Greg said cheekily as he met Potter's hostile glare.

Taylor rolled her eyes and decided that maybe a hasty retreat might be in order before Greg said anything more. She wasn't sure what Harry might do if Greg taunted him like that again.

An hour later the Hufflepuff common room was packed, someone had brought a wizarding wireless and music filled the room as well as plenty of laughter. Taylor found herself standing close to the wall. Greg had gone to get her another drink of pumpkin juice. The packed room had quickly warmed one and all, negating any more desire for hot chocolate.

"Are you having fun?" Greg asked as he passed her a glass.

"Oh yeah!" Taylor laughed as one of the chasers was animatedly showing a move from one of the Slytherin's. "Quite a party!"

The two stood watching the antics of the Hufflepuff chaser in companionable silence.

Taylor had slowly made her way around the Hufflepuff common room, as inconspicuously as possible searching, as she had much of the castle over the last week. She really didn't think she would find another horcrux here. They already had Helga Hufflepuff's teacup, but it was too good of an opportunity to pass up. She had simply used the guise of looking at the unfamiliar common room.

"You know if you told me what you were looking for I might be able to help." Greg said a few minutes later.

Damn, she hadn't been as inconspicuous as she had thought. "What makes you think I'm looking for something, and not just really nosy?" Taylor asked feigning innocence.

Greg's eyes narrowed ever so slightly and his expression turned serious. "I've noticed that you and your friends seem to be searching the school." At Taylor's shocked expression he continued. "I'm Head Boy, Taylor. I'm out on patrol every night, and I've seen Weasley and Hermione patrolling the same corridor or stairway for longer than is necessary."

Taylor glanced around cautiously but no one was paying them any attention. "Maybe they are just slow patrolling?"

"I'm not stupid Taylor. Please, if you aren't going to tell me what you guys are up to, don't lie to me." It was said quietly but seriously.

Taylor sighed. The last thing she wanted to do was lie to Greg, but she couldn't tell him what Harry and them were up to.

As if sensing Taylor's reluctance to speak Greg asked, "Why don't we go someplace a little quieter and less crowded?"

Taylor followed Greg out of the Hufflepuff common room and up the corridor toward the Entrance Hall. He paused at a door and opened it. Taylor was surprised to see it was almost like an atrium. High glass windows let in the weak winter light and snow swirled around the bushes that hid much of the grounds from view. A roaring fire was in the fireplace, a bookshelf took up the other wall and numerous comfortable chairs were situated around the room.

"We use it as a study area. It was a office for a teacher at one time but it hasn't been used as one since my dad came here." Greg said as he closed the door behind them. He led the way over to a couple of overstuffed chairs in front of the fire and sat down. Taylor sat in the other one.

Now that they were alone Taylor felt the butterflies start in her stomach again. She wondered if he wanted to kiss her. According to Ron and Harry that's what most guys wanted when they got a girl alone. What would she do if he did want to kiss her? The butterflies turned into an angry swarm again and Taylor could feel her hands starting to sweat. Greg however seemed to again read that she was uncomfortable and he began talking.

"My Dad, he works at the Ministry, met my Mum when he was fresh out of Hogwarts. She's a muggle. He met her when he was doing an internship at the Ministry before he started in the Dept. of Mysteries. He's not an Unmentionable though. He didn't want to do that to Mum. He works on the less classified things."

"Your mum's a muggle?" Taylor asked, a little surprised that he would so openly admit that to her when such admissions were so dangerous now.

"Yeah, she loves my Dad but she made sure I went to grade school before I got my Hogwarts letter. I'm glad she did really, I learned a lot about muggles. I think that is some of our kind's biggest mistake, not understanding muggles better. I think that is where a lot of the prejudices come from. I took Muggle Studies here, but I dropped it after the first year. It wasn't all that informative. My Mum's parents are still alive and I go to visit them every summer, plus we go there for holidays sometimes. Mum likes to do everything muggle. It drives Dad crazy sometimes cause he could do it quicker with magic, but he usually gives in and does it, what Mum calls 'manually'."

Taylor listened as Greg told her about his dad's family. They were pure-bloods but they didn't have the pureblood attitude. He said he was even related to the Weasleys, a third cousin twice removed or something like that.

When he was finished Taylor didn't know what to say. She couldn't tell him about her brother, and she didn't know how much to say anyway.

"I didn't ask you out Taylor to find out about your personal life. I know the rumor is that you are muggle-born, but I don't care about that."

Taylor smiled a little at that. "Yeah, well, I grew up with my Uncle. I never knew my parents." She could be at least that honest with Greg, but she couldn't tell him any more.

Greg was quiet for a moment and when he spoke his voice was gentle, "I'm sorry. I didn't know about your parents."

Taylor shrugged. It was an old pain that throbbed through her chest. "That's okay. It was a long time ago."

"You only have your Uncle now?"

Taylor shook her head. While not common knowledge, this was no secret either. "No, he died a week before I received my Hogwarts letter."

"Oh," Greg said softly, "so you don't have any family left?"

Taylor met Greg's blue eyes. There was sadness and concern in them. "I have Harry, Ron, Hermione and Ginny, they are my family now."

Greg nodded his head but he didn't look away. A slight smile curved his lips as he said, "That sure explains your close relationship with them. And Potter's and Weasley's hostile reaction to me." He laughed a little before he continued. "I was starting to think that they were jealous boyfriends or something."

Taylor couldn't help but laugh at that. "Oh no, not boyfriends! Brotherly love I can handle from the two of them, but ewww!" Taylor shuddered at the thought of kissing either of those two.

Greg laughed too. They talked about school and their classes but when the talk turned to what she was planning to do after school, Taylor looked at the floor. She had never allowed herself to think about that, only of helping Harry get rid of Voldemort.

"You don't have any plans for after we graduate?" Greg asked after he had explained his desire to become an auror.

"I've never thought that far ahead." Taylor answered honestly.

"Because Harry is the Chosen One, and you are helping him?" There was just a hint of censure in his voice.

"Yes, I am. I may not have known my parents, but I know Voldemort (Greg flinched at the name) killed them and I plan on doing everything in my power to bring him down!" Taylor growled as her temper ignited.

"Hey, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to judge. It's just that, life goes on you know."

Taylor came to her feet and started to pace. "Life doesn't go on Greg! People are dying out there! Voldemort is trying to take over, and if he succeeds, life as we know it will cease!"

Greg stood up and caught Taylor's arm and turned her to face him. "Taylor, I'm sorry again. I didn't mean it like it sounded. I know if You-Know-Who comes into power things will be hell. My family hasn't escaped his terror. I have two cousins that are missing and another that was killed. I was just surprised that you haven't thought past the end of the year." His voice was sad and a pained expression crossed his face at the mention of his cousins.

Taylor closed her eyes and tried to rein in her temper. "I can't think past that. I've committed myself to helping Harry, however I can. In all likelihood I won't make it past the coming war." Only she knew how completely truthful her last statement was.

Greg stared at her shocked, as he swallowed audibly, "Surely you can't mean that. You can't plan to die Taylor. It might happen if there is a war, but…"

"There is no _if_ Greg, only a _when_." Taylor said quietly but with absolute conviction.

"So you and Potter and the others, you're searching for things?" Greg didn't question Taylor about her fatalistic comment. It bothered him way more then it should to hear this girl before him so willing to die.

Taylor lowered her eyes. She couldn't tell him any more. It was too dangerous, for Harry's sake, and Greg's if someone should ever think she had confided in the Hufflepuff.

"You can't tell me." It wasn't a question. "If there is a war, I will fight too, you know. The vast majority of Hufflepuff will fight."

Taylor looked up at Greg and she shuddered at the thought of Greg fighting. "Greg, maybe I should go." She backed away from him.

"Taylor, no. Please, wait." Greg said as he stepped after her.

"This wasn't a good idea. You have a family that if the wrong people found out we were hanging around together could be in danger. You could be in danger. I won't let that happen." Taylor whispered, turning to leave. Greg's hand caught her arm again.

"My Dad and his family have already put in place as much protection as is possible for our family. If something happens, it won't be your fault, Taylor. My Dad is married to a muggle. That brings about its own source of danger. I like you Taylor, maybe more than like you, and I'm willing to risk whatever danger there is to keep seeing you."

Taylor shook her head. "If something were to happen to you because of me…"

"We can't control the future Taylor. All I know is that right now I want to get to know you better. If that puts me in danger as you think, then I will deal with it when it comes. Please don't shut me out because it _might_ be dangerous. I don't know if anything will come of _us_ but I know if we don't give it a chance, we will never know."

Taylor's heart hammered in her chest as she looked up into his sincere blue eyes. There was no deception there; only honesty as he waited for her to answer.

"Why do you want to get to know me? I'm no one special, besides Harry Potter's friend. You don't know anything about me. I could be a dark witch for all you know, and you told me all about your family. You do know how dangerous just that could be don't you?"

"I know you are smart, pretty and an extremely talented witch. I've seen you in Defence Against the Dark Arts. You're no dark witch. Besides you are Harry Potter's friend and he is totally against the Dark Arts. I told you about myself so that maybe you would start to trust me. I don't want you to tell me anything that will betray your friends or put what Harry has to do in jeopardy. I just want to see you, be near you. Get to know the quiet girl who has always stood in her friend's shadow." Greg's voice had become softer and he reached up to push a stray lock of hair off her forehead.

Taylor stared up at him for a long moment but he didn't look away. "I think maybe _you_ need glasses. I've never been called pretty before!" Taylor laughed at herself and pushed her glasses up into place self-consciously. "Maybe you won't like what you see when you get to know me."

"I don't think I need glasses. I'm not the only one who has noticed how pretty you are. Just the only one brave enough to ask you out and I haven't seen anything yet that I don't like." Greg said with a crooked smile.

Taylor blushed.

"Now, I did promise that I'd return you to your friends for supper and seeing that it is almost that time," Taylor noticed for the first time that the windows were indeed black and several candles were lit around the room. "Maybe we should head in that direction. I'd hate to force Potter and Weasley to have to come looking for you.

With a smile Taylor walked out of the room with Greg. The Head Boy was very charming and he had shot down all her objections, and he had been a perfect gentleman. He hadn't made one move to kiss her. His hand in the small of her back as he guided her through the corridors made her skin tingle and every time she sneaked a peek up at his face he met her eyes with a grin on his.

Taylor was very aware of the look on everyone's face as she walked into the Great Hall with the Head Boy. A murmur started as Greg escorted her down Gryffindor's table to where her four friends were sitting. Greg's hand was still resting on her back as they stopped at the empty seat waiting for her.

Greg met Harry's eyes as he said "Delivered safe and sound, just as I promised." He then looked down at Taylor and winked at her before he said. "Thank you for accompanying me today Taylor. I had a very nice time. I hope to see you tomorrow?"

Taylor could feel her face heating up with a blush, very aware that not only were Harry and her friends watching and listening but almost everyone in the Great Hall.

"Yeah, I had a nice time too. Thanks for asking me to go with you. I'll see you tomorrow, maybe." Taylor said quietly.

With a parting smile Greg turned and walked over to the Hufflepuff table and Taylor sat down.

* * *

><p>AN Well there you have it! Taylor's first date! :) I really tried to convey Taylor's insecurities as a girl. Sure she is a very powerful witch but as a teenage girl she is very lacking in the skills that one should have by age 16. I also wanted to show that while the world around Hogwarts is on the brink of war that still a young girl can have her first ackward date and all the confusing thoughts that go with that momentious occasion! When I first thought of adding Greg into the mix I wasn't sure if he would work... I mean I didn't want to take away from Taylor and her relationship with her brother but as I wrote I realized how shallow and stunted she appeared to be. So this stroy has evolved not only into how to destroy Voldemort but also the coming of age of a young witch with all the crap that life has to throw at her. I hope you have enjoyed and will continue to do so!

I want to say again a HUGE THANK YOU! to all those who have alerted and favorited this story! and those of you who have taken the time to leave a review THANK YOU as well! (and I will reply to your reviews as soon as I have time!) Thank you to my wonderful bata barbc! Until next time, cytpotter


	29. Head Boy and Wonky Spells

Nope I own nothing but the Harry Potter books I bought and the computer I wrote this story on!

Not sure if I will get time to post another chapter before Christmas so if not...

Merry Chrsitmas, Happy Hoildays! and Happy New Year!

* * *

><p>Chapter Twenty-nine<p>

**Head Boy and Wonky Spells**

"Well, how was the party?" Hermione asked after a few minutes, as she watched Taylor spooning potatoes onto her plate, taking in the blush that still covered her friend's cheeks and the small smile.

Taylor glanced up at her friend only to blush more. "It… it was fine."

"Fine?" Ginny asked from her other side. "Fine is going to a party in the Gryffindor common room, without a boyfriend. Now spill. Did he kiss you?"

"No!" Taylor cried as her face burnt red, and she looked up at her red-haired friend.

"What! He better not have!" Harry exclaimed angrily.

"No! He didn't." Taylor repeated a little more quietly, so the next table couldn't hear what she was saying. "We just, talked."

"That must have been some talk. He looked very comfortable with his hand on your back." Ginny said mischievously.

Taylor could see Harry's face darkening in anger before she turned to set her friend straight, "We just talked, Ginny. Nothing more! Now _you_ can calm your boyfriend down before I have to jinx him. If he so much as looks at Greg funny again I'll make sure he can't sit still for a _month_!"

Ginny laughed but she reached out and placed her hand on Harry's arm to calm him.

The rest of the meal went by uneventfully. The two girls teased Taylor and the two boys looked as if they were trying to ignore the girls' conversation.

Taylor had looked over at the Hufflepuff table a couple of times. Once Greg had been looking over at her too. She had blushed and looked away. When the meal was finally over the students started to leave the Great Hall.

"We have research with Shacklebolt tonight, Taylor." Harry said in a controlled tone as he stood.

"Yeah, I remember." Taylor replied quietly as she followed Harry out of the Great Hall and up to the Defence classroom.

"I don't like this Taylor." Harry said when they arrived at the classroom a few minutes early and stood waiting for Shacklebolt to arrive.

"Don't like what Harry?" Taylor asked, but she knew exactly what he didn't like.

"Don't play dumb. I don't like Hunter. He looks at you like…"

"Like what? Like you look at Ginny? Like Ron looks at Hermione? Why is it so terrible that a guy has finally noticed me? Do you think I haven't thought of all the reasons that I shouldn't see him? That I know I can never really trust him in case he is somehow trying to get to you through me? God Harry! Do you think I'm that dumb?" Taylor growled in a low voice.

Shacklebolt and Moody turned the corner just then and cut off any reply Harry was going to make.

It was another grueling training session that had Taylor sweating and picking herself up off the floor countless times. It was only a small consolation to see Harry struggling as much as she was. When they were finished, they helped put the classroom back together. Shacklebolt had said it was good practice.

"Potter, Porter, the Order decided that it will be best if you do not leave on the Hogwarts Express, so an escort will be waiting to take you to Order headquarters for the holidays. The Order also thinks it is best if you go to the Ministry for the census the next day." Moody growled in his gravelly voice. The school was letting out on a Sunday, the last day of November.

Harry and Taylor nodded, as Taylor remembered that she hadn't yet spoken to Dumbledore about her lack of documentation to present to the Ministry officials for the census. This week had flown by.

When Harry and Taylor finally arrived back at the fat lady, and clamored through the portrait hole, the common room was almost deserted. Only Ginny and two others were still up. Ron and Hermione were still out on patrol. They joined Ginny on the sofa.

Ginny put up a silencing charm and the three talked about their search of the castle and where they were going to search tomorrow.

"I think we should get up early and finish searching the main floors while the halls are basically empty on Sunday morning. Then later, when the halls are going to be more crowded, we could search the Room of Requirement." Taylor said thoughtfully, she had been thinking about the most likely places to find a Horcrux and she couldn't help but think of the Room of Requirement.

When Ron and Hermione returned a few minutes later, the five-some sat down to plan the next day's search. The others had agreed that Taylor had a good idea.

By eleven the next day the five friends were tired and frustrated. They had risen early that morning, at six thirty, because that was when Taylor had roused them out of their warm beds. They had finished searching the main floors and turned up nothing. They still had the dungeons to search but they were going to start on them the first of the week. Taylor had told them about searching the Hufflepuff common room while she was at the party the day before. The chance of seeing someone in the halls was getting greater as they walked toward the seventh floor and the Room of Requirement. They had grabbed a bite to eat earlier, in the Great Hall, but other than that they hadn't stopped.

Taylor reached the stretch of blank wall, opposite the statue of the trolls, first and began to pace back and forth thinking, 'I need a room where I can find the thing I desire'. When the others joined her, an old wooden door was materializing out of the blank wall.

Harry opened the door and went in. The others followed. A huge room greeted them filled from floor to ceiling with thousands and thousands of every kind of knick-knack imaginable. A heavy coating of dust covered everything. A few things still had enough magic left in them to sputter sporadically.

"Where do we start?" Ron asked wide-eyed as he looked at the mounds of things that they were going to have to search through.

"I say we start by searching for anything with Dark Magic in it like we have been doing in the halls and if," Hermione paused and looked at a grotesquely shaped dead animal in the first pile, "or when, we find something with Dark Magic that looks promising, we have Taylor test it with her spell."

Hours later the five Gryffindor's were sweating and covered in dirt as a strange green tinge hovered in the air from the many revealing spells that Taylor had used. The room seemed to magnify the simple combined magic spell and made it smoke more each time she used it.

Tempers were starting to fray and more than once the five friends had started arguing about one thing or another.

"Here, try this Taylor," Ron said as he levitated an old chipped plate over to where Taylor was searching through a pile of what looked like rags.

Taylor looked at Ron and shook her head in frustration. "Do you see anything on it indicating it was one of the founders?"

"No, but it does have a Dark Magic trace." Ron snipped back.

Out of pure frustration Taylor closed her eyes and said without even thinking, "_Horcrux Accio_!" Taylor's eyes flew open as her wand started to vibrate, and the strangest sensation, as if somehow a giant vacuum was sucking the magic out of her, her pendant burning hot against her neck. She was vaguely aware of the startled yells from her friends as her knees gave out and she landed on an old tea set, slicing through her jeans as it shattered.

"Taylor! Taylor! Are you alright?"

"Hermione get me something to stop the bleeding."

"Here, use this, just pour it on, it will help to stop the bleeding."

"Do you think we should take her to Madame Pomfrey?"

"What the hell happened?"

"I'm not sure. I'd say she used Dark Magic."

"But she's used Dark Magic before and nothing like this has ever happened!"

Taylor could hear the voices but they seemed far away and she couldn't tell who was saying what. She was completely exhausted as if she had tried to produce a shield charm and not let it down before she passed out, but somehow way worse than that.

"I know. Maybe she just tried too difficult of a spell?" Hermione said, her voice thick with concern.

"A harder spell than putting a curse on Snape? I don't think so. All she did was try to summon the Horcrux." Harry's voice was heavy with concern and confusion.

"She didn't try to combine the two magics again, did she?" Ginny asked.

Taylor was slowly becoming aware that her friends were right beside her. She could even feel one of their hands on her shoulder. With an effort she said, "No, I didn't combine them. I just used the summoning charm. Did it work?"

"Are you alright?" Harry asked.

"Yeah, I will be, in a few minutes," Taylor answered her voice slow and tired.

"What happened?" Hermione asked.

Taylor could feel her energy coming back little by little and she opened her eyes. Her four friends were all kneeling down beside her, looking anxious.

"I'm not really sure. All I did was a simple summoning charm, and no, before you ask again, I didn't combine the two magics." She met her brother's worried green eyes for a moment and then looked at Hermione.

"So what happened? It looked like you just fainted, but why?" Hermione asked in her stern Professor McGonagall tone.

"I don't know. It might have looked like I fainted, but it felt more like all my magic was being sucked out of me." Taylor said slowly as she tried to explain what it had felt like. "Did I actually manage to summon anything?"

"Maybe it is all the Dark Magic and Dark Arts in this room that caused it to happen." Ginny suggested.

"Well, I'll be damned!" Ron exclaimed, he had stood up a minute ago to look around and he spotted a shinning, gold tiara sitting in the narrow path between the towering piles of discarded items. Bending he slipped his wand tip through it and picked it up.

Hermione scrambled to her feet and went to look. "I… I think it's Rowena Ravenclaw's! It has a bird on it." Hermione carefully moved her wand around it. "It has definitely had Dark Magic used on it!" she said excitedly.

Harry and Ginny stood for a closer look too. Taylor wasn't sure if she could sit up yet, let alone stand.

Hermione, her eyes shining, looked over at Taylor. "I think you did it! This could be another Horcrux!"

"You can tell us Taylor." Ron said eagerly.

Taylor was just about to say that she didn't think she should try right now when her brother spoke for her.

"I don't think Taylor should be doing any magic right now. If this is a Horcrux then it isn't going to disappear in a couple of days. Hermione put it in your bag and I will put it in my trunk when we get back to Gryffindor Tower. We'll take Taylor to the hospital wing first."

"I'm not going to the hospital wing! Hermione's potion healed my cuts and after I have something to eat I'll be right as rain." Taylor growled, with a little more energy then she actually felt.

"But Taylor we still don't know what happened. Maybe Madame Pomfrey should take a look at you to make sure you are okay," Hermione said as she folded the tiara up in a piece of cloth and put it carefully in her bag.

"I'm not going to the hospital." Taylor growled again as she forced her weak body to sit up.

Hermione looked at her skeptically but she didn't push it any more.

Taylor met Harry's eyes though and she could see that he still wanted her to go.

"Taylor, maybe you should go…" Harry began.

"What am I going to tell Madame Pomfrey, Harry? That I've been dabbling in Dark Magic? I'll be fine in a little while. I feel a lot better already. I'll just stop at the first bathroom and wash up." Taylor said firmly as she again forced her trembling limbs to obey her commands and stood shakily.

Harry knew if he hadn't reached out and steadied his sister she would have fallen. He didn't push it again either. He didn't want anyone else finding out about his sister's ability, and even though the school nurse usually didn't ask too many questions, he didn't really want to try it this time. Taylor was looking better. A little colour had returned to her face, even if a fine sweat had covered it at her effort to stand up.

"Here, lean on me." Harry said as he wrapped his arm around his sister's waist to help hold her up. Ron supported Taylor from the other side, and half carrying his sister, the five Gryffindors headed out of the Room of Requirement.

Taking some of the less traveled corridors and stairs they managed to make it down three floors before they saw a single person.

Taylor was walking more on her own now and not leaning as heavily on Harry and Ron. Her legs were still shaky though and she felt weak as a kitten.

However the first person that they had the misfortune to run into was one of the last people that Taylor would have wanted to run into in this condition.

They had just reached the bottom of a set of stairs and had to go halfway down that corridor to reach the next stairway. A small group of students turned the far corner as the five-some set out down the corridor.

"Taylor?" called a familiar voice.

Taylor groaned and Harry uttered a soft curse.

A tall dark haired boy broke away from the group he was with and hurried toward the five dirty Gryffindors.

"What happened?" Greg asked as he came closer and then he took in their filthy appearance and Taylor's pale face as she was being supported between Potter and Weasley. "Taylor, are you alright? Were you attacked?"

"I'm fine," Taylor said.

"Like hell you are! You look like you are about to collapse." Greg growled stopping in front of Taylor.

"Look Hunter, Taylor said she was fine, so just back off." Ron said aggressively as he moved more in front of Taylor, shielding her from the Hufflepuff.

"Look Weasley, if someone attacked you guys I want to know." Greg growled meeting Ron's aggressiveness with some of his own.

"No one attacked us Hunter." Harry snarled through his teeth as he stepped in front of Taylor too.

"Then what the hell happened?" Greg demanded as his friends that he had been walking with stopped beside him.

Taylor elbowed her way in front of Ron and Harry again so she could see Greg properly when she spoke to him. Harry's arm reached out to steady her though as she swayed a little. "Greg calm down. I did a spell that kind of went a little wonky is all."

Greg narrowed his eyes and studied the dirt and sweat on Taylor's face, as well as how drawn and pale it looked. Her filthy clothes, ripped jeans and the blood stains on them. "Just a spell gone wonky?" He asked skeptically, raising an eyebrow.

"Look Hunter, why don't you clear out of the way?" Ron said in the same aggressive voice.

Taylor decided to try a different tactic before Ron or Harry decided to _move_ Greg out of the way. She knew she wasn't going to say any more about what happened and the longer they stood in the corridor the more likely that someone else would come along.

"I need to go to the washroom. How about I meet you down in the Great Hall in a few minutes for supper, okay Greg?"

"You look more like you need to go to the hospital wing to me." Greg growled but he turned to his friends and nodded his head. The group walked out around the Gryffindors and continued down the corridor and out of sight.

"Bloody git!" Ron growled.

"What are you going to tell him?" Ginny asked as she moved around in front of Taylor.

Taylor just shook her head wearily and Harry's arm tightened around her waist. She glanced up at her brother and saw the concern in his eyes. "Just what I already told him, I guess."

On the other side of the stairs they were going to take, was a girl's washroom, and Ginny and Hermione accompanied Taylor into it, with one on either side in case she needed the help.

Taylor looked at her reflection in the mirror as she leaned heavily on the sink. She decided she looked like hell.

"Well, we can't very well go to supper looking like this," Hermione muttered as she looked at her dirty face in the mirror. Pulling out her wand she performed a cleaning spell on the three of them, siphoning off all the dirt, and in Taylor's case dried blood. She also repaired the ripped jeans.

The three girls then fixed their hair and after Taylor splashed cold water on her face, more to revive herself then to remove any dirt, they headed back out to join the two boys.

Only there were three boys waiting. It seemed Greg had doubled back to talk to Taylor.

"What would you like, Greg? I thought you were going to wait for Taylor in the Great Hall?" Hermione asked as soon as she spotted the Head Boy. Hermione noticed that Harry and Ron had cleaned up too, although she could see a few remaining dirt smudges at their collars and the cuffs of their jeans. The boys just weren't as thorough as she.

Greg took in their clean clothes and, other then the paleness of Taylor's face, no one would likely think anything unusual had happened to the Gryffindors. "I thought maybe Taylor might be more willing to talk away from the crowd in the Great Hall. Plus I wanted to make sure she really is alright." Greg said pinning Taylor with a hard stare.

Taylor sighed and shook her head, but her steps were slow as she started down the corridor. Harry and Ron immediately falling in beside her, in case she needed their support. "I'm fine. Maybe not up to taking on a bunch of Slytherins right now but just give me an hour or so and I'll be raring to go."

Greg fell into step beside the Gryffindors as he asked, "So you aren't going to tell me what happened?"

"I already told you. One of my spells went a little wonky." Taylor said as Harry pulled the tapestry aside and Ron started down the stairway first to catch Taylor if she fell.

Greg watched the red headed girl with glasses make her way carefully down the steps, hidden much of the time by the two tall boys who had been supporting her. He didn't believe her story, but he knew that if he kept asking, Weasley and probably Potter too, were likely to step in and force him to leave. That he had no intention of doing.

The six of them silently made their way slowly down towards the Great Hall. By the time they reached the last tapestry that opened into the Entrance Hall, a fine sweat covered Taylor's face and her knees were trembling. She couldn't believe how weak she felt and she hoped that sitting for a while and eating would bring back her strength.

"You know Potter if you carry Taylor into the Great Hall you're going to stir up the gossip nest." Greg said quietly from the back of the group.

"Yeah? So?" Harry turned a bit to glare up at the Hufflepuff.

"People might start asking questions." Greg said in an off hand way.

"What's your point Hunter?" Ron growled.

"Well if I helped her and we all went in as a group, we wouldn't cause much of a stir, especially from the teachers, not after yesterday." Greg answered with a smug grin. He had noticed that Potter and his friends often tried to stay below notice as much as possible, and he suspected that might even be more important to them at the moment. He hadn't missed their constant watching and how they were trying to avoid running into anyone on their way down.

Taylor wiped the sweat off her face. She wished she wasn't quite so tired. She'd set that Hunter straight herself. Of course if she felt a little better she would have strode off into the Great Hall with out looking back. She caught the look on Harry's face as he was about to say something, probably to tell Greg where he could stuff his suggestion.

"I don't feel like arguing, Harry," Taylor said tiredly, "and unless you have a better idea, then Greg's is fine with me."

Taylor watched as the smug grin grew on Greg's face as he slipped down past Hermione, Ginny and Harry. He winked at her as he put his arm around her and pulled her possessively against his side. Taylor put her arm around the Hufflepuff and leaned heavily against him. When his blue eyes met hers again though, the cockiness was gone and there was concern in them and he searched her face for a second before he looked away.

With a disgruntled look Ron pushed the tapestry aside and Greg walked out into the Entrance Hall with Taylor.

Greg had been surprised at how heavily the Gryffindor girl had leaned into him. To him it was a clear indication that she wasn't _fine_, and was a long way from it. Half way across the crowded Entrance Hall he leaned down and asked quietly, "Taylor, are you sure you are alright?"

"Yeah, I'll be fine. I just want to sit down."

The words were whispered quietly, but Greg didn't miss how tired they sounded. He steered the girl through the crowd, very aware of the other four Gryffindors following closely behind him, and into the Great Hall to the Gryffindor Table. Helping Taylor sit, he took the seat next to her as if he did so all the time. He knew it would draw a fair amount of attention but he had no plans of leaving Taylor until he knew she was feeling better.

After the initial murmur and head turning, the student body settled down to eat their meal. It was already running rampant through the school about Taylor Porter going to the Hufflepuff party with the Head Boy, then the two of them disappearing for the rest of the afternoon. The gossip mill just accepted the fact that Hunter was now sitting at the Gryffindor table with Porter as a clear indication that the two were indeed dating.

The rest and the food did wonders for Taylor and by the time the meal was over she was almost feeling like herself again. Hermione and Ginny had carried most of the conversation, which wasn't unusual, during the meal and Seamus and Neville, who were sitting next to Greg, talked to the newcomer at the Gryffindor table also.

Greg had been very aware of the red haired girl with glasses sitting beside him throughout the meal. He noticed too that she was quiet for most of it; whether this was normal or not he wasn't sure. He did notice though that by the end of the meal her face had finally regained its usual color and her hazel eyes were once again sparkling.

"I don't suppose you'd agree to stay and talk with me for a while would you?" Greg asked as students rose and headed off towards their dormitories or the library.

Taylor looked up at Greg and her heart gave a flutter. The Hufflepuff had stayed doggedly near her ever since he had first seen that she had been hurt, showing quite clearly that he did care for her. She could see the hope in his eyes as he waited for her answer. She hated to disappoint him.

"I'm sorry Greg, but I really have to go. I have a ton of homework yet to do."

"Oh, well, okay." His voice sounding as disappointed as his face was. "I don't suppose you'd be going to the library would you? We could study together."

Taylor couldn't help the smile that played at her lips, but she glanced up to see her brother and the others waiting for her by the double doors. What would Harry say if she agreed to go to the library? They could do some research as well as homework… "Yeah, I could go to the library. I need to look up something for that essay of Slughorn's anyway."

* * *

><p>AN Well another chapter! I know it might seem like Greg and Taylor are expressing alot of 'caring' for one another rather fast but when I thought back to when I was young...ger :) well I could remember that when I liked someone I REALLY liked them and it seemed to happen overnight so hopefully it is some what believeable! What about Taylor and that 'Wonky spell"? hmmmmm... ;) Did it make you question what she did? If it did then good that was what I was aiming for! :)

A HUGE THANK YOU to those who have added this story to thier favorites and alerts! And a very speacial THANK YOU to those of you who have taken the time to review! Those make my day! Thank you again to my wonderful bata barbc!

Happy Hoildays! Until next time, cytpotter


	30. From Libraries to Fighting in Corridors

And sadly I must tell you all that Santa DID NOT leave the rights to Harry Potter under my Christmas tree this year so that means I still own nothing but this story and the charactors that came from my mind!

Wishing you all a very Happy New Year!

* * *

><p>Chapter Thirty<p>

**From Libraries To Fighting in the Corridors**

One argument and a half hour later, Taylor walked into the library with her brother, Ginny, Hermione and Ron.

Harry had not been impressed with Taylor for agreeing to go to the library to study with the Head Boy. He had growled that they should be starting their search of the dungeons and had only stopped his complaining when Hermione had pointed out that it probably wouldn't be a good idea for Taylor to use anymore magic today. Plus Ginny had pointed out that they could catch up on their homework and be ready to continue their searching tomorrow night. Ron didn't think much of going to the library to study with Hunter either, but when Hermione said she'd help with Ron's potions essay, he had agreed.

Taylor spotted Greg at the back of the library at a table that the five-some had often used. She led the way towards him and smiled at him as she sat down beside him.

They made substantial headway with their homework. Taylor was able to complete her Potions essay and the questions for Herbology, plus get a good start on her three-foot Transfiguration essay due Friday. With a half hour left before the library closed, Taylor got up and went searching for a curse-breaking book that they hadn't yet read.

"Hey, now that is some heavy reading." Greg said quietly as he joined Taylor in one of the back aisles eyeing the thick old book she was flipping through.

Taylor smiled. "I like to read everything I can. You never know when it might come in handy."

Greg was quiet for a few minutes as he flipped through the book that he had pulled off the shelf. It was never a good idea to let the librarian, Madame Pince, find one idly standing back here.

"So are you going to tell me what happened earlier?"

Taylor glanced up quickly at the handsome Hufflepuff, but her voice was nonchalant as she said, "I already told you. A spell went wonky."

"Yeah, I know that is what you said. What spell?" Greg asked as his blue eyes bore into hers.

"What?" Taylor asked a little startled by his question.

"What was the spell?" His eyes were intense as he stared into hers.

Taylor looked away as her heart started to hammer. She couldn't tell him she had used a Dark Magic spell. "I, ah, it was… a transfiguration spell. It backfired, horribly."

"Transfiguration? What were you trying to transfigure?" His voice, while quiet, was serious. "I've never seen a transfiguration spell drain someone's magic like that."

Taylor felt her face drain of color. If Greg had performed a simple revealing spell he would have easily seen the Dark Magic traces on all of them. "W-What do you mean?"

Greg studied the girl in front of him. He had seen the color leave her face and her eyes grow round in fear, behind her glasses. This, more then anything, told him that she had probably been doing some sort of spell she wasn't supposed to be doing. She had already told him that she was committed to helping Potter however she could. He wondered if Potter had asked her to do something dangerous. A surge of anger pounded through his veins as the desire to protect the red-haired witch in front of him gripped his insides.

"Taylor, I can respect your loyalty to Potter. I will… _try…_ to never ask you to tell me… _anything_ you can't. But if he is asking you to do dangerous spells, or putting you at risk, unnecessarily…" The intensity in Greg's voice surprised Taylor and she looked up to see that same intensity in his eyes.

Taylor shook her head. "Oh no. It was nothing like that. I really don't know what happened. The spell just went… wrong."

Greg continued to stare at her for a long moment before he said. "You're not going to tell me what spell are you?"

Taylor tried to smile, to lighten the intensity in the air around them, but she didn't quite manage it. "I… can't." For a long moment Taylor thought he wasn't going to accept her answer, then slowly he let out a long breath.

"Alright, Taylor. But can you promise me, you will be more careful in the future?"

Taylor was just about to answer when Hermione appeared at the end of their aisle. "Oh, there you are. We are going back to the common room, Ron and I need to drop our books off before patrol. Are you coming?"

Taylor was about to answer when Greg beat her to it.

"You guys can go on ahead. I'll make sure Taylor gets back to Gryffindor Tower safely. I'm patrolling with Patrick anyway. You can tell him to wait for me in your common room."

Hermione met Taylor's eyes for a second then she smiled smugly. "Sure, no problem Greg. See you on patrol. Bye Taylor."

"Bye Hermione," Taylor put the book she had been flipping through back in its place and followed Greg back to the table they had been using to gather their books. Hermione and the others were just going out the library door. Taylor saw her brother glance back at her once before he disappeared down the hall.

"You doubt that I can safely escort you to Gryffindor Tower?"

Taylor glanced over at the tall Hufflepuff, noting his broad shoulders and strong hands. "I don't have any such doubt. Between my skill and your brawn we should be able to handle anything the Slytherins can throw at us."

Greg laughed and Madame Pince glared at them as they walked out of the library.

Taylor followed Greg as he took the long route up to Gryffindor Tower.

After they had walked for a few minutes in silence, Greg pulled out his wand and with a wave Taylor recognized well as a silencing charm, asked, "How do you know You-Know-Who killed your parents?"

Taylor was a little startled by the question, and wondered if he had been thinking about asking her for some time now. His straightforward manner took a bit of getting used to. "Dumbledore told me about it last year."

"But they were muggles weren't they?"

Taylor stared straight ahead. She had never lied about her parents, not really. She had always just suggested a scenario and let people draw their own conclusions. With a tightness in her throat, and a prayer that someday she could speak the truth, she said. "Voldemort enjoys killing muggles too."

"I'm sorry Taylor. I shouldn't have asked. Sometimes I let my mouth run away with me." The Head Boy's voice was full of regret.

"It's alright. It's not like I ever knew them." Taylor said quietly. His arm came hesitantly around her shoulders and after a few seconds he tightened it and pulled her close to his side.

"I am sorry."

They walked for another few minutes in silence.

"Taylor, I was wondering… my parents said it was alright, if you would like to come to my house over the holidays, maybe for supper some night. I'd like you to meet my Mum and Dad."

Taylor looked up at Greg and stared at him shocked. "You've got to be kidding! Do you ask every girl you've only known for two days over to your house?"

The Hufflepuff laughed and shook his head. "No. Just you."

"Well isn't this just cozy?" a voice smirked from behind them.

Taylor wheeled to see a group of Slytherin's come out from behind a stone statue that hid a stairway.

"I'd have thought a half blood like you, Hunter, would have had more sense then to get mixed up with a piece of Mudblood trash like that!" purred the tall girl, in a poisonous voice.

"And I'd have thought you learned your lesson last time Parkinson. Don't mess with what you can't handle!" Taylor said in a soft dangerous voice, as she stepped in front of Greg.

Parkinson looked around at the other five Slytherins with her before she said. "I'm not really surprised you can't count Mudblood, but you _are_ out numbered."

"Ten points from Slytherin! Watch your mouth Parkinson. And if you don't move along, I'll make it detention!" Greg growled as he stepped out from behind Taylor.

Parkinson and the other Slytherins laughed. "Detention? Points? As if I care! I've waited a long time to get my pay back on you Mudblood."

"Pay back? Well you should have brought more help if you think those five are going to make the difference in who wins here!"

"Oh, I did!" Parkinson smirked and Taylor's hair on the back of her neck stood on end.

"_Stupefy_!" The spell was yelled behind Taylor. Two more Slytherins had come up behind her and Greg.

Taylor flicked her wrist and grabbed her wand as she dove for the wall, the spell smashing into the floor where she had been standing. Out of the corner of her eye she could see Greg diving for the opposite wall, as Parkinson and the other Slytherins started throwing curses.

Taylor scrambled to her feet, stunning one of the Slytherins who had snuck up behind her with a silent spell. She noted that the other one was beating a hasty retreat as she swung back to the others. Greg was holding his own against a sixth year boy so Taylor concentrated on the others. Her wand was a blur as she silently blocked and sent spells almost in the same motion. Her months of practice in Shacklebolt's office making the difference as the Slytherin's started to drop.

A stunner, block, a freezing charm, block, block, another stunner, block, a disarming spell, block, only two were still standing. She could see Greg finally stun his opponent. When she heard Parkinson's frustrated shriek, then…

"_Sectum…"_

Taylor knew the spell, Snape's cutting spell.

"_Protego_!" Taylor bellowed out the shield charm as she dove in front of Greg. The cutting spell ricocheted off her shield and smashed into the ceiling raining rock chips down on them. Taylor scrambled to her feet without dropping her shield.

Parkinson laughed as she advanced on Taylor.

"How long do you think you can hold that shield, Mudblood?"

"Long enough!" Bit back Taylor. She had been able to hold her shield charms for almost five minutes when she had been practicing in the Room of Requirement. However after her wonky spell that afternoon she knew she'd never last that long. She could already start to feel the strain.

Greg was breathing hard, but was unharmed thanks to Taylor's shield charm. He wasn't sure how long she would be able to hold it, but other questions were exploding in his mind. Like why hadn't a teacher or auror come to investigate the noise? Why were the Slytherins so brazen? What were they going to do now?

"If you are waiting for someone to come rescue you Mudblood you can forget it. A nice silencing and sealing charm, will make sure we are not disturbed." Parkinson laughed. The other Slytherin was reviving a couple of the ones Taylor had stunned.

"You know, you are going to be in big trouble when we get out of here." Greg growled.

"Who says you _are_ going to get out of here?" Parkinson laughed.

Taylor met Greg's sideways look. They needed to act now.

Taylor dropped her wand arm and shield at the same time, surprising the Slytherin's for a moment. Four against two still weren't great odds, but Taylor dropped one Slytherin with her first stunning spell. Greg was once again fighting one and Taylor concentrated on the other two.

"_Expelliarmus__" _

Taylor saw Greg's wand fly out of his hand from the corner of her eye, he was defenseless now. This time though Parkinson and the other Slytherin were working together. One blocking as the other sent hexes. Taylor had her hands full, but she backed up towards Greg. He had jumped at the Slytherin and was now wrestling with the large sixth year, trying to get control of the wand.

The Slytherins weren't as good at soundless spells and they still needed to say most of them out loud. This gave Taylor a slight advantage. Another blocking spell and Taylor dropped Parkinson with a stunner.

It was just Taylor and the Slytherin now, but the spells he was using were becoming darker and darker. Nasty spells that Taylor would never use. She was able to block them and get in a few near misses of her own. A new voice joining the fray sent a shiver of fear up her spine.

The Slytherin that Taylor had thought had run off was now back, and before Taylor could get her shield up again he had hit Greg with a nasty stunner that would leave welts where it hit. The sixth year that Greg had been wrestling with got up to join his buddies.

Taylor backed up until she was standing right in front of the Head Boy's prone body.

"What are you going to do now Mudblood? Are you going to run like a coward or are you going to stay and grovel at our feet?"

"I pick option three. I kick your ass!" Taylor snarled and she let loose with everything she had. She didn't think, her wand flicking back and forth, a calm settling over her, the darker the Slytherin's spells became the more dangerous they were. Taylor's pendant began to burn against her neck. If she went down there was no telling what these Slytherins would do to Greg, or to her.

One by one the Slytherin's fell, sweat was pouring off Taylor by the time she watched the last one fall.

Not knowing how long before some of the others might start coming around, Taylor conjured her Patronus and sent it off after help and summoned all the wands to her and stuffed them inside her robes.

"Greg?" Taylor whispered as she dropped down beside the Head Boy. He looked very pale. She pointed her wand at him, _"__Finite Incantatem__"_, nothing happened. With a trembling hand she reached out and gently brushed the hair off his forehead. She was tempted to try and use Dark Magic to revive him when she heard something and looked up.

At the end of the corridor she could see Lupin and Moody, but even though she could tell they were yelling she could barely hear them. Then she remembered what Parkinson had said. Instinctively Taylor knew it was a Dark Arts spell that was shielding the corridor. Taking a deep calming breath, she closed her eyes, "_Silencio Impentitio_ _Infinitio_!" her pendant burnt as Lupin's and Moody's voices reached her ears.

"Taylor! Are you alright?" Lupin called as he hurried towards her.

"Miss Porter! _What_ is going on?" Moody growled as he clumped down the corridor looking at all the unconscious students.

"Good Heavens! What in the name of Merlin has happened here!" Professor McGonagall exclaimed as she appeared at the end of the corridor accompanied by Shacklebolt and an auror.

Taylor looked up at Lupin ignoring the others for a moment. "He was hit with a Dark Arts spell, I couldn't revive him."

Lupin looked down at the boy lying on the floor as he reached Taylor and was a little surprised and relieved to see it wasn't Harry. "What happened? Do you know what spell was used?"

Taylor told Lupin the spell and he looked at her surprised. "Are you sure?" He asked, and when Taylor said she was, he looked over at Moody who grunted his disapproval.

Twenty minutes later Taylor found herself once again in the headmistress' office. Greg and the Slytherins had all been taken to the hospital wing and Madam Pomfrey was tending to and reviving them. Taylor had told Moody the spells she had used on which Slytherin, even the three Dark Magic spells she had used.

Taylor couldn't sit down, she was too worried, so she paced back and forth, waiting for Professor McGonagall to come tell her what kind of trouble she was in this time.

Taylor conjured her Patronus again and sent it to Harry letting him know she was all right and in the headmistress' office.

"Young lady! Do you really think that was necessary?" one of the portraits of the past Headmasters asked.

Taylor ignored it and kept on pacing only glancing up once at Dumbledore's portrait.

The oak door opened five minutes later and in walked Professor McGonagall, Shacklebolt, Moody and Lupin.

Taylor paused in her pacing to take note of their somber expressions and then she began pacing again.

"Miss Porter, please have a seat." McGonagall said as she sat down behind the large desk.

Taylor sat in a chair but her foot began jiggling, it was her body's way of siphoning off some of her nervous energy.

"I want you to please tell me exactly what happened down in that corridor." Professor McGonagall demanded in a firm voice.

Taylor related everything that had happened and as she talked she caught uneasy looks between the four adults.

"You knowingly used Dark Magic. Even after you were told not to? On students in this school."

Taylor looked up at McGonagall. She didn't feel guilty for what she did. "Professor, I had no choice! They were using Dark Art spells. They had already used a nasty one on Greg Hunter and stunned him. I didn't use anything really dangerous, just enough to stun them."

"That is not the point Miss Porter! You purposely disobeyed me and my order to not use Dark Magic again."

"Professor, Moody asked me to use Dark Magic on Snape! I was only defending myself, and protecting the Head Boy!"

McGonagall's lips were a firm line as she glared at Taylor.

"Miss Porter, please go wait outside for a moment." Professor McGonagall ordered.

Taylor wondered if they were going to decide where they were going to send her after they expelled her from Hogwarts. She might get the chance to finally speak with Snape, Taylor thought miserably.

She wasn't sure how long she stood outside the door waiting, maybe ten minutes, when Lupin opened the door to admit her back in. She tried to read Lupin's face but it was expressionless.

"Please sit, Miss Porter." Professor McGonagall ordered.

Taylor sat back down, a thought occurred to her. If she was expelled, would they break her wand? Like they did Hagrid's? Fear flooded her. She'd be completely defenseless in the outside world, easy pickings for any Death Eater.

"Miss Porter, you have put me in a very uncomfortable position. On the one hand you have broken not only school rules, but Ministry laws also. It is forbidden to use the Dark Arts." McGonagall held up her hand to stop Taylor from interrupting her. "I know you used Dark Magic and not Dark Arts but as it stands right now, our laws do not differentiate between the two. That you say you had no choice is not valid. We always have a choice, Miss Porter. We can either choose the light or the dark."

"Professor. I am not a dark witch!" Taylor exclaimed.

"That may be so. However people are going to start believing the worst about you if you continue the way you have been. By using Dark Magic. Therefore I am afraid I am going to have to punish you. Starting tomorrow you will no longer have any free study periods, and you will have detention every night and weekend with either Professor Shacklebolt or Moody. Here is your schedule for your detentions."

Taylor reached out and took the slip of paper.

"Professor Shacklebolt will escort you back to Gryffindor Tower."

Taylor stood, "Professor? Is Greg going to be alright?"

McGonagall's eyes softened just slightly. "Yes, Miss Porter, he will be fine."

Taylor nodded, turned and walked out of the Headmistress' office with Professor Shacklebolt. The long walk back to her common room was silent. Shacklebolt waited until she went in through the portrait hole before he left her.

Taylor was just straightening up when, "What the hell happened?"

Taylor looked up to see her brother's angry face. She sighed, looked at the empty common room and launched into the story. When she was finished Harry and Ginny stared at her. Hermione and Ron were still out on patrol.

"Those slimy dirty bastards! Did McGonagall give them detention too?" Harry demanded.

"I don't know," Taylor said tiredly. It had been a rough day.

"Oi Harry!" Ron's voice called.

Taylor looked over at her brother in surprise, until she saw him pull a silver mirror out of his robes.

"Hi Ron." Harry said to the redhead.

"Did you hear from Taylor yet?"

"Yeah, she's back. How is it going? Everything quiet?" Harry asked.

"Haven't seen anyone all patrol."

"That is probably a good thing. How long until you guys are done your rounds?" Harry asked, as he could hear Hermione asking if Taylor was all right. "Taylor's fine, Hermione."

"We should be back to the common room in fifteen or twenty minutes." Ron answered.

"Okay, we'll see you then mate." Harry replied and he put the mirror back in his robes.

Taylor stood up, "I'm going up to have a shower. I should be done by the time Hermione and Ron get back.

Harry and Ginny nodded.

Eighteen minutes later Taylor stood in the steamy bathroom looking at the bruises and welts on her body. Some, in all fairness, were from last night's training session with Moody and Shacklebolt, but there were a lot of new ones that were just starting to turn color plus several welts and a quite a few small cuts. The cuts on her knees however, were just thin scars now thanks to Hermione's healing potion.

With a critical eye Taylor took note of her wet dark red hair, longer right now than it had been in a long while. She'd be able to start using some barrettes very soon to keep it out of the way. Her face, while symmetrical, wasn't pretty like her mother's. Her glasses changing her look even more still from that of Lily. Her neck was thin, her shoulders too broad and her chest too flat. With a snort of disgust at her uncharacteristic preoccupation about her looks, Taylor grabbed her wand off the sink and with a flick, sheared off her hair. Running a hand up thru her hair Taylor noted that it was now so short that it was barely long enough to cover her fingers. Almost a crew cut. Satisfied Taylor pulled on her old, worn bathrobe and slipped out of the steamy bathroom and up to her room.

Pulling on an old pair of sweatpants and a hand-me-down sweat shirt from one of Mrs. Briggs nephews, Taylor slipped her feet into a pair of slippers that she had knit when Hermione had been on her knitting spree to knit hats for the house-elves. Pulling up her sleeve Taylor quickly attached the wand holder that Shacklebolt had showed Harry and her. The holder held the wand on the inside of the forearm, so that with just a slight flick of the wrist a witch or a wizard had their wand in hand. It was a device most auror's used. The holder had an anti-disarming charm on it so that no one could take the wand while it was still in the holder. Sliding her wand into it, she pulled her sleeve down and headed back down to the common room.

Hermione and Ron were already there when Taylor came down the steps and went to join her friends by the fire. After she had recounted the Slytherin's attack and what had transpired in the Headmistress' office, Hermione had several questions that Taylor answered as best as she could.

"So Professor McGonagall didn't say if the Ministry was going to step in did she?" Taylor shook her head. "If the Slytherins were using Dark spells, you'd think that McGonagall would have to report it. Especially with all the aurors that are here guarding the school."

"Unless…" Ginny began slowly, "she thinks they were somehow cursed, like Jeanie and Clare, the two fourth years who attacked one another here a couple of weeks ago."

Taylor snorted, her voice full of contempt. "Parkinson definitely wasn't cursed! She was completely aware of what she was doing! She even said that she'd been waiting for a long while to get her _payback_."

"I knew I should never have let you come back alone with Hunter!" Harry growled.

"Oh hell, Harry! I'm not scared of Parkinson! The bitch would need a few more friends then she had tonight before I'd be too worried!" Taylor snarled, as anger heated her blood.

"Taylor, from what I heard you were almost…" Hermione began.

"Like hell I was! If I hadn't been trying to toe the line and use only stunners when the slimy gits had started to use Dark Arts spells, I'd have dropped the three of them a hell of a lot sooner!" Taylor bit out as she came to her feet and began to pace.

"You shouldn't be using Dark Magic at all!" Hermione cried.

Taylor wheeled and was about to explain that she hadn't been left with much of a choice, when Harry cut her off.

"Taylor, sit down and calm down. Hermione, I trust Taylor's dueling skills and if she felt that she needed to resort to Dark Magic then I expect she did. However, she should never have been put in that vulnerable a position to be that outnumbered in the first place."

"I wasn't alone Harry!" Taylor growled hotly.

Hermione quickly jumped in to diffuse the coming argument by asking about the Dark Arts spells that the Slytherins had been using for sometime.

After awhile, Taylor could feel the exhaustion setting in. "I'm heading up to bed. Tomorrow is likely to be a long day with classes and detention." Taylor grumbled.

The five friends said their goodnights and headed off to bed.

Lying comfortably in her four-poster Taylor was almost asleep when Hermione asked softly. "How is Greg?"

"McGonagall said he was going to be fine."

"How was it going, before those Slytherins attacked?" Hermione asked curiously with a smile in her voice.

Taylor was silent for a moment thinking about her walk with the Head Boy. How nice it was, so normal feeling. "It was… just walking, Hermione."

Hermione sighed, "I think he likes you Taylor."

"Yeah well, after he finds out what happened, I doubt he'll want anything to do with me. It will be for the best." Taylor said quietly and added even softer. "It will be better for him."

* * *

><p>AN So what did you think? The spell Taylor used to take the silencing and sealing charms down from the hallway were just ones I made up. I do try as often as I can to use actual spells but as Taylor was using Dark Magic to take those spells down I just made it up... more to come on that in later chapters! :)

I want to thank all of you of you who left a review(I will reply to you as soon as I get the time! I thought a new chapter would be almost as nice as a reply to your reviews!) Thank you to those of you who have alerted and favorited this story as welll! You all make my day!

Thank you to barbc who has been absolutely terrific and bataed several more chapters even though she is busy this Christmas season! So until next time, cytpotter


	31. Detention

Nope Santa didn't come back to my house so I still own nothing but what poured from my crazy imagination!

Not sure if there are any hockey fans out there but if I miss a mistake in this chapter then I will ask your forgiveness as I am watching Canada play at the World Jr. Championships on my tv as I post this chapter. Hockey rules at my place so I will try to keep any more cheering to myself! :) So on to the chapter we go! ;)

* * *

><p>Chapter Thirty-one<p>

**Detention**

It didn't take long for Taylor to find out that the Slytherins had indeed said that they'd all been cursed and were spreading the news that Taylor had used Dark Magic against them. Greg Hunter wasn't at breakfast, and the Slytherins were even saying that she had attacked him too.

Taylor, who had never really been in the forefront like this before, found all the staring and pointing very uncomfortable. Rumors were running rampant, most of them wildly false, but fear of anything related to the Dark had students moving away from her at the table and watching her suspiciously in the corridors, as if she were going to attack them at any second.

At least her brother and friends stuck by her and Taylor tried her best to ignore it.

For Taylor the worst part was when she walked into the Great Hall for supper that evening, seeing Greg sitting at the Hufflepuff table and he looked away from her. Forcing her face to reveal nothing, she had walked to her seat at the Gryffindor table, her fingernails cutting into the palm of her hand.

Taylor only had twenty minutes to eat. As part of her detentions, she had to meet Moody in the Entrance Hall. The whole school seemed to watch her leave.

That night Taylor and Harry had their lesson with Shacklebolt. Moody brought Taylor to the Defense classroom. She had been in another classroom that Peeves had made a horrible mess in, cleaning it up, without magic. The lesson itself was another grueling one, and afterward Moody took Taylor back to finish cleaning before she was allowed to go back to the Gryffindor common room. It was after midnight.

The following day was no better. She had a free period in the afternoon and this time Shacklebolt oversaw her detention, which entailed writing out the detailed homework assignments for all fourteen of Shacklebolt's classes.

Taylor hardly had time to say hi to her friends as she hurried through another meal and then she was off for the evening with Moody again. This time in the Potion's classroom where there had been an accident and a cauldron had been melted.

As Taylor worked at scrubbing the floor, she wondered how Harry and the others were making out with their search of the dungeons. Harry had, at least, given Taylor his mirror so that if something happened she would know Harry and the others had gotten in trouble. It was after midnight again when Moody escorted her to the Fat Lady.

The rest of the week progressed the same. The others would fill her in on their progress, with searching the dungeons on the way to breakfast, and then it was classes and detention for Taylor. Her homework fell behind, and Friday Professor McGonagall gave her a T on her essay, because she hadn't had time to finish it before handing it in.

Saturday Taylor was up and out of the common room at seven to meet Moody so she could start her day of detention. Which turned out to be a day of labour out in the greenhouses, helping Professor Sprout repotting some plants and preparing the greenhouse for the forced extended holiday that started tomorrow. She didn't even get to go to the Great Hall for lunch, eating instead with Professor Sprout at one of the worktables.

When it got dark, Professor Sprout took her up to the Entrance Hall to meet Moody. Who took her past the Great Hall with the end of term feast just about to start, the smells wafting out of the doors making her stomach grumble, up to Shacklebolt office.

"You can eat in here Porter." Moody growled as he looked at her filthy robes, dirty hands and face, and smelling like dragon dung.

Taylor sunk into the chair in front of Shacklebolt's desk thankfully, a plate full of sandwiches and a jug of pumpkin juice waiting there for her on the desk.

"Professor Shacklebolt will be back shortly Miss Porter. I suggest you eat up."

Taylor glanced up at the old auror, to find Moody staring at her with both his eyes, giving her an uneasy feeling. "Yes sir."

Taylor ate in silence with Moody sitting beside her, watching her every move. It was a little disconcerting to say the least.

She finished at the same time Shacklebolt arrived, and he vanished the plate and empty jug before sitting down behind his desk.

"Miss Porter, Professor Sprout was very pleased with all your help today. She said that she was very impressed at all that you managed to get done." Shacklebolt's deep voice held just a touch of praise. "I don't suppose you are all packed and ready to leave tomorrow are you?"

Taylor shook her head, "No sir."

"Well I won't keep you as late tonight so you will have time to pack and be ready to leave tomorrow morning. Tonight you will be clerking for me while I take inventory of the Defense classroom."

It was only ten o'clock when Shacklebolt escorted her to the Gryffindor common room.

"Hey Taylor!" Ginny called when Taylor crawled through the portrait hole. "Merlin! What have you been doing? You smell horrible!"

Taylor rolled her eyes at her friend "Yeah, you try working in dragon dung all day and not smelling bad!" Glancing quickly around the common room she asked. "Where's Harry?" Hermione and Ron weren't there either but Taylor knew they would be out patrolling still.

"He just went up to the washroom. So what? You worked out in the greenhouses all day? You even missed the feast." Ginny said.

"You don't need to remind me! I'm going to take a shower. I'll be back down in a few minutes." Taylor called as she headed for her dorm room.

Nearly two hours later, Taylor, now clean and smelling much better, sat on the sofa with her four friends finalizing their plans for the holidays. The common room had been unusually crowded tonight as everyone was enjoying their last night before going home for the holidays.

"So we are going to go to the Ministry on Monday for the census?" Hermione asked in a business like tone. The common room was finally empty, with the added protection of a silencing spell. The others agreed.

"Then we are going to head out to look for other Horcruxes." Hermione said and the five friends laid down their plans and what they would do if they got separated.

Two hours later, after putting a silencing charm on Lavender's bed so as not to disturb the sleeping girl. Taylor was packing her things.

"I was on patrol tonight with Greg." Hermione said in an off-hand kind of way.

Taylor's hands stilled for a second but she didn't respond.

"He was asking about you. For some reason he seemed very surprised that you were in detention all week." Hermione continued.

Taylor shrugged one of her shoulders as she continued to pack her books into her trunk. "Well, all he would have had to do is listen to the wild rumors that were flying around."

"He told me that Madam Pomfrey said the spell he was hit with often caused temporary memory loss. He said at first he didn't even remember anything that happened this term. His memory is slowly returning but he still can't remember anything from the fight in the corridor last Sunday night." Hermione said cautiously.

Taylor glanced over at her friend. "Hopefully it stays that way. Don't give me that look Hermione! You know as well as I do that he is far better off staying away from me! I already landed him in the hospital wing once and he'd just hung around with me for two days! No, he's far better off not remembering and staying away from me." Taylor slammed her trunk cover down, grabbed her toothbrush and headed for the bathroom.

With a sigh Hermione watched her friend leave.

"You know, Miss Granger, Miss Porter does have a point."

Hermione jumped and saw Dumbledore peering out around the picture of Taylor's aunt and uncle.

"Professor! You startled me." Hermione exclaimed as she hurried over and took the muggle photo out of the way.

"I am sorry. However sometimes now, I am afraid, I am reduced to listening in on conversations in girls' dormitories." The painting of Dumbledore said in an amused tone.

"I'm sorry. It's just been such a crazy week." Hermione explained. "What with finding another Horcrux, Taylor's fight in the corridor. I suppose you heard about that." Dumbledore nodded solemnly. "Trying to finish our search of the castle and Taylor's detentions."

"Yes, Miss Granger, I do know you and the others have had quite a lot to deal with these past few weeks. I am, however, a little surprised that you did not come to me. I may just be a painting but I like to think my wisdom is still sound." Dumbledore said conversationally.

Hermione turned red as she sputtered out an apology.

"That is quite alright Miss Granger. I do remember how easy it is to forget to ask for help when one is trying to do things by themselves." The twinkle was back in the painted blue eyes. "Ah, Miss Porter. I was hoping you would return soon."

Taylor looked from the painting of Dumbledore to Hermione in surprise. "Professor Dumbledore!" Taylor exclaimed wondering how she had managed to put off seeing him for so long. It wasn't that she didn't want to talk to him, just that she was dreading the disappointment she had glimpsed in his eyes last Sunday night.

Taylor sat on her bed and recounted the many things that had happened since their last talk, weeks before.

"You have managed to find another Horcrux. Very good! I suppose you are going to go in search of more Horcruxes over the holidays?" At their nod, Dumbledore continued, "The new census for the Ministry, is what we need to discuss first. As I told you last year Miss Porter, there is no record of your birth anywhere. I have spoken to Alaster Moody about it and he has been able to… _acquire_ some documentation that _should_ get you through the census. Alaster will explain it to you before you go to the Ministry on Monday, I am sure. As far as the fight in the fourth floor corridor, I am more then a little concerned," Taylor's, "But Professor!" Dumbledore ignored and continued, "From what I have been able to gather from talking to Minerva and Madam Pomfrey, they believe at least some of the students from Slytherin were indeed cursed, they are just not sure how or who did it."

Taylor was silent for a few moments as she thought about that. While she had no love for Parkinson, and she would bet all the gold in her brother's vault at Gringott's that Parkinson had not been under any curse, Taylor highly doubted that the Slytherin girl had the skill or the knowledge of how to work a spell that complicated.

"Part of the reason Professor McGonagall has had you in detention all week Taylor is to make sure that you do not have another altercation with the Slytherins. She, as we all are, is very concerned about what is going to happen after the Ministry's census, and she did not want to appear that the school did not punish your actions. A single fight between students, while unsavory, is not grounds for expulsion. The fact that you used Dark Magic, is like most of the stories circulating about that fight, merely hearsay and rumor. It, like all things of the sort, will blow over in time."

"Which brings me to a rumor that _I_ have heard," Dumbledore's eyes twinkled as he continued, "about you Miss Porter and the Head Boy from Hufflepuff."

Taylor's jaw dropped. She was shocked that Dumbledore would bring up her three dates, if you could call them that, with Greg.

"Taylor, while I can understand your reluctance to open your heart at a time like this, and it may be considered by some to be unwise to involve another in your life right now, I must say to you, that the strongest magic of all, is _love_. Like I told Harry long ago, it is our choices that make us who we are. Your ability to use Dark Magic and still fight for the light side stems from your vast capacity to love, and in this area you are very much like Harry, Miss Porter. Be very careful in your decision to discount the true power of love." Dumbledore's eyes had taken on a piercing quality as his voice became very somber.

Taylor lay in bed long after her conversation with Dumbledore thinking about what he had said. As daylight started to creep in around her hangings, Taylor still hadn't yet decided what to make of Dumbledore's words.

By nine o'clock Taylor was all packed and heading down to the Great Hall with the rest of Gryffindor for a quick bite to eat before they headed out to the Hogwarts Express. Taylor knew that neither she nor Harry were going on the train with the rest of the students but instead would be apparating away with Moody.

The atmosphere in the Great Hall was unlike any that Taylor had experienced just before the school was to be let out for the holidays. The talk was subdued, and only a smattering of nervous laughter could be heard all meal. The conversation mostly revolving around the new census.

Taylor noticed that the Head Boy was at the Hufflepuff table but never glanced in his direction at all while she ate.

When Professor Flitwick came into the Hall and announced that the carriages were waiting Taylor rose with her friends and made her way out of the Great Hall. She was thinking about earlier when Hermione had quietly told Harry and the others about their conversation with Dumbledore.

"Taylor." When she didn't turn the voice called again, more insistently this time. "Hey Porter!"

Taylor recognized the voice and she was wondering if she might be able to disappear in the throng of waiting students in the packed Entrance Hall. A hand grabbed her shoulder and turned her around.

"Hey! I've been hollering your name." Greg said a little put out.

"Yeah, maybe the reason Taylor didn't answer, is because she doesn't want to talk to you!" Ron growled.

Taylor shot a glare at Ron then glared up at the Head Boy. "I can fight my own battles, Ron. What do you want Hunter?" Taylor demanded.

The Hufflepuff's eyes narrowed as he took in Taylor's angry tone and stiff body. "I want to have a word with you." He glanced at Weasley's and Potter's surly expressions and added, "Alone."

"I wouldn't think that you'd want to take the chance after hearing what everyone has been saying about me this week." Taylor growled angrily.

"Taylor, please. I really want to talk to you for just a minute." Greg said his voice slightly pleading.

Taylor glared at him for a long moment then with a curt nod she turned and made her way through the parting students to the wall where it was less crowded.

Turning and crossing her arms, Taylor demanded again, "What do you want Hunter?"

The noisy crowded Entrance Hall became muffled as the Head Boy slipped his wand back into his robes, an intensity burning in his eyes as he looked at Taylor.

"I want to know what happened last Sunday."

"You must have heard. It's all over the school." Taylor snapped.

"Yeah I've heard that you jumped fifteen Slytherins, produced You-Know-Who's death mark and performed Dark evil magic before you were discovered. And I don't believe one word of it! I remember Parkinson and the other Slytherins attacking us. I remember you using a shield charm and then I can't remember what happened after that." The Hufflepuff said slowly as if he were trying hard to remember more.

Taylor looked away, over the heads of the waiting students to the oak doors.

"When I woke up in the Hospital Wing, I didn't remember anything. Not even the start of the year. Slowly this week my memory has come back to me. When I finally remembered you…" The Head Boy paused his voice reflecting the pain and confusion in his eyes. "I couldn't find you. I thought at first maybe you too had been hit by the same spell that took my memory or… that you had been hurt." He paused again to search her face. "I heard then that you've been in detention all week. Why'd McGonagall punish you when Parkinson and the others weren't?"

Taylor bit her bottom lip and closed her eyes. "Why do you think I got detention? You've heard the rumors." She said quietly.

"I don't believe that you are into the Dark Arts, Taylor," The Hufflepuff said firmly.

Taylor looked down at the floor refusing to meet his eyes, knowing it would hurt too much to see disappointment or the fear that she had seen in most peoples eyes all week. With a shrug she said in a flat tone. "Everyone else does."

"Taylor," the Hufflepuff reached out and gently lifted the red-haired girls head, noting that it was a lot shorter now, so he could look into her hazel eyes. "I'm not everyone else." The lack of muffled talk made him glance around to see that only a few students remained in the Entrance Hall. "Sit with me on the train. Please."

Taylor turned to look over at where Harry and her other friends were waiting by the oak doors. "I'm sorry. I can't"

The Hufflepuff heard the regret that tinted Taylor's voice, and followed her look over to Potter. "I can sit with you then, if that is easier."

Taylor heard the hope in his voice and it pulled at her heart. Sadly she shook her head. "I'm sorry, Greg. I really am. But you can't." She could see the confusion in his eyes, then they narrowed.

"You're not going home on the train are you? You're leaving with Potter." It was a statement.

Taylor hid her surprise quickly but she knew the Hufflepuff had got his answer as his face hardened and his eyes darkened in anger.

"I will give you this now, then," as Greg handed Taylor a slip of paper. "My invitation from last Sunday still stands. This is my address, read it, so I can burn it. I don't want it falling into the wrong hands."

Taylor glanced down at the piece of paper in her hand.

_ Hunter's Place_

_ 1948 Lindsaylands Road_

_ Biggar_

"Memorized it?" Greg smiled a little when Taylor nodded then taking the paper back from her, he burned it with a flick of his wand.

Taylor looked at the Hufflepuff a little dumbfounded that he would give her such information.

"I don't know what happened last Sunday Taylor, but I know how I feel about you. I trust you." Greg continued in a hurry as Professor Flitwick was beckoning them to come as he walked towards them. "If you are going away with Potter… promise me that you will be careful! And that you will come to my place for supper some night."

"I…" Taylor began as the Head Boy flicked his wand and Flitwick's call for them to hurry came flooding back into the area where they stood.

"Please Taylor, I really don't want to go a whole month and a half without seeing you." His deep voice hushed and slightly pleading.

"I'll try." Taylor whispered before she turned and headed across the hall at a jog as her four friends headed out the door.

Taylor hadn't looked back as she hurried out the door and into the school carriage hauled by a Thestral. She had been able to see them ever since fifth year when she had seen Sirius die in the Department of Mysteries. Sitting down beside Harry, the carriage lurched ahead and began the trip towards the train.

"What did Hunter want?" Ron asked from the seat across from Taylor.

Taylor shrugged her shoulders and shook her head. Inside her emotions were all a jumble. How could he trust her? He must have heard the grain of truth in every rumor, that she _had_ used Dark Magic. Was his invitation to his house what he said it was? Simply his desire to see her over the holidays, or was it something more sinister?

"Taylor?" Harry's voice interrupted her musings.

"He… just wanted to talk." Taylor said quietly as she gazed out the small window in the carriage at the frozen grounds of Hogwarts and the cold gray sky overhead.

It didn't take long to reach the stone boars that stood on either side of the gates at the school. Moody and Lupin were waiting on the other side.

"Remember our plans! Our rendezvous! And be careful, you two!" Hermione said in a hurry just before the carriage slowed to a halt and Taylor and Harry jumped out.

Lupin quickly grabbed Taylor's arm as Moody did the same to Harry. The last thing Taylor saw before she was squeezed by Lupin apparating her away, was Greg's grim face in the window of the carriage behind the one she had been in.

After a quick check that they were all who they were supposed to be, Lupin and Moody led Taylor and Harry into a small neat little house.

A middle-aged witch smiled at them and introduced herself as Muriel before she showed Harry and Taylor each to a small bedroom at the top of the stairs. After telling them that lunch would be in an hour she went back down the stairs.

Taylor looked around the small bedroom. It was quaintly furnished with a small bed, a matching dresser and a window looking out onto a river.

"Hey," Harry said as he walked into Taylor's room.

Taylor's lips twitched but didn't quite make it into a smile.

"What's up?" Harry asked as he looked into his sister's sad eyes.

"Nothing." When Harry's eyebrows rose Taylor continued. "Nothing important."

Lupin appeared at the door then looking so very tired and worn. "Moody and I wanted to go over a few things with you two, before I have to leave. In here is fine." Lupin said as Moody clumped into the doorway too and Taylor and Harry sat on the bed. With a flick of his wand Moody conjured two comfy chairs, sealed and silenced the room.

"Now," Moody began in his gravely voice, "I wanted to let you know Miss Porter that I have been informed that you do not have any documentation to show at the Ministry tomorrow. I was able to acquire a muggle birth certificate that you can use. As it is not yours, you are going to have to be very careful how you answer questions. As Remus here told you a while ago, there are anti deception spells in place. However they can be fooled. Especially as you are muggle-born and have never tried to hide it, I doubt that you will be asked more then a few questions about your parentage. Our sources have informed us that the Ministry is looking to identify muggle borns and their parents, but as yours are dead, there is little information that they will be interested in. Here is the birth certificate I was able to get for you. Read it and memorize the names and birth date written on it, also the place where it says you were born."

Taylor took the small piece of paper and read it. "Are these people really dead?" Taylor asked as she handed it back.

"Yes, this is a real birth certificate. Just your name has been put on it." Moody answered.

"What happened to their real daughter?" Taylor asked, with a twinge of guilt at using this dead couple's misfortune to her own good.

"She disappeared shortly after the couple's death." Moody replied, and then began instructing Taylor on how best to answer the questions that they thought the Ministry was going to ask. When Moody was satisfied with Taylor and her answers, he moved on to Harry, so that he would be ready too.

"When they ask you where your current residence is I think it is best if you both say Hogwarts. As you are both of age (Taylor shifted a little at this) but still at school, it will not be all that uncommon for you not to have a place of your own. And that Miss Porter is why we are going over all this now!" Moody stared hard at Taylor with his good eye and his magical one. "A mistake like that will cost you."

Taylor looked down at the floor as her face turned red in embarrassment. Moody grilled them for another hour until their answers were automatic, correcting any indication that what they were saying was not the truth.

When they were finally finished to Moody's satisfaction he removed the spells sealing the room and clumped out the door. Lupin started to follow. He had made a couple of suggestions when needed, otherwise he had been silent.

"Lupin?" Taylor asked quietly to stop him from leaving. When he turned and looked at her, she continued. "I'm sorry about last Sunday. I didn't…"

"I know you are not a Dark witch, Taylor. So does Alaster, Kingsley, and McGonagall. She was just trying to keep you out of more trouble, you know, by giving you those detentions." Lupin said with a worn smile.

"Yeah, I know ah, Hermione thought that might be the case," Taylor replied, Hermione _had_ agreed with Dumbledore about McGonagall's reasons for the detentions at least.

Lupin smiled again. "You have good friends Taylor." He glanced meaningfully at Harry and then back at her. "You two make sure you stick close together tomorrow, and be careful. Hopefully everything will go according to plan. I have to go. I'll see you later this week." Lupin put his hand on first her shoulder and then Harry's giving each a gentle squeeze before he left.

The rest of the day passed quietly. The house they were staying at was not the Order of the Phoenix's headquarters, as Taylor and Harry had originally thought they might be taken too. It was however one of the Order's houses, but for security purposes they weren't told whose house or where it was. Muriel was a pleasant witch and she made them both feel welcome. She was also a good cook and they had an enjoyable lunch and supper, as the witch told them tales of her days at Hogwarts with James and Lily.

* * *

><p>AN First of all I want to apoligize to any one who lives in Biggar... your name came up on Google Maps and when I pushed the little man it looked about like what I thought Hunter's Place would be situated, sorry if I don't potray it as it really is! I will readily admit that I've never been to the UK! Or Europe for that matter having been born and lived in Canada my whole life. I did try with my limited computer skills to find a place that sort of fit my story, again I hope I don't offend anyone! I guess I could of just made up a place but I like to use real places if I can to give my story a little more realism(a quirk from a quirky writter!) So... what did you think of Taylor's detention? Or Greg's reaction? :-) If you are questioning his actions then my job is accomplished! :) As for Taylor and her detention... well she is James' daughter! lol!

This is the second chapter that I posted today and I want to again say THANK YOU for the reviews, alerts and favorites! You guys just make my day! And I promise I will reply to those of you who have left a review! As soon as I get the chance! Thank you to my wonderful bata barbc!

Until next time(which I hope will be tomorrow!), cytpotter.


	32. The Magical Census Department

Even though I asked repeatedly for Santa to bring me Harry and company he didn't so I guess I still own nothing!

And we go to the Ministry again... :)

* * *

><p>Chapter Thirty-two<p>

**The Magical Census Department**

Muriel woke Taylor and Harry early the next morning to get ready to go to the Ministry of Magic. Taylor could hear ice pellets hitting the window as she dressed in a pair of jeans, a turtleneck and a sweater. She hadn't unpacked any of her things from her trunk that Moody had put in her room because she knew that she and Harry wouldn't likely be returning to this nice little house, if at all possible. All the things Taylor needed to take with her to go searching for Horcruxes was shrunk and packed in her bag that she was going to take with her. All that remained in her trunk was her school things.

"Ready?" Harry asked as he stuck his head in Taylor's room before going down for breakfast.

"Yeah. You?" Taylor asked and her brother nodded. Together the two went down to the warm kitchen to a hot bowl of porridge and some toast.

Moody was waiting for them along with Kingsley Shacklebolt.

"Remember everything that we talked about and don't let your guard down once at the Ministry." Moody growled as they ate.

As soon as Taylor and Harry finished eating they thanked Muriel and pulling on their heavy cloaks followed Moody and Shacklebolt outside.

"Miss Porter," Shacklebolt said in his deep voice as he offered her his arm as soon as they were outside the wards protecting the little house. Taylor put her hand on his arm and was immediately squeezed as she apparated with her professor.

The alleyway where they appeared was already crowded with people. Many of them wearing uniforms of the Ministry of Magic, but many like their little group were simply bundled against the cold wintry wind, and hurried towards the many entrances to the Ministry of Magic set up to accommodate the vast numbers of witches and wizards that were now required to apparate to the Ministry. The alleyway they had apparated to had been warded with anti-muggle charms, plus a half a dozen doors had been installed to allow them entrance to the Ministry itself.

Despite the number of people, the queue was moving at a steady pace and Taylor and Harry were soon inside the Ministry of Magic.

"Weasley." Moody growled as Arthur and Molly Weasley along with Ron, Ginny and Hermione reached them through the crowd.

"Moody, Shacklebolt." Arthur Weasley said in a curt voice.

Together they all made their way towards the lift that would take them to the Magical Census Department.

Taylor looked around cautiously as she walked through the vast entrance hall, noting all the changes since the last time she had been there. Gone was the fountain of gold with the wizard, witch, centaur, goblin and house elf. In its place was a cold marble statue of a wizard. Everywhere banners and posters hung, all boosting of the superiority of wizards.

They were lucky and all caught a lift to level three where the Magical Census Department was located. It was a silent trip, indicating more than words just how worried they all were. When the lift opened, they found themselves in a large room with a desk and a long line of witches and wizards all ready waiting.

It took nearly an hour for their group to reach the gray haired wizard sitting behind the desk. "Next," he called in a brisk professional voice.

Shacklebolt nudged Taylor and she walked up to the desk alone.

"Name and blood status." The gray haired wizard asked.

"Taylor Porter, muggle-born." Taylor answered as her heart started to pound.

The gray hair wizard looked up at her sharply, then nodded. "I trust you have your documentation?" He didn't wait for her to answer but continued. "Muggle-borns down the hall on your right." He pointed, before calling, "Next!"

Taylor heard the gray haired wizard repeat his question to her brother and heard his answer.

"Harry Potter, my father was pure blood, my mother muggle-born."

Taylor couldn't help the slight smile that crossed her lips as she entered the office on the right. The last thing she heard before entering was the gray haired wizard's voice saying. "Half bloods and Half bloods with a muggle-born parent, down the hall to the left."

The office Taylor entered was much like the one she had just come from, except that it was smaller. The line was also shorter, only five were ahead of her, three witches and two wizards. The desk though was set back next to the wall. At first Taylor didn't really get a good look at the witch sitting behind it as the wizard right in front of her was very tall and nearly as round. Her heart started to hammer and anger coursed through her veins when she heard the simpering voice call out, sickeningly sweet.

"Next."

Taylor stepped sideways to look around the huge wizard to make sure her ears weren't playing jokes on her. No such luck. Dolores Umbridge sat behind the desk, a silly pink hat perched atop her squat toad-like face. Taylor's hands curled into fists. She could remember all too well the toad like witch that had taught Defense Against the Dark Arts in her fifth year. Unconsciously Taylor rubbed the thin white scar that she had on her left hand that read, _I will not tell lies_. She had got the scar from serving detention, along with Harry, for backing up Harry when he said Voldemort was alive in Umbridge's class. Taylor did not regret backing up Harry, was actually glad so that Harry didn't have to suffer through Umbridge's evil detentions alone. It had however made Taylor despise Umbridge.

"Taylor." A familiar voice whispered.

Taylor turned around and saw Hermione standing behind her.

"Did you see who's sitting behind the desk?" Taylor whispered back, anger coloring her voice.

Hermione peeked out around the huge wizard and her lips thinned and she took on a very McGonagall-ish look. "What is that _cow_ doing in the muggle-born office?" Just the fact that Hermione called a teacher, even an ex-teacher, a name spoke volumes as to how angry she was.

"Better in here than in with Harry." Taylor whispered back and Hermione nodded her head vigorously in agreement.

The two friends waited for a time in silence as another wizard came in and lined up behind Hermione. It was nearly another hour before the huge wizard in front of Taylor went up to stand in front of the desk. He actually was standing just to the side of Umbridge.

Taylor glared up at the toad-faced witch. She could feel her blood starting to boil just standing there.

"Taylor!" Hermione breathed excitedly in Taylor's ear. "Look at the necklace!"

With an effort Taylor looked down from Umbridge's toad-like face to see a silver necklace resting on Umbridge's sickeningly pink robes. It took her several seconds of staring to realize what she was looking at.

"Merlin's beard!" Taylor breathed.

The silver necklace was intricately carved with a large 'S' and inlaid with green emeralds.

"Do you think it is the one from Padfoot's place?" Hermione breathed into Taylor's ear, afraid of being overheard.

Taylor stared for a long time before she answered. "Yeah, I do." She could remember on one of her few trips to Sirius' house, when Harry, Ron, and Hermione were helping to clean out a room at Grimmauld Place, she had also pitched in to help even though she was only going to be there for a few days. She remembered they had discovered a few old pieces of jewelry, one looked remarkably like the one Umbridge was wearing. The next year Harry had caught Mundungus Fletcher stealing a bunch of Sirius' family heirlooms. Taylor also remembered the fake locket that Harry and Dumbledore had brought back the night Dumbledore was killed. The one with the note in it saying it was a fake, with the initials _R.A.B_. It was supposed to be a horcrux.

A determined smile pulled at Taylor's lips as an incredibly reckless feeling took hold of her. "Why don't we find out?" Taylor breathed as she palmed her wand and an intricate swish later, a small popping sound, much like the sound of horses' hooves could be heard in the room.

Umbridge came to her feet looking around wildly as she sputtered in her simpering voice, "What is that? Who is making that sound!"

Taylor slid behind Hermione so that her wand wasn't visible and closing her eyes without even saying the words out loud she performed the revealing spell for a horcrux. The tiny thread of green smoke drifting up from the silver locket was lost almost as soon as it appeared because Umbridge was twisting around still looking for the source of the fading hoof beats.

Taylor stood rooted to the spot, they had found another horcrux!

Hermione looked at Taylor with a mixture of disbelief and fear. Unable to believe her friend had just been so bold as to torment Umbridge with her fear of hoof beats and the downright dangerous act of mixing Dark and Light Magic right here in the Ministry of Magic.

Neither young witch had completely recovered when Umbridge a few minutes later called out, "Next"

Taylor forced her legs to move and carry her up to the desk and Umbridge.

"Miss Porter! I guess I should have expected to see you here." Umbridge said in a condescending tone. "Do you even _have_ a muggle birth certificate?"

Gritting her teeth Taylor handed Umbridge the fake birth certificate Moody had procured for her. Umbridge barely looked at it, before she handed it back, wiping her fat bejeweled hand as if it had been dirty somehow. "Let me see your wand"

Taking a deep breath Taylor handed her wand to Umbridge, it was almost the hardest thing she had ever done.

"I suppose you bought this from Ollivander?" picking up her own wand from the desk, Umbridge touched it to Taylor's. A faint hiss and Taylor could see words appearing on the paper on the desk. _Yew, dragon heart string, eleven inches._

"Your parents are both dead right? No living relatives?" Umbridge simpered in an evil satisfied tone.

"No." Taylor answered shortly.

"That is what the Ministry likes to hear. No more chances for mistakes like you," Umbridge said in her sickeningly sweet voice.

Taylor's fingernails cut into her palm, as red dots danced before her eyes. Taylor had never felt more like hitting someone in her life. The only thing that held her back was the fact that Umbridge hadn't given her wand back to her yet.

Next Umbridge asked Taylor a few more questions, many very similar to the ones that Moody had said would be asked. Taylor kept her answers short and Moody-approved and her answers were recorded on the paper that had recorded her wand's materials.

"Thank you for taking the time to complete the Ministry of Magic census. Here is your wand back. Have a nice day Miss Porter." Umbridge simpered.

Taylor wheeled on her heel and walked past Hermione who looked a little pale. When Taylor reached the door she stopped, she might be totally pissed off at the bitch behind that desk but she wasn't going to leave her friend in here alone. Leaning against the wall by the door Taylor mulled over how she could go about stealing the locket from Umbridge. A glance out the door though told Taylor that she wouldn't get far. Several Ministry guards stood at various intervals along the corridor. Taylor decided that she must have indeed been nervous not to notice them on her way to this room. Still though, Taylor thought if she could create a big enough disturbance she might be able to get the necklace, but then what? To her knowledge the only way off this floor was by the lift she had come on. Then she would have to make it out of the Ministry of Magic before she could apparate away. What about Harry? Hermione? And the Weasleys? She couldn't just leave them to be questioned and possibly get in trouble.

Still though, to pass the time Taylor thought with great satisfaction of ways to incapacitate Umbridge, each one getting more grotesque and painful.

Straightening up from the wall as Hermione walked towards her, Taylor could see her friend was almost in tears. Glancing around Hermione, she could see the toad-faced bitch watching with a satisfied smirk on her face. Taylor's blood began to boil.

"Hey, Hermione," Taylor said just loud enough for her voice to be heard by all in the room. "How did it go? Was the bitch…" Taylor put her hand to her mouth in mock shock, "I mean witch, as much like a toad as usual?" Hermione's eyes grew round in fear but Taylor sent Umbridge a mock salute and walked out with her friend.

"Taylor!" Hermione hissed as soon as they were out of the room. "What in Merlin's name did you say that for?"

"Because the hag had it coming!" Taylor growled but she put her arm comfortingly around her friend's shoulders, as unshed tears still glistened in her eyes. "I suppose she was nasty to you too, was she?" Taylor's voice turned gentle as she pushed her anger away to comfort Hermione.

Taylor and Hermione spotted the others waiting over by the lifts and made their way towards them. Mrs. Weasley pulled each of them into a hug as soon as they reached the group.

Taylor glanced at her brother and could see that there was the same strained expression on his face as all the others. When Mrs. Weasley released Hermione, Ron put his arm around her shoulders and as a group they headed into the next lift.

Inspiration hit Taylor and biting the inside of her lip until she could taste blood, her eyes began to water. Lowering her head she let the tears run down her cheeks. Taking a deep shuddering breath, Taylor looked up at her brother.

Harry's eyes widened in surprise and then clouded with concern for his little sister, "Taylor?" he asked quietly as he put his arm around her shoulders.

Taylor knew she had to go a little overboard. She wrapped her arms around her brother's waist and hugged him back, hard. To play it up a little more she let her head rest on his chest and with sniffles and a few hiccups in her breathing, she thought she played it fairly well. Carefully, Taylor peeked past her brother's arm and her eyes met Ginny's and Taylor winked at her. Ginny's eyes widened too but only for a fraction of a second before she nodded her head a fraction.

"Hey, it's okay now," Harry whispered in Taylor's ear as he bent his head down by his sister's. He was quite surprised that his sister was this upset. She had been the one comforting Hermione just a few minutes ago and she hadn't looked upset then.

When the lift reached the main level, the doors opened and Harry went to step back from Taylor but instead he felt her arms tighten. Slightly perplexed he kept his arm around her and guided her through the crowded entrance hall. As they all crowded into the fake phone booth to exit the Ministry, Harry felt Taylor's arm tighten around him again and he tightened his arm too, reassuringly.

Taylor wasn't sure if her brother had quite clued in yet what she was up to, but she maneuvered him so that he was crammed up next Ron and Hermione for the cramped ride up in the phone booth. Taylor stepped back and found Ron's foot, she could tell by his expletive of "Bloody hell. Watch where you are stepping." Starting to panic a little over if she was going to be able to pull her idea off, Taylor reached more with her foot and tramped on another foot, a soft "ouch" told her that it was Hermione's, kicking it again Taylor met Hermione's eyes. It only took a second for Hermione to catch on and nod.

The phone booth door opened and the whole group spilled out Taylor pulling Harry a few extra steps away from the group, as did Hermione with Ron.

"Well Weasley, we'll be seeing you around." Kingsley was saying as the two groups prepared to leave separately.

Hermione's eyes met Taylor's again and she mouthed the words, "one… two… three." Taylor's arms tightened on Harry and she turned concentrating as hard as she could on the tree lined hill that she and Hermione had planned would be their first apparation point.

Taylor heard the startled yells from Mr. and Mrs. Weasley and the deeper angrier calls of Shacklebolt and Moody before she was squeezed hard against her brother and then the two of them landed on the frozen ground in a heap.

Taylor quickly jumped to her feet as Hermione, with a quick scared look around, began running in a circle muttering and waving her wand. Taylor followed behind helping to put up the wards against both muggles and magical folks. When they were done, Hermione handed Taylor the tent, which she had pulled out of her handbag. Taylor quickly set up the tent, as an icy wind whipped through the trees blowing a few snowflakes with it.

"Blood Hell Taylor! Do you think you could have given a bloke a little more warning that you were going to take off right now?" Ron grumbled as he rubbed his hands together and pulled his cloak up around his ears.

"What did you want me to do, Ron? Shout it out so that your parents, Moody and Shacklebolt would know we were leaving?" Taylor bit back.

"I thought we were going to wait until after today?" Harry asked in a slightly put-out tone also.

Taylor had finished with the tent and held the tent flap open for them to enter before she replied. "No, we planned on leaving after the census was done. It could have been days or even a week or more before we were able to get together again."

"I didn't think we would get a chance at the Ministry actually, but Taylor's idea worked, and we got the chance we needed." Hermione said as she conjured a small smokeless fire and set it on the table.

The tent that Hermione had bought the first of last summer by owl-order was a lot smaller then the one Mr. Weasley had used at the Quidditch World Cup. It had a table, with four chairs and two sets of bunk beds with a curtain hanging between them to give either side some privacy. A small cook stove and a small sofa completed the furniture in the tent.

"You'll never believe what we saw!" Taylor grinned as she sat down next to Hermione.

"Or _who_ we saw!" Hermione added angrily.

At the questioning looks on the boys' faces, Hermione told them about Umbridge working in the muggle-born office.

"What the hell was she doing in there?" Ron exclaimed angrily.

"What did she do?" Harry growled.

"She was a bitch of course!" Taylor said with a grin. "But you will never guess what she had _on!_"

"What do I care what she was wearing!" Harry snapped, thinking that it was a girl thing to notice what everyone was wearing.

"Oh Harry, I think you will be very interested to know!" Taylor grinned as excitement danced in her eyes.

"Well, are you going to tell me?" Harry demanded.

"A necklace!" Harry rolled his eyes and Ron made a disgusted sound.

"Not just any necklace," Hermione said in a business like manner. "A silver locket. It looked very much like the one we found in that cabinet at Sirius'."

"And that isn't the most interesting part!" Taylor ploughed through Harry's vicious string of oaths. "It was also a horcrux!"

Harry stopped swearing mid-word and stared at Taylor, Ron had an equally shocked look on his face.

"How can you be positive?" Harry whispered.

"Because your underage, play acting friend there performed that new revealing spell right there in the Ministry of Magic!" Hermione exclaimed in a condemning, disbelieving voice.

"You didn't!" Ron cried his eyes going round.

"Taylor! What the hell were you thinking? Do you have any idea how much trouble…" Harry started to shout, but Taylor interrupted him.

"Now we know it is a horcrux!"

"You could have been caught!" Harry growled looking at Taylor angrily.

"It was Umbridge we are talking about, plus I created a little distraction, she didn't even notice." Taylor defended her actions.

Harry continued to glare at his little sister. She could be just altogether too brazen at times, in his opinion. Using a spell like that at the Ministry!

"Taylor does have a point." Hermione said in her business like tone again. "We do now know where the fifth horcrux is." Reaching into her handbag again Hermione pulled out a piece of parchment, quill and ink. Unrolling it the other three saw that it was a list of Horcruxes. Hermione wrote locket by the number five.

1. Riddles diary – destroyed

2. Marvolo's ring – destroyed

3. Hufflepuff's cup

4. Ravenclaw's tiara

5. Slytherin's Locket

6. ?

7. ?

"Okay, we know where the locket is but how do we go about getting it?" Ron asked.

"Simple." Taylor said, "We steal it."

"Oh and I suppose we are just going to go waltzing up to Umbridge's house, which I might add we don't even know where it is, and simply steal it? Nope, nothing can go wrong with a plan like that." Ron said sarcastically.

Taylor sent Ron a dirty look. "Well, now that we know _where_ to look it will be a hell of a lot easier! A lot better than going from cave to deserted moor and finding absolutely nothing." Taylor said, remembering the frustrating weeks she had spent looking with Harry during the summer.

"All right," Hermione interrupted Ron and Taylor to get them on the right track, "so how do we plan on stealing the locket back?"

"Well first of all I think we should go to Mrs. Briggs and get the Dark Magic books there." Taylor said thoughtfully. "Who knows, there might be something in them that will help us."

"Whoa! Taylor you _are not_ going to use any more spells from those books! Look what happened at the wedding when you did!" Harry cut in.

"Yeah, I remember I stopped those three from taking Hermione." Taylor shot back.

"And let Moody and the others know you can use Dark Magic! You can't use it anymore! Not out here!" Harry growled glaring at his sister.

"I agree with Harry, Taylor. It is just too dangerous to go using Dark Magic out here. Not only might the Ministry discover it, but Vol-Voldemort too." Hermione said firmly.

Taylor looked up at the canvas tent ceiling for a moment before she explained. "I think those books are important. Even Dumbledore and Moody were interested in them. We've also been talking about going and getting them since the summer."

The other three were silent for a moment.

"Alright Taylor. We will go get the books first, but on one condition. You can't use the spells in them." Harry said slowly in a serious voice as he eyed his sister.

Taylor met her brother's level gaze, "I promise I won't use them... unless it is to save one of your lives."

"Guess I can't ask you for more than that." Harry replied quietly.

"I will never agree to more than that." Taylor said with finality.

"So how do we go about getting the books then?" Ron asked.

Taylor explained her rough plan, she had come up with, to the others. She knew Mrs. B. played bridge on Tuesday nights with a group of her friends, so Briggs Cottage would be empty that evening. She could sneak in get the books and slip back out in just a few minutes.

"You're not going in by yourself." Harry stated firmly.

"Do you know what wards or security spells she uses?" Hermione asked.

"I think we had better have a spotter, in case someone shows up unexpected." Ron put in thoughtfully.

An hour later the four had improved on Taylor's original idea. Now Harry would be going into Briggs Cottage with her and Ron and Hermione would be hidden outside under Harry's invisibility cloak with a few wards up protecting them, keeping a lookout in case someone showed up. They also discussed an emergency apparation point, in case they became separated and changed their code words so that they could quickly identify one another once they hooked back up again.

The talk then swung to their next campsite, in case something happened and they had to leave in a hurry. Plus they set up a watch schedule, of three-hour intervals, so that the others could get some sleep.

The tent was starting to grow dim by the time they finished.

"I bought some dried food and packed it last summer," Hermione said as she stood and went to light the cook stove. "It should last us for three or four days. Then we are going to have to get some more."

The tent wasn't exactly cold but it wasn't toasty either. The small smokeless fire on the table keeping it that way.

"I'll take first evening watch." Harry said as he headed out of the tent. He conjured a stool and sat down, pulling his cloak around him against the cold. He could hear Hermione and Taylor inside talking quietly about just what to make for supper and how best to stretch their meager supplies as long as they could. The cold wind moaned through the trees as night settled around them.

Harry wondered where Ginny was and if she was warm and safe. He regretted not being able to say goodbye to her, but Taylor's plan, like a lot of Taylor's plans, was rather abrupt. He wasn't really complaining. He too had been thinking that if they allowed themselves to be separated by Moody and the Order, there was no telling when they would get a chance to get together again.

"Hey. I brought you a cup of hot tea." Taylor said quietly as she came outside.

With a smile Harry took the cup and wrapped his cold fingers around it.

"Supper will be ready in a few minutes, if you want to come in. I'll spell you while you eat." Taylor said as she looked out into the darkness.

"No, you eat. I can warm it up when my watch is over." Harry replied.

Taylor nodded before going back into the tent. During the early evening they had decided to take one-hour watches and spell each other off, until it was time for bed.

* * *

><p>AN So they have gone off looking for horcruxes... And found one in an unlikely place! I want to say that I know that Umbridge having the locket is from the seventh book but I think I spin the rest of the story differently enough that I am not copying any thing else but the idea of the toad haveing Slytherin's necklace. That idea was just too hard to pass up on! Also sorry for the B-word... but these are teenagers we are reading about and they do swear a bit... just trying to keep it real! :) And really what else are you gonna call that toad faced witch? Hope you are enjoying everything so far... if you have a question or a comment I would love to hear it!

Thank you for reading! Have a Happy New Year!

Until next time, cytpotter


	33. Deadly Knowledge

No Santa didn't return to my house so I still do not own Harry... oh well maybe next year!

* * *

><p>Chapter Thirty-three<p>

**Deadly Knowledge**

Dawn broke slowly in the cold overcast sky. The wind hadn't let up all through the long night making the sub-zero temperatures feel even colder.

Taylor had taken the last watch and had crawled out of her warm bed over two and a half hours ago to sit out here in the cold, wrapped in her cloak. Her teeth were now chattering and her hands, even inside her mittens, were stiff with cold.

She hadn't seen anything stir other then tree branches swaying in the wind. Much of the time Taylor had found that her thoughts wandered to a certain tall handsome Hufflepuff, despite her determination not to think about him.

It was still a long wait until she heard someone stirring inside the tent. When they finally came out, it was Hermione.

"Morning. Do you think you are too cold to fix some breakfast?" Hermione asked with a bit of a smile as she looked at Taylor.

"I can hold out for a little longer if you want to get it ready. I'm not sure I could hold the pot to put it on right now." Taylor grinned back as her teeth chattered.

Ten minutes later Taylor stood stiffly and went gratefully into the tent as Hermione came out to relieve her. Taylor headed straight for the table, where the little smokeless fire was burning and held her cold hands up to it. She noticed neither Ron nor Harry had yet gotten up and thought for a moment about going back to bed herself. The sound of the kettle boiling made her change her mind.

A simple warming charm and a hot cup of tea soon had Taylor thawed out and enjoying her porridge, one of the dried goods Hermione had packed for them. The sound of springs creaking and a groan told Taylor that one of the boys was waking up at least. A couple of minutes later Ron and Harry both emerged from behind the curtain where their beds were, looking quite groggy with their hair sticking up even worse then normal.

"Oh man! Is it ever cold out there!" Ron grumbled a few minutes later when he came back into the tent after going out to conduct his morning business.

Taylor couldn't help the grin that crept across her face as she dished up some porridge and poured some hot tea and set it on the table for Ron and Harry who had just come back in himself.

"You do know, it is very annoying for someone to be that cheery, this early in the morning, don't you?" Ron grumbled as he took his seat.

Taylor just grinned as she refilled her cup of tea.

The morning dragged by as they waited for dusk to come again, when they would move to the little clump of woods behind Briggs Cottage. They had talked about the pros and cons of moving that close to dark, but in the end decided that it was worth the risk, this time to lessen the risk that they would be seen before they were able to put up their wards around the tent. They had briefly discussed setting up somewhere else and returning to the tent after they retrieved the books but Hermione had been afraid that they might not be able to locate the tent again, if they went that far from it, after the wards were in place.

Hermione and Taylor had briefly explained the wards that they were using. There were all the standard anti-muggle charms that would make muggles turn away from the tent and the small plot of land that was warded, and the reflective shield that masked the tent and anyone standing inside the warded area so they couldn't be seen. Also a silencing charm so they couldn't be heard. There was an un-plot-able charm that would keep anyone from being able to find them if they came looking. Also an anti-apparation charm so that someone couldn't accidentally apparate into their tent. And last but not least, a charm to diffuse the magic trace so that someone couldn't be led to them by their magic signatures.

Taylor was sitting staring at the empty picture frame of Dumbledore's. She had taken it out last night and they had talked at length to their old Headmaster, telling him everything that had happened since they left Hogwarts. He had been surprised that they had discovered another horcrux but not as surprised about where they had found it. "People like Dolores Umbridge would find the pull of owning such an old, clearly magical, piece nearly impossible to resist." Dumbledore had said in a solemn voice.

"Hey Taylor, isn't it time for you to relieve Harry again?" Ron asked breaking into Taylor's thoughts.

Hours later, Taylor had thought the day would never end as she was finally helping Hermione pack up the tent. The sky was heavy with clouds making the cold wintry night settle in even earlier then usual.

"Okay, explain to me again exactly where we are apparating to." Hermione said as she shrunk the tent and put it in her handbag.

Taylor closed her eyes and imagined where she was going, explaining in great detail the small patch of woods behind Briggs Cottage right down to the funny knot she remembered on one of the trees.

"Okay," Hermione said as she slowly opened her eyes, "I think I've got it. Now as soon as I lower the wards we apparate. Ready Taylor?"

Taylor put her arm through Harry's and nodded. "Ready"

"On the count of three. One… two… three!" Hermione made a slashing motion with her wand and a faint hissing noise, like a drop of water hitting a hot frying pan, could be heard as the wards surrounding them dropped.

Taylor, concentrating hard, turned with Harry. At the same time Hermione did the same with Ron. A second later the squeezing pressure was gone and Taylor and Harry landed in a different stand of trees, and they managed to stay up right this time.

Taylor looked quickly around and with a huge sigh of relief saw Hermione and Ron standing behind her. The boys did a quick search of the immediate area to make sure they were alone as the two girls repeated their wards from yesterday and began setting up the tent. It was nearly dark by the time they were through but they didn't dare to light even their wand tips until they made sure all their wards were up and they couldn't be seen.

"Okay, they are finished." Hermione said with a sigh, "_Lumos_"

"_Lumos_" Taylor muttered then held her wand up high so that she could see as she entered the tent to light a couple of candles.

"Taylor, you do remember that you can do soundless magic right?" Ron asked with a quirk of his lips.

"Oh yeah. I remember. I just like to hear my voice so much that I couldn't resist." Taylor said dryly as she rolled her eyes and set about lighting the cook stove and getting their supper started. Mrs. Briggs didn't leave for her bridge night until at least six thirty so they had almost an hour and a half before they headed out after the Dark Magic books.

The only good thing Taylor could say about the food that she had prepared was that it was hot. She had tried to find something to add to their supper from the woods that they had stayed in that day but there just wasn't anything. It was too late in the year for any kind of berries. Even the odd herb she had seen was frozen and useless. So they were stuck with the dried soup base that Hermione had packed them, and trying to make it last as long as possible, she had watered it down as much as she dared.

Outside the wind moaned through the trees again, and the tent canvas flapped, as a cold draft pushed in under the door.

"Man, it's going to be another cold one." Ron shivered as he refilled his cup with tea.

"Let's just hope it doesn't snow." Taylor said as she got up to wash the dishes. Harry was outside on guard and Taylor was feeling restless. Pouring heated water into a large bowl she washed up their bowls, spoons and cups. Harry had already eaten before he went out to relieve Ron. When the dishes were washed and dried Taylor looked at the old clock that sat on the table ticking, it was only six o'clock.

"Here Taylor," Hermione said passing Taylor a thick book, "I'm looking for a potion to help ward off the cold. You can look in this book for me."

Taylor smiled at Hermione as she took the book and sat down. "Was I that obvious?"

"Let's just say that it's either you read or I petrify you." Hermione grumbled as she disappeared behind her book again.

Forty minutes later Harry came into the tent behind Ron. After a quick rehash of their plans, Harry handed his invisibility cloak to Hermione as he stored his mirror inside his cloak. Ron had his so that he could warn Harry if they saw anyone.

"Okay, remember if there is trouble we meet on the moor. Everyone remember their code words?" Harry asked briskly as he glanced from one to the other as they all nodded.

Taylor glanced at the clock on the table. It was six forty-eight. "Let's go, so we can be in and out long before Mrs. Briggs gets back," she said nervously. Now that the time was here her stomach knotted and she began to doubt what she was doing was right. Mrs. Briggs had never been anything but extremely nice to her, now here she was planning to sneak into Mrs. Briggs' house and steal from her.

"Let's go." Harry said and headed out the door in the tent.

Taylor followed and as she stepped outside their protective wards she gripped Harry's arm, took a deep breath and concentrated on the old oak tree she had sat under on numerous summer days reading, and turned.

With a soft pop Taylor stood facing the oak tree, now bare for the winter. "We're here." Taylor whispered as she looked around cautiously her wand in her hand.

Harry looked at the dark little house, or cottage as Taylor called it. He could see the neat little walkway that led to a dark door of the white cottage. It was a nice yard, one that was well taken care of, but still welcoming. He could picture Taylor sitting out here in the summer reading.

"Come on." Taylor whispered as she slowly walked out of the deep shadow that they were in and up the walk. When she reached the door Taylor put her wand into what looked like a keyhole and whispered "Harry Potter". She heard her brother's sharp intake of breath and she grinned in the dark, as there was a soft click and the door opened as Taylor turned the doorknob.

Taylor pushed the door open and slipped into the dark cottage, closing it again as soon as Harry was inside. "This way," she whispered as she crossed the dark kitchen and slipped silently up the stairs to her room.

Taylor closed the blinds, walking easily around the dark room from memory. "_Lumos_." she said when the blinds were all closed and her brother lit his wand also.

Harry held his wand high and looked at the room where his sister had spent her summers. There were bookcases on three of the walls and half of the fourth. A single bed sat in the corner, a small night stand beside it. There was nothing of Taylor in here, and yet he could easily imagine that his sister had been quite happy here.

"The Dark Magic books are in a hidden bookcase over here." Taylor said after looking around for a second as she pulled out a book and reached her hand into the bookcase to pull the lever hidden there.

"Mr. Briggs was quite clever really. Even if a witch or wizard was looking for this bookcase they wouldn't likely find it. It's a manual lever, very low tech and muggle. Likely anyone searching for Dark Magic books wouldn't be very well versed in muggle technology." Taylor said with a grin as the top part of the outer bookcase swung forward to reveal a smaller one behind it.

"Yeah, anyone but a nosy, underage witch." Harry grumbled as he peered over his sister's shoulder to look at the books inside.

Taylor glanced at Harry and grinned, before she carefully began taking out the books and handing them to her brother. "Just put them on the bed, not all of them are Dark Magic."

When the two shelves were empty Taylor knelt beside her bed and began quickly separating them into two stacks. Dark Magic in one pile and old texts and a couple of journals into another, she then stacked the Dark Magic books, seven in all, into her book bag.

"What are these other ones?" Harry asked as he picked one up. _One Thousand Magical Herbs And Fungi._ "This is a school book." Harry said surprised.

"Yeah, but it's a first print. I'm not sure if it's truly valuable or just sentimentally so." Taylor said as she took the book from her brother and put it back into the hidden bookcase along with all the others she wasn't going to take with her.

Taylor picked up her book bag and putting out her wand tip she went and opened all the blinds again, then she led the way down the stairs. They hadn't gone more then a few steps when there was a noise from the kitchen.

Taylor and Harry froze.

An eerie green light flickered in the kitchen, then a woman's voice muttered a spell and the kitchen brightened as candles lit all along the walls.

Taylor's heart started to pound in her ears as she recognized the voice, Mrs. Briggs had come home early!

"Oh deary me. All right who ever you are, come on out! I know you are in the stairway. I can see your feet."

Taylor glanced down and sure enough she was just far enough down the stairs that the candlelight reached her feet. Hands shaking, and her stomach now down near her toes, Taylor started down the steps.

"It's just me, Mrs. B." Taylor said in a croaky voice that she barely recognized.

Stepping off the last step and into the full candlelight, Taylor could see the elderly witch standing, with her wand out and pointing at her.

"Taylor?" Mrs. Briggs gasped in surprise, then "What is our code?"

"Green firebolt." Taylor said as her face turned red, Harry was right behind her and now he knew her silly code names that were all about him.

"Yellow curds" Mrs. Briggs whispered in a weak voice. "Dear Merlin child! You nearly gave me a heart attack!" Then the older witch looked at the young wizard standing behind the young witch she had taken in seven years ago.

"I'm so sorry Mrs. B!" Taylor exclaimed in a high voice as her heart continued to pound.

"Who is this you have with you, deary?" Mrs. Briggs asked as she began to recover from her shock.

"Oh. I'm sorry. Mrs. B, this is Harry Potter. Harry this is Mrs. B or ah Mrs. Briggs." Taylor tripped over her words as guilt weighed heavily on her.

"Harry Potter! Oh bless my soul! Taylor has told me so much about you! I know the story of course but Taylor has told me about how great a friend you have been to her. It just warmed my heart to know that Taylor has a friend like that!" Mrs. Briggs gushed as she came over to Taylor and Harry. First she pulled Taylor into a motherly hug, and then she hugged Harry too.

"Uhm, Mrs. B," Taylor began after she straightened her glasses that were knocked askew by the elderly witch's hug.

"Deary, what are you doing here? I heard about your escape from Alastor at the Ministry yesterday," Taylor groaned, "Not that I am complaining, but you know I am going to have to tell him. He has witches and wizards looking all over the countryside for you two! I suppose you know that do you?"

"Mrs. B, I am sorry. I don't mean to disappoint you, but Harry has something to do. Something that will hopefully stop You-Know-Who one day and I am helping him." Taylor said, looking the kind witch in the eye.

"Deary, don't you think I haven't figured that out? I thought as much when you left in the summer," ("I'm sorry I didn't tell you in person but…" Taylor began) "Taylor dear, it's all right, I know you wanted to tell me. You are a good girl, with a big heart." Mrs. Briggs smiled fondly at Taylor as she laid her hand on the young witch's shoulder.

Taylor felt her face turn red in embarrassment and a fresh wave of guilt wash over her. "Mrs. B, I… I came here tonight to take a bunch of Mr. Briggs books. I'm sorry." Taylor said ashamed as she looked at the floor, she could hear both Harry and Mrs. Briggs gasp.

"Mrs. Briggs, Taylor only came to get them because I asked her too," Harry quickly jumped to defend his sister, who he could see was extremely embarrassed.

"Harry, I…" Taylor began but Mrs. Briggs interrupted her.

"Taylor dear, I need to know which books." Mrs. Briggs said in a stern tone that Taylor had never heard her use before.

"I was only going to borrow them, I…" Taylor said in a small voice.

"Taylor." Mrs. Briggs said in the same tone to stop the young witch.

Taylor glanced at Harry and then took off her book bag and setting it on the table she took out the Dark Magic books she had taken out of the hidden bookcase.

"Dear Merlin above!" Mrs. Briggs breathed as she looked at the books on the table. "Where did you find these?" she asked as she looked at Taylor.

"I found them in a hidden bookcase upstairs."

Mrs. Briggs pulled out a chair and sat down heavily as she stared from the young witch to the books.

"Mrs. B, are you alright?" Taylor asked concern lacing her voice now.

"I believe dear that you and I need to have a talk." Mrs. Briggs said her voice sounding a little stronger. "And you too Harry. I suppose Arthur's son and your other friend Hermione are waiting for you two?" At Taylor's nod she continued. "Then maybe you should ask them to come in too. We might be a while."

Taylor looked up at Harry and she could see he was carefully weighing what he should do. Slowly he nodded and said. "Okay, Mrs. Briggs. But we will be leaving here when you are done talking." His voice was respectful but firm.

"Of course Harry. It is not my intention to stop you in your quest to rid the world of You-Know-Who, but if you are looking at these books then there are some things that I believe you should know." Mrs. Briggs said seriously.

Harry nodded again, and then turning walked across the kitchen pulled out his wand put up a silencing charm and then pulled out his mirror to call Ron and tell him to come to the cottage with Hermione.

Taylor watched her brother for a few moments and then glanced at Mrs. Briggs who was watching her carefully.

A smile pulled at the wrinkles of the older woman's face as she said, "I do believe that some tea is in order, and maybe some biscuits and marmalade. Would you get me the biscuits from the pantry dear, while I fix the tea?"

Taylor went to the pantry and took down the container with the biscuits in it, then went and took out five small plates and put them on the table with the biscuits. Taylor was just getting some silverware when Mrs. Briggs said softly "He's a very handsome young wizard, and he was very quick to defend you."

"Mrs. B! You know that Harry and I are just friends." Taylor whispered as heat crept up her face. "Besides, he has a girlfriend."

"Oh deary I know, I was simply stating the facts. Besides, I hear there is a young Hufflepuff who has his sights set on you." Mrs. Briggs said with a sly wink.

"Mrs. B!" Taylor's voice squeaked a bit as her face burnt and her heart started to pound at a wildly fast tempo. How had Mrs. Briggs heard about Greg? Did Greg really like her that much?

Harry cleared his throat, which made both witches wheel to face him. His face turned a little pink as he said, "I told Ron and Hermione. They should be here in a few minutes."

Taylor's face was still bright red as she met her brother's eye and knew he had over heard what Mrs. Briggs had said.

A knock on the door saved both brother and sister from the awkward moment.

Harry went to the door and after several questions and the code words they had agreed upon, Harry opened the door and let Ron and Hermione in.

Taylor introduced her friends to Mrs. Briggs who welcomed them warmly, as if their presence was nothing unusual and asked them all to sit after she conjured a fifth chair to set at the table. Mrs. Briggs levitated five teacups and saucers to the table as she brought over the pot of tea.

"I made your favorite tea, deary," Mrs. Briggs said to Taylor with a smile as she poured it into the cups. "I hope your friends don't mind." Taylor's face turned pink again as her friends all said that was fine.

Sitting down Mrs. Briggs offered them all a biscuit before she said in a very serious tone again, "Now Taylor dear, I need you to tell me how you found these books."

Taylor explained how she had found the hidden bookcase summer before last and that she had started to read them last summer before she went away with Harry.

Mrs. Briggs regarded her for a few seconds before she began to speak. "I guess I should start where every tale does- at the beginning. You see Mr. Briggs worked at the Ministry of Magic in the Magical History Department. Even when he was still in school Mr. Briggs was enthralled in magical history. Over the years he began to research just one aspect of our history, Dark Magic. He knew that it was different from the Dark Arts, but still very dangerous. That was when You-Know-Who started to make himself known and fear of the Dark Arts escalated. Still Mr. Briggs didn't stop his research, he had heard that You-Know-Who was also searching for information about Dark Magic and he feared that if You-Know-Who knew more than our side that it would indeed turn the tables for the Dark side. About that time, Albus Dumbledore created the Order of the Phoenix, and he asked Mr. Briggs and myself to join. Of course we didn't hesitate. I met your mother and father in the Order, Harry. A kinder witch and a finer wizard couldn't be found," Mrs. Briggs said as she smiled kindly at Harry before she continued. "Albus knew that Mr. Briggs was researching Dark Magic, he even asked Alastor to work with my husband so that they could try to understand the ancient form of magic better."

"You see, the Magical History Department at the Ministry was considered a dead end job by most and little, if anything, that went on in that department was noticed by others. That was why Mr. Briggs and Alastor continued to work there. It was very convenient for Alastor. He could just slip down from the Auror office to the History department at any time and he wouldn't be noticed."

"It had taken nearly thirty years for my husband to locate and acquire all the books you see here on the table. I remember him sitting in his favorite chair upstairs for hours, studying and reading these books. You see my husband, while he was fascinated with the study of Dark Magic, he could never use it. Dark Magic is magic; for lack of a better way to explain it, it is magic in its rawest form. I believe Alastor explained to you, Taylor how our magic now has been refined so that as long as you say the proper incantation as well as move your wand properly, you get the desired result. The use of Dark Magic is a lost art. Very few witches or wizards alive today can perform magic using Dark Magic. Unfortunately one who can is You-Know-Who. My husband believed the reason You-Know-Who can use Dark Magic is because he is the last remaining heir of Salazar Slytherin. That is why Riddle could also speak Parseltongue, which you discovered Harry, when you rescued Ginny Weasley from the Chamber of Secrets. The founders of Hogwarts you see could, at least Slytherin and Gryffindor are rumored to have been able to, use Dark Magic; which even that long ago was becoming a lost art." Mrs. Briggs paused as she looked from one to the other of the young people at her table to see if they were all following what she was saying.

"So Gryffindor and Slytherin could use Dark Magic? If that is true, why didn't they keep teaching it in the school?" Hermione asked as if she were in a classroom.

"Because Light Magic, or the magic we use now, is so much more dependable. The same spell works the same for everyone. Whereas with Dark Magic, the results can be wildly different." Mrs. Briggs answered.

"But how can Taylor use Dark Magic? She has never even studied it, other than reading those books, and you said Mr. Briggs couldn't perform it just by reading them." Harry asked intently.

Mrs. Briggs chuckled a little. "My dear boy, I am no expert on Dark Magic. What little I know I learned from living with my husband. However Alastor and I believe that one of the reasons Taylor can use Dark Magic is because of her wand. It is made of yew, the oldest known wood for wand making."

Taylor gasped and slid her wand out of its holder to stare at it. Mr. Ollivander's words from so long ago echoed in her mind as a chill ran down her spine. _"I believe that we will expect great things from you Miss Porter."_

"But surely there are other witches and wizards with wands made of yew. Can they all use Dark Magic?" Hermione asked.

"No. As I said it is only one possible reason Taylor is able to use the ancient magic." Mrs. Briggs said as she shook her head.

"You said that it took Mr. Briggs thirty years to collect these books, if so he must have had some of the books before You-Know-Who came into power." Hermione said thoughtfully.

"Yes he did. These three," Mrs. Briggs said as she pointed them out, "the other four he was able to acquire after You-Know-Who started making a name for himself. This one," Mrs. Briggs pointed to the thinnest, shabbiest one of the books, "was the last one he found. Only two maybe three weeks before…" Mrs. Briggs sighed as a sad look came over her face, "Mr. Briggs was killed. I believe that my husband somehow knew that he was being watched. It probably had to do with this book actually, though Mr. Briggs never told me where or how he came by it. All my husband ever told me was that he had a devilish time getting the book and that it was the oldest he had. After he was killed, Alastor came to see me and told me that Mr. Briggs' books were missing. It was widely speculated that Mr. Briggs was killed for these books by all who knew about them. Alastor, Albus and I thought so too, but we didn't believe that the killer got them even though we could never find them. Alastor himself searched this house, but he could never find them."

Taylor stared at Mrs. Briggs for a long moment in shock, she had never thought that Mr. Briggs had been killed in the war, and to find out he had been killed for the books that she had found… Taylor shivered.

It was several minutes before anyone spoke. It was Mrs. Briggs who finally said, "You need to understand just how dangerous these books are; not just their contents but just the mere fact that you have them in your possession is enough to put your lives in mortal danger."

* * *

><p>AN First I want to say that I know I am taking liberties with the apparation laws... in the books people have to have been to a place before they can apparate there, however that can be rather restirctive... so I took the liberty of "expanding" on that a little to be able to apparate to a place as long as it was described very well or one seen a picture of it. It opens up a lot of more places for Harry and crew to go for their tenting places (I also did this when Dumbledore sent them to places looking for horcruxes in the summer) and it also allowed Taylor to guide Hermione to Brigg's Cottage. Hopefully that isn't too much of a leap for people to believe. It is necessary in this story but I try to keep it to a minimum. What did you think of Taylor's code words for Mrs B? (I couldn't resist making Taylor use words about Harry as I can see her being just a bit wonder struck about having him for a brother espeicially when she figured that he would never hear them!) Plus I can see Taylor talking to Mrs B about her friends in the summer, remember she didn't hang out with Hermione and Ron nearly as much as Harry did so the older witch was her only companion for weeks on end during the summer.

So what do you think so far? Have any questions? If so leave a review and I will write back to you in 2012! :)

I am going to try to post another chapter before 2012... but if I don't Happy New Year! And THANK YOU for reading!

Until next time, cytpotter


	34. An Ancient Language

Nope didn't own Harry an hour ago and still don't own him now... maybe I need to leave Santa more cookies next time!

I usually don't do this but this is the third chapter I have posted today... though it is almost midnight so hopefully I'm not too tired to mess up the final proof read!

Hope you Enjoy!

* * *

><p>Chapter Thirty-four<p>

**An Ancient Language**

A few minutes went by as the four friends sat in silence at the table in Mrs. Briggs cottage. Each deep in their own thoughts about all that they had just learned.

Mrs. Briggs waited, giving the young witches and wizards at her table time to think.

Harry finally broke the silence, "We appreciate your warning Mrs. Briggs, but the fact remains that it is very important that we take the books so we can study them."

"Harry dear, I realize that. I thought you should know just how dangerous those books are." Mrs. Briggs said.

A thought that had been nagging at Taylor for the last hour sprang to the front of her mind. "Mrs. B. I thought you had bridge tonight with your friends."

Mrs. Briggs smiled at the red haired young witch in glasses, "I usually do but Joyce was feeling under the weather today so we cancelled. I just flooed over to her place to take her the chicken soup I made." Waving her wand the teapot filled their cups once again and more biscuits appeared on the plate.

Hermione asked a few more questions about the books but Mrs. Briggs wasn't able to answer them.

Taylor watched as Ron and Harry took a couple more biscuits and spread marmalade on them before eating. "Mrs. B. I didn't know you were in the Order."

"Oh yes deary, ever since Albus first started it. I'm not as active now as I used to be. I tend to leave much of the spying and such to those who are younger, but I help out where ever I can." Mrs. Briggs answered with a smile.

The grandfather clock in the living room chimed nine o'clock.

Taylor met Hermione's eyes and she nodded, "Mrs. B. we have to get going." Taylor said as she got to her feet. "Thank you very much for telling us everything you did and for the tea and biscuits too."

"Oh deary, that was my pleasure." Mrs. Briggs said as she too stood up along with the others.

Taylor smiled at the older witch suddenly thankful that she had been able to see her once again. "I'm sorry about sneaking into your house and scaring you."

"Taylor dear, I am glad that it was you. You sure gave me a start though!" Mrs. Briggs said with a wan smile.

"I'm sorry!" Taylor said again as her face colored.

"I'm sorry too Mrs. Briggs." Harry said as he moved to stand beside his sister.

"That's alright dears. I know you didn't mean to startle me." Mrs. Briggs said as she put her hand on Taylor's shoulder and smiled up at Harry.

"I'm sorry about the books too. I should have asked you first but…" Taylor began.

Mrs. Briggs sighed as she answered. "Taylor dear, I can understand why you thought you needed to sneak in here and get them. In a way I am thankful that you did do it this way, now I won't feel obligated to tell Alastor the true reason you were here, nor need I tell him that those books were here all these years. It will be safer for everyone this way, I think."

"But what other reason would we have for coming?" Taylor asked slightly confused.

Mrs. Briggs laughed. "Why deary, I thought that would be obvious, for food of course! I imagine your food supply is very meager taking off like you did yesterday."

All four teenagers went red in the face.

The next several minutes, amid protests from the four friends, which Mrs. Briggs thoroughly ignored, the older witch took a supply of food from her pantry. Flour, tea, sugar, potatoes, canned goods and various other things and put them all in a cloth bag. "Now this should hold you for awhile. I'm sorry I don't have more on hand but it should do for a week or so. You are more than welcome to come back anytime, just give me a few days to restock my pantry."

"Mrs. B, I…" Taylor started when the kind witch passed the bag to Ron whose ears turned red as he took the bag.

"Taylor dear, if I didn't want to help out I wouldn't. I only wish I could do more." Mrs. Briggs said with a sad smile.

"Mrs. Briggs this is more then generous." Hermione too was a little red in the face. The two boys echoed Hermione's sentiments.

"Now I want you four to promise me that you will be careful. I will let your parents know Ron, that you were here. Hermione dear, is there anyone I can let know for you?" Mrs. Briggs asked kindly, but Hermione shook her head. "Harry dear, I will let the Order know that you are okay. I don't suppose you can tell me if you all are planning on going back to school in the New Year?" All four heads shook, they hadn't even discussed it yet.

"Taylor dear," Mrs. Briggs said as the older witch's eyes became overly bright. "Please be careful. I have grown very fond of you deary, in the years that you have stayed with me, and I worry about you. I know, probably better then anyone else in the Order, how important what you and your friends are doing is, but I want you to be safe too." Mrs. Briggs pulled the red haired witch into a tight hug.

"I'll try Mrs. B." Taylor whispered as a lump formed in her throat.

"Gracious me, I'm as bad as an old mother hen worrying over her chicks!" Mrs. Briggs chuckled sadly. "Now be careful with those books! Tell no one that you have them! If you can, please let me know that you all are still all right from time to time. Remember, you all are more than welcome to come back here anytime."

The four teenagers moved over to the door, and Mrs. Briggs gave them all a parting hug. "Be careful. Stay safe."

Taylor glanced one last time at the witch who had taken her in and been so kind to her for six years, before she followed her brother and two friends out the door and down the path where the wards guarding Briggs Cottage ended. Taking a deep breath she linked her arm with her brother's and stepped outside the wards. Turning, she apparated them to their tent less then a kilometer away.

The four did a quick check to make sure everything was safe and as they had left it. Satisfied they went into the tent as a cold wind moaned through the trees.

Ron set the bag of food on the table and Taylor began to unpack it and store it in the tent so that when they took the tent down tomorrow it could stay within the tent.

Hermione lit their lamp and conjured a small smokeless fire to help warm up the tent. No one had yet spoken since they got back.

"Mrs. Briggs is very nice." Hermione said softly as she looked at the other witch.

Taylor looked over from where she had just stored the last of the supplies that Mrs. Briggs had given them. "Yeah, she has always been very nice to me."

"Well let's have a look at those books," Harry said curiously as he pulled his sister's book bag over to him and opened it and took out the stack of books. He passed one to each of the others then opened one himself.

For a few minutes all that could be heard was the turning of pages and the snap of the tent canvas as it was blown about in the wind.

"Uhm," Ron broke the silence first, "This one is in Greek or something."

Harry looked up from the foreign words in the book he had, it had some interesting drawings but he couldn't read a word of it.

"I thought it was Latin, or even Ancient Runes, but it's not," Hermione said as she glanced up shaking her head in frustration. She had never seen this language before. This was going to slow them down considerably if they had to try and translate every thing before they could read it. Providing that they could find a book to help them translate it. "Taylor, I thought you said you read these?"

Taylor glanced up at the sound of her name. She had been totally absorbed in the way the spells in the book she was reading were worded; unlike any spells that she read from the books at school. She noted the expressions on the others faces and knew she had missed totally what they had just said. "I'm sorry, what were you saying?"

Ron rolled his eyes as he said, "These ones are in a different language. What's yours say?"

Taylor looked at him in confusion.

Hermione sighed, "Taylor, I thought you read these?"

"I did."

Hermione stood up from the sofa and went over to the table where Taylor was sitting to look at the book in her friend's lap. "You can read that?" Hermione asked as she looked at Taylor in a funny way.

"Yeah…" Taylor answered looking at Hermione in exasperation.

"But they are written in some ancient language I've never seen!" Hermione exclaimed, waiting for Taylor to start laughing at some joke she was pulling.

Bewildered Taylor looked from Hermione to the book. Then Taylor looked closer at the writing, as color drained from her face. It was true. Now that Hermione had drawn attention to it, Taylor could tell that it wasn't written in English, or anything slightly resembling English. "But how is that possible?" Taylor breathed.

"I don't know." Hermione said as she stared at her best friend. "You're sure you can read them?"

"Yeah! This one says, _'To make a spell, to bind not a friend, you need to put a bit of your self in the binding that you form'_" Taylor read, then she looked up at Hermione. "You did just understand what I said didn't you?" Taylor asked a little apprehensively.

"Well you were speaking English if that's what you mean. As far as the rest, I haven't the foggiest what you meant by it." Ron said in a dumbfound voice, much like he used when Professor Slughorn asked him a question in Potions.

Taylor looked over at Harry who was staring at her intently. Feeling suddenly restless Taylor stood and began to pace the small confines of the tent, as an uncomfortable feeling of deja'vu came over her, as very similar circumstance ran through her mind.

"How do you know if you are reading it right?" Hermione asked in her teacher's voice.

"Well for one, it's the spell I used on Snape to bind him that time at Grimmauld Place." Taylor replied as she ran her hand nervously back through her hair. "And two, I know what it means. To bind an enemy you need to put some aspect of yourself into the spell. It goes on to say that it is an unbreakable binding spell and that only the spell caster is able to release it."

"You put a binding spell on Snape that only you could release?" Hermione asked a little shaken by the revelation.

"What part of you did you put into the spell, Taylor?" Harry asked in a tight voice.

Taylor looked from her brother to her bushy haired friend. "I used the first binding spell that came to mind, Hermione! If you remember, Harry was bleeding to death at the time. I really didn't stop to think overly long about which one I used!" Taylor bit out as anger started to pump through her veins, her pacing becoming tenser.

"I'm sorry, Taylor, I didn't mean it like that. It just surprised me that you would understand what was written in this book enough to perform it flawlessly the first time." Hermione hastened to explain.

"I understand everything written in these books- well most of it. A few things I didn't have time to really study before I left last summer. I was only looking for spells that I thought would help us at the time." Taylor answered as she continued to pace.

"Taylor," Harry growled in a low warning tone, "what _part_ of _you_ did you put in the spell?"

Taylor had to stop or run into her brother as he moved in front of her. "I… I didn't stop to think about it. The spell just rolled out. I never even really thought about that part to tell you the truth."

"Didn't you say that you could see a snake about to swallow Snape's soul?" Hermione asked in a frightened voice, "And you see a snake in your nightmare, about to do the same?"

Taylor wheeled to stare at Hermione, shocked by the ease that her friend had put those two incidents together. A cold sweat broke out over Taylor's skin at the realization that the two were connected. Heart hammering, Taylor headed for the door. "I'll take first watch."

Ten minutes later as her anxiety gave way to the cold. Taylor realized that she hadn't grabbed her scarf or mittens, only her cloak, in her hurry to get outside to think. Rubbing her hands together she paced back and forth, a sort of nervous energy keeping her feet moving. At least they weren't cold, yet.

She didn't know how she had read those books during the summer without realizing that they were in a different language. She hadn't even realized it tonight until the others had pointed it out. Pausing in her musings only now and then to listen and look around her, Taylor pondered this. Was it possibly something like Harry and his ability to speak Parseltongue? Was this some of the power that Dumbledore had said Voldemort had maybe transferred to her? This ability to read and cast this ancient Dark Magic?

Taylor lost all track of time as she paced and thought, a cold far more penetrating then the icy wind that blew crept over her. What was the significance of the snake and her soul? How could she have cast that spell and not even realized that she had put that part of her into it? Taylor shivered, but not from the ice pellets that stung her bare face and formed ice on her glasses.

"Taylor?"

Jumping at the sound of her name she swung around wand at the ready, only to see her brother standing behind her.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to startle you." Harry said softly as he looked out into the dark woods surrounding them.

"It's not a good idea to scare me like that!" Taylor growled trying to slow her pounding heart. "I could have jinxed you with pus filled boils right there on the spot."

Harry shook his head, "Not after the months of training with Shacklebolt. _'Always identify your target before you jinx it!_' That is at least one lesson I've learned."

"That doesn't mean I have learned it!" Taylor growled.

Harry sighed, "Taylor I'm sorry. I didn't mean to get upset with you in there. It's just that this thing you do with Dark Magic, well… quite frankly, it worries me. Now tonight I find out you can read some ancient language…"

"Yeah! Well you weren't the only one shocked on that one." Taylor said dryly.

Harry saw his sister shiver as a cold gust of wind whipped past them, "I came out to relieve you. Go in and get warmed up. We can talk about this some more tomorrow."

Taylor hesitated. She was going to tell her brother that she needed more time to think tonight, but his warm mitten clad hands wrapped around her almost frozen ones and Taylor knew that she did need to get in where it was warm before she froze her hands.

Nodding slowly, "Alright. Thanks." Taylor said softly as she saw a smile play at her brother's lips.

When Taylor entered the tent, after she un-fogged her glasses, she saw a hot cup of tea waiting for her on the table and Hermione curled up on the sofa beside Ron, with one of the Dark Magic books open.

"I was thinking," Hermione began as she watched Taylor perform a quick warming spell and sit down at the table to drink the tea. "That maybe if you can translate, we will be able to understand what's in these books fairly easily."

"Yeah, that won't be a problem," Taylor replied as she was still mulling over her earlier thoughts.

Hermione watched Taylor for a few minutes over the top of her book, but she decided to let her friend be for now. There was time to talk about this tomorrow.

Hours later as Taylor wrapped her scarf around her head and neck, she was still plagued by the same thoughts from the night before. Glancing at the dimly glowing hands on the old clock on the table, she noted it was a few minutes past three am; a whole hour before she was due to take over her watch. She wanted to talk to her brother and this seemed the best time to do it alone.

After magically heating some water and making two cups of hot chocolate, Taylor slipped out of the tent.

"Hey, I thought you might like something to help warm you up," Taylor said softly with a bit of a smile.

"Thanks," Harry smiled as he took the hot chocolate from his sister. "What are you doing up so early? I've still got another hour yet."

Taylor shrugged her shoulders under her heavy cloak as she gazed out into the darkness. "I thought maybe we could talk."

Harry took a sip of hot chocolate and regarded his sister for a few moments, "Yeah that's probably a good idea." Harry put up a silencing charm before he continued. "So you had no idea that those books were in a different language?"

Taylor shook her head in the darkness, "No, not until Hermione pointed it out."

They were both silent for a few minutes as snow swirled around them driven by the wind.

"Harry, do you think… well Dumbledore told me that he thinks Voldemort might have inadvertently passed on some of his powers to me, like he did you, _that night_. Do you think that maybe that's why you can speak Parseltongue and that's why I can read and do Dark Magic?" Taylor asked as she met her brother's eyes.

Harry was silent as he thought about what his little sister had just said. If this were true, it would explain a lot. Slowly Harry began, "It would explain a lot. If it is true, how come it's taken so long for you to discover it? I could speak to snakes even before I started at Hogwarts."

Taylor thought about this for a while and she answered just as slowly. "Well… you only figured out that you could speak to snakes when you were looking at one…" she began to speak faster as the idea solidified in her mind. "I didn't know I could do Dark Magic until last summer. _After_ I found the books and read them. I did look at them briefly the summer before but only just briefly; not enough to remember the spells. At the time I didn't even realize that it was Dark Magic; not until I used it on those guys that were trying to take Hermione from the wedding. Not until the time that I needed to protect someone that I care about."

"Only I'm positive that Voldemort doesn't use Dark Magic just when he's trying to protect someone he loves." Harry pointed out.

"No. I'm sure old Voldy doesn't have the faintest idea what that emotion is." Taylor said sarcastically before she continued thoughtfully. "However that _is_ how I started using Dark Magic. The need to defend or protect seems to make the Dark Magic spells come foremost in my mind. I'm not sure if I can describe it better."

The two siblings were quiet for a while again as they thought.

"I think we should ask Dumbledore, he might be able to help. I know _I_ feel better thinking that the reason you can use Dark Magic is because Voldemort can and he transferred that ability to you." Harry said after he drained the last of his hot chocolate from the cup.

Taylor looked over at her brother, and she rolled her eyes. "Only a big brother could think it was okay for his little sister to be able to perform some obscure form of magic because the most evil wizard ever, bestowed her that gift, inadvertently!"

Harry shook his head in disbelief at his sister's statement as she snorted with laughter.

An owl hooted out in the dark woods drawing their attention for a few minutes.

When they heard nothing else stir in the trees that were quickly being covered in snow, Harry broke the silence.

"Briggs Cottage was nice, I'm glad I got to meet Mrs. Briggs, although under better circumstances might have been nice."

Taylor blushed in the dark. "Uhm, yeah about that. Well you see, Mrs. Briggs, she's always asking about my friends at school and, well I told her about being friends with you. Well when I had to pick my code words… I really never thought you'd actually hear them… but anyway…" Taylor stammered as she felt her face become hot.

Harry chuckled at his sister. "Relax lil' sis, I get it. You just think that your big brother is handsome!"

Taylor snorted and rolled her eyes at her brother's teasing. "Yeah, you wish!"

An easy silence settled between them for some time.

"Taylor, do you like Hunter?" Harry asked as he glanced over at his sister.

Taylor looked out into the dark that surrounded them for a moment before she answered, "I'm not really sure. I think if circumstances were different… if I could relax enough around him so that I could allow myself to trust him… if it wasn't so dangerous for him to be near me… then maybe I could allow myself the freedom to let my feelings for him grow."

Harry stared out into the darkness too. The snow had almost stopped again, as he thought about his sister's answer. He could read between the lines. She was scared to let anyone get too close. Hunter was an unknown, a possible threat and it would be dangerous for him to let it be known that he was associated with Taylor. They were different, but similar worries that Harry had about his relationship with Ginny.

After some time passed, Taylor broke the silence that had settled between them again, "You had better get in to bed. I'm sure it's past time that my watch started." After her brother went into the tent, Taylor thought about all that they had talked about and as it seemed to happen more and more during the lonely watch, her mind drifted once again to a tall Hufflepuff.

"Taylor! Hey Taylor wake up!" Ron's voice called from seemingly far away as Taylor tried in vain to ignore his voice and stay in the comfort of her warm cozy bed, asleep.

"Taylor breakfast is ready." Hermione said as she stirred the porridge and Ron set the table.

With an audible groan Taylor rolled out of her bed and dressed before she stepped out around the curtain, rubbing the sleep from her eyes and she dropped into a chair.

"You look like hell this morning." Ron said with a grin.

"Stow it Weasley, before I open my eyes enough to properly see you so I can jinx you." Grumbled Taylor.

Ron just grinned wider.

After a good breakfast and some tea, Taylor was finally starting to feel awake. She hadn't been able to sleep at all before she talked to her brother, so when Hermione finally relieved her she had crawled thankfully into her bed for a couple of hours of much needed sleep.

"I thought we'd head to a new location around noon," Hermione was saying as she picked up one of the Dark Magic books and settled on the sofa with it.

Taylor nodded absent-mindedly as a thought slowly formed in the back of her mind.

"Even though I can't read this, the illustrations are fascinating," Hermione continued to no one in particular.

Taylor picked up one of the books and started to flip through it.

Harry came into the tent covered in snow. "It's really starting to come down out there." With a wave of his wand he dried himself off and with another warmed his chilled body.

A smile slowly spread across Taylor's face. "Hermione I think I have an idea!" Taylor said as she jumped up to go sit beside her friend on the sofa. With a flick of her wrist Taylor's wand slid into her hand. "If I just give the book a tap I think maybe you can read it." Taylor closed her eyes as the spell formed in her mind, taking a deep breath, calm settled over her as the pendant began to get hot. Opening her eyes, Taylor gave her wand a little swish and then tapped the Dark Magic book in her friend's hands.

Hermione gasped and then her eyes grew excited, as the words in the book seemed to shift and shimmer then settle back on the page. "That's amazing!" Hermione exclaimed, the book was now written in English.

"It's really just a variation on a revealing spell." Taylor explained as Harry and Ron came over to look. "It will only last for a while, a few hours or so but it should give us time to read the books."

* * *

><p>AN Well what did you think? As I began to write more and more about Taylor and her use of Dark Magic the idea came to me that it would be in an acient language... and to tell the truth i did, at first anyway, plan on trying to look up some ancient language and use it but the more I wrote the more I liked the idea that we never really know what language it is...it was enough for me to know that it is a forgotten language and older then Latin. Plus I didn't need to try and use my dismal searching skills to try to find one. What the language is is really irrelivant... or that is what I thought if you disagree let me know! :) I hope that Voldemort 'transfering' this ability to Taylor is believeable Harry was able to speak Parrseltongue(? man my spelling is getting worse as the clock ticks after midnight!) so why couldn't Voldemort give Taylor this ability? I personally really like this chapter... there are several scenes that are some of my favorite! So I hope you enjoyed it too!

Well it is New Years Eve here! So a early Happy New Years! (I am trying desperately to post up to chapter 35 before the new year, a little goal I set for myself! Though I can't post any more tonight... or this morning however you look at it. See to tired to make much sense and I am rambling on a keyboard! LOL! Snort!) Thanks to my wonderful bata barbc who bata'd the chapters for me so I can try and keep my goal! You rock barbc!

Until next time, cytpotter


	35. A Christmas Family

No I still own nothing that you recognize only what you don't! ;)

I am sorry I didn't get this posted in time for Christmas(that was my orginal plan) time just ran out. Though those of you who celebrate Old Christmas I am getting it posted in time! At least that was what my mother always told me when I was a little girl that Old Christmas was on the 6th of January! Anyway I hope you enjoy this, Christmas is a very magical time of year I think and I just had to write about that speacial magic!

* * *

><p>Chapter Thirty-five<p>

**A Christmas Family**

The next several weeks went by in much the same way. The four friends moved their tent from place to place, mostly remote forests or barren moors, once a day. At night they always kept someone on guard, always taking turns. When they weren't moving, or on guard, they were studying the Dark Magic books. Taylor's spell to change the words from the Ancient language to English allowed all of them to study the books. What they found was an assortment of spells and jinxes ranging from simple levitating spells to extremely complex and dangerous ones that claimed to ward off death.

"Well, we know why You-Know-Who was so interested in these books," Hermione said after reading one such spell.

"Yeah, but he didn't find the one for Horcruxes in these books." Harry said as he closed the one he had.

"There are probably other Dark Magic books similar to these. Besides I don't care how he made the Horcruxes, we just need to be able to destroy them." Taylor said from behind her thick volume.

"There hasn't even been one mention of a horcrux in all these books. This has been a waste of time!" Ron grumbled as he too shut his book and rubbed a hand over his face.

"No it hasn't been a waste of time. We have learned a lot about Dark Magic and how it works," Hermione corrected before she continued reading.

"Well I need a break. I'm going out to stretch my legs," Ron said as he put his book down and stood up, stretching the stiffness from his body.

"Wait up mate I'll join you," Harry called as he too stood and put his book on the table.

The two boys had been gone out of the tent for a few minutes when Hermione set her book down also. "You know Taylor, tomorrow is Christmas Eve."

Taylor glanced up at her friend a little bewildered at the comment.

"I have just been thinking about maybe doing something special."

Closing her book, Taylor narrowed her eyes at the other witch, wondering what she had planned, as she said cautiously, "Like what exactly?"

Hermione glanced up at the door to the tent before she scooted closer to Taylor and whispered, "Well I know Ron is really missing his family and Harry is going crazy without Ginny… So I was thinking maybe we could go to the Weasley's for a while Christmas Eve."

"And when Mr. and Mrs. Weasley refuse to let us leave again, then what?" Taylor asked with a raised eyebrow.

Hermione sighed and leaned back into the sofa, "Yeah, I keep running into that road block too."

"Unless we go somewhere else besides the Burrow…" Taylor trailed off as an idea started to take shape.

"But where?"

"Well what about Fred and George's joke shop? We could get a message to them that we are going to stop by and they could tell Mr. and Mrs. Weasley and Ginny. I think the twins know that what we are doing is important. Besides, as long as it is just Mr. and Mrs. Weasley we should be able to get away from them. We are going to need more supplies soon anyway." The idea was sounding even more appealing by the minute as Taylor worked out some more details in her mind.

Hermione pondered the plan out loud, her voice becoming more excited as she thought through it. "We could send a Patronus to Fred and George so that they know it is from us. They would probably have all the supplies that we might need right there. If not it wouldn't be hard to get them. The joke shop is partially warded and if we go in disguise, no one will even notice a couple of more shoppers on Christmas Eve."

"It would serve several purposes. One we could gather some information on the Ministry and what has happened since the census is over. We haven't heard a thing one way or the other out here. Plus we might even be able to find out if or when Hogwarts will reopen, ("Yeah and if muggle borns like us are allowed back!" Taylor griped) …exactly. That is something we need to know so that we can plan our next move. If Hogwarts isn't going to reopen or if we aren't allowed back it will change our current plans for sure."

"What are you two planning now?" Ron asked as he stepped back into the tent.

Hermione smiled and explained what she and Taylor had been talking about.

"You want to go to Fred and George's joke shop? On Christmas Eve? Are you nuts?" Ron asked incredulously.

"No, I don't think so. Look Ron, we are going to need food supplies very soon, unless you are willing to go hungry. Plus we need to find out what has been happening at the Ministry. Going to Fred and George's would serve both purposes." Hermione replied calmly.

"It will be very dangerous. What if someone sees us? We were lucky to get away from Mr. and Mrs. Weasley and the Order last time. We probably won't be as lucky this time." Harry pointed out. Still he had to admit, at least to himself, that the plan was very appealing. Any possibility of seeing Ginny had a strong effect on him.

"We thought of that. We could disguise ourselves and in the crowded shop we could easily blend in. Besides, as long as it's just Ron's mum and dad there, do you really think they will try to stop us? We are all of age, well, as far as they know anyway," Taylor added. She could tell that Harry and Ron were both wavering.

"It will be Christmas Eve. Maybe the risk is worth it to see family then," Hermione said softly. The other three knew that Hermione was worried about her parents and that even though they were staying with the Weasley's at the Burrow, she was worried that something was going to happen to them. If they went to the joke shop she would be able to at least hear whether her parents were all right or not.

The four were silent for a long moment as they thought about the idea. It was tempting to all of them as well as being extremely dangerous. It was Ron who summed it up best and helped the others come to a decision.

"Well we don't seem to be making much headway here. We haven't done anything but read those books for the last three weeks. We aren't any closer to coming up with a plan to get that Horcrux away from Umbridge, or finding any more Horcruxes. We are soon going to have to change our game plan, if we plan on going back to Hogwarts in a couple of week's time."

That night they discussed their idea with Dumbledore's portrait and while he cautioned them about the dangers, the portrait agreed that they were indeed in need of certain information and their best bet at getting such was to get in contact with someone from the Order.

Fred's answering Patronus appeared only twenty minutes after Harry sent his to the twins informing them that the four of them would be at the joke shop the following night.

It was dark and snowing lightly as the four friends apparated to the alley behind the joke shop in Diagon Alley. They had used several charms to disguise their appearance, making them barely recognizable, even to each other.

"Remember, we need to stick together. If we should get separated or if things go wrong, remember our meeting place. Alright, ready?" Harry asked quietly, and after the others nodded he started off carefully toward the front of the joke shop.

Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes was lit up like a muggle Christmas tree with bright lights and Christmas decorations galore. Even the inside of the shop was decorated festively and the delicious smell of spiced apple cider filled the air, making the shop feel warm and cozy on the cold winter night and though it was nearly seven o'clock on Christmas Eve, the joke shop was crowded with customers. No one took much notice of the four teens when they entered the store.

They had decided that Hermione would go with Harry and that Taylor and Ron would stay together. Taylor wasn't sure that it would make a whole lot of difference, as she looked around the packed store and a curtain of long blond hair fell over her face. She wasn't sure why she had to be the blond but Hermione had said that it would go best with the pale blue eyes she was now sporting. With an impatient hand she pushed the long blond hair off of her face and back over her shoulders. Ron's now pitch black hair and pale white face looked down at her and nodded toward the stairs. Taylor nodded and she made her way through the crowd as Ron followed close behind.

Once up on the second story, Taylor could see the whole store and she studied the faces in the crowd, almost missing the strawberry blond with a pony tail and mouse brown hair on Hermione and Harry as they wound their way toward the back of the shop. A deep voice from around the next display had Taylor's heart pounding wildly.

"…I don't know Bruce. If _I_ was getting a present for my girlfriend I wouldn't be getting it at a joke shop! Your Mum might get a really good laugh out of those fake wands, but I doubt Charlotte will think they are funny."

"What _did_ you get your girlfriend for Christmas, Greg?" A teasing male voice asked from behind the display of fake wands and cauldrons.

Taylor inched closer trying to listen to the answer, while pretending to look at the display.

The deep male voice laughed before answering, "As if I would tell you, cousin! I also didn't leave it until the very last minute." The deep voice sobered as it continued. "It is bought, wrapped and safely waiting until I see her again."

"So do you think she will come over? You haven't heard from her since school let out have you?" The other male voice asked.

There was a sigh before the deep voice answered. "I don't know, but if she doesn't I'll just give it to her when we go back to school."

"Man, cousin! You sure do have it bad for that little redhead don't you?"

"Shh! Dammit Bruce!" the deep male voice dropped to an angry whisper that Taylor couldn't hear from the other side of the display. Then a few seconds later, two tall males came around the display and headed down the stairs.

Taylor watched as Greg walked down to the first floor with his cousin. She fought the urge to call out to him, knowing it would be dangerous, plus in her disguise he wouldn't even recognize her. A sad smile played at her lips. He had as much as said that he had gotten her a gift for Christmas. One he'd bought and wrapped and now had safe somewhere to give to her. An ache throbbed through her chest, at the same time her heart soared. Never before had someone other then Harry and her friends bought her gifts. And never a wizard who made her heart pound and palms sweat.

"Come on we can't stand here all night." Ron said quietly beside her as he pulled on her arm. Fighting the urge to stay and stare at the tall Hufflepuff's retreating back, Taylor moved around the upstairs to another display on the opposite side of the shop. She was able to catch one more glimpse of the Head Boy as he went out the front door with his cousin, Bruce, and an older wizard that looked like Bruce and could have been Bruce's father.

By seven fifty-five the shop was nearly empty, only a couple of last minute shoppers were left besides Harry and the others. The two Weasley twins were eyeing the four strangers as the last of the shoppers left the store.

"I'm sorry folks but we are closing." George said as he approached Harry and Hermione.

Harry smiled as he answered, "So soon? Here I thought we had ourselves a date this evening."

George did a double take before a grin covered his face. "Do you think the apples are green?"

"If the oranges are red," Harry answered.

"Well hell Harry! That is some disguise!" Fred exclaimed as he locked and sealed the front door before he made his way to his twin's side.

"You could have fooled even Mad-Eye with that get up!" George chimed in.

"That was the plan," Harry said as he shook the hand of each twin.

"It's good to see you guys are safe. Mum's gonna be so happy to see you all," Fred grinned as he led the way up the stairs to the loft above the joke shop.

It was another few minutes before Mr. and Mrs. Weasley and Ginny arrived by floo giving the four friends enough time to remove their disguises.

"George and Fred, I hope you have a good reason for insisting that we floo over here at this time of night!" Mrs. Weasley chided as she stepped from the fireplace. "You know it is dangerous to be traveling around at night!"

"We know Mum..." Fred began to explain but Mrs. Weasley caught sight of Ron and Harry standing beside the far wall and her excited cry drowned out any reply he could have given.

"Ohhh! Ron! Harry! Thank Merlin!" Mrs. Weasley cried as she rushed over and hugged the two boys fiercely.

Mr. Weasley quickly joined his wife and clapped his hand on Ron and Harry's shoulders. "Ron, Harry, are you boys all right?"

Taylor stood beside Hermione and as soon as Mrs. Weasley let go of the two boys she turned and hugged the both of them, crying and asking them if they were all right and how glad she was to see them all.

"Yeah, we're fine Dad." Ron said and Harry echoed the sentiment.

"It's so good to see you. We've been so worried!" Mr. Weasley said thickly.

"It's good to see you too, Dad." Ron replied, his voice just as thick.

"Aww Mum, I told you. I am fine," Ron said as his mother hugged him again, and he awkwardly patted her back.

"Molly, let the poor boy breathe. Why don't we all have a seat, so that we can talk?" Mr. Weasley said calmly as he guided his wife to a chair and sat her down.

Ginny had already hugged her two best friends and her brother and was now standing holding Harry's hand. The two of them sat on the large sofa with Ron and Hermione. Taylor sat in a chair and the two twins drew up a soft cushy chair for themselves.

It took almost an hour to tell their story to the Weasleys, or as much of it as they could. Mr. Weasley told them that Mrs. Briggs had relayed to him that they had been at her cottage, and that Mr. and Mrs. Granger were fine and staying at the Burrow.

The talk then turned to what was happening at the Ministry and the four friends learned that the Ministry hadn't yet passed any new laws from the information that they had gathered during the census. Also that Hogwarts would indeed reopen in January, and that for now everyone was going to be allowed back. They speculated some on what the Ministry was up to, but without any facts it was just that, speculation.

"I don't suppose you are here to say that you are coming home for the rest of the holidays are you." Mr. Weasley asked gravely.

"No Sir," Harry answered firmly.

Mrs. Weasley gasped, "Surely you don't plan on going off alone again, do you?"

"Yes Mrs. Weasley we do." Harry replied, "We still have some things that we need to do before school starts again."

"But surely it can wait until you finish school in the spring?" Mrs. Weasley cried.

Harry sighed, but it was Hermione who answered. "No, it can't wait. We only hope that we will be able to get it done before Hogwarts starts again. We just wanted to see you on Christmas is all, and to let you know we are all right."

For a little while they talked about Bill and Charlie and how they were doing and some of Ron's other family. Remus was very worried but okay other wise and Moody had stopped looking for them after he had talked with Mrs. Briggs about their visit.

It was nearing midnight when Harry finally asked Mr. Weasley if he knew where Umbridge lived. Mr. Weasley didn't know but he was extremely curious as to why Harry wanted to know that information.

The sound of a clock chiming midnight brought home the fact that it was time for Harry and the others to leave.

"We need to get going." Harry said as he slowly stood up, pulling Ginny with him.

"Oh, can't you stay a little longer?" Mrs. Weasley asked as she too stood up. "You could all come back to the Burrow and we could have Christmas together. You can at least stay until dinnertime."

It was Taylor who spoke up, "I'm sorry Mrs. Weasley, but we can't."

"But you are all just children! It is too dangerous for you to be off all alone again!" Mrs. Weasley cried as her voice started to rise.

"We are all of age. And we stopped being children a long time ago." Taylor said quietly but firmly.

Mr. Weasley put his arm comfortingly around his wife as he looked at the four young adults that stood before him. Gone from them was the look of innocence, replaced by a look of determination and acceptance that spoke of maturity beyond their young years. "Yes, you were all forced to grow up way to young."

"Here's the supplies you asked for Harry." Fred said as he handed a bag to him. "I'll take it out of your share of the earnings!" a grin creasing his face.

"Thank you Fred." Harry said with an answering smile. "That will be great."

"Any time partner!" George put in.

It was a teary goodbye as Mrs. Weasley hugged them all tightly several times, and Mr. Weasley made them promise to stay safe. Harry was able to sneak in a quick goodbye with Ginny as Taylor and Hermione distracted the Weasleys for a few moments.

Harry pulled his invisibility cloak out and threw it over the others. It was a tight fit to get the four of them under the cloak, but being careful and moving slowly they were able to make their way out of the dark joke shop. Just outside, they all linked arms and Hermione apparated them to their next campsite on a lonely snow-swept moor.

When the wards were in place and the tent set up the four friends sat in silence around the little table with a small smokeless fire warming them.

It was a long time before anyone spoke.

"Well that was a lot harder then I thought it was going to be." Ron said softly.

"I'm sorry," Hermione whispered shakily. "I thought it would be a good idea to see them on Christmas."

Taylor scooted her chair closer to her friend and wrapped an arm around Hermione's shoulders. "It was a good idea 'Mione. It was a very special evening, spent with family."

The four friends were quiet for a little while longer. Just the moaning of the wind could be heard on that silent night.

"I'll take first watch," Taylor said at last. "It must be nearly three by now. You guys get some sleep." Gathering up her cloak and things, Taylor slipped out of the tent into the cold night. The night was black and she could only see a few feet out into the darkness, but she conjured up a stool and sat down, her mind too busy for sleep.

Taylor heard the others quietly getting ready for bed and then the creak of the bedsprings and soon the soft snores from Ron.

Taylor remembered back to the Christmases of her youth, at her uncles. They had been happy times, and very magical. The magic that even muggles can feel at Christmas time. It wasn't long before she started to wonder if it was possible to bring some of that special magic to her brother and two best friends, and an idea came to her. There were no trees out on the moor so Taylor picked up a twig from the ground and set to work transfiguring it into a little Christmas tree. It took her over an hour of painstaking work but when she was finished the little tree sparkled, the decorations on it simple. Slipping into the tent she set the miniature Christmas tree on the table. A quick look around and she transfigured a little gift for each of her friends to put under the tree. Satisfied she went back outside to keep watch again, a warmth in her heart that had nothing to do with the warming charm that she used to ward off the cold winter night.

It was then, as she sat thinking of the simple gifts that she had just transfigured inside the tent that a handsome face and a deep male voice invaded her thoughts. It was thoughts of the Hufflepuff that kept her company until the sky began to lighten and a muttered curse came from inside the tent followed by a thump.

"Aw hell Taylor. I'm sorry. I overslept! Why didn't you wake me?" Harry asked groggily as he stumbled out of the tent pulling his cloak tightly around him.

"Don't worry about it. I'm not really all that sleepy anyway. You go do what you need to do, then I'll go in and get you some hot chocolate." Taylor grinned up at her brother.

A half hour later, Taylor had bacon frying and was mixing up pancakes when Hermione and Ron joined her. The tiny Christmas tree sitting on the table filled the tent with soft light and the four friends had an enjoyable Christmas morning talking about their past Christmases and the special things that they had received.

* * *

><p>AN Well there you have it what I thought a simple Christmas might be like while they were hunting Horcruxes... what did you think? As I was re-reading it through I did notice something that wasn't very clear. (there are more then likely more if so let me know!) It was the fact that Dumbledore didn't know about Hogwarts reopening... in my head I knew he would know that and he likely told them in a round about way but he wouldn't of known where Umbridge lived and for him to start asking those sorts of questions would of been suspcious... hopefully that clears that up. I find, because maybe I have only written a couple of storys that I have the answers in my head but don't get them down in writting very well, or I am trying to convey something and forget to clear up another point. As well with their disgusies... I elaborated on the glamour spell to include changing hair and eye colour but not their voices that is why Fred and George knew it was Harry when he spoke. Anyway hope you enjoyed.. let me know what you think!

Thank you to everyone who has read this story so far! Thank you as well to all of those who have alerted or favorited this story and those who have taken the time to review! It means so much to me! Thanks to my bata barbc! Without her efforts this story wouldn't be finished let alone as good as it is!

So until next time, cytpotter.


	36. When You Follow Your Heart

No I still own nothing except this annoying laptop that I have been forced to use and the unrecognizable parts of this story.

I want to say a HUGE thank you to HadaGracia :) you rock girl! You made me soooooo happy with all your reviews! ;) Now on with more of the story!

* * *

><p>Chapter Thirty-six<p>

**When You Follow Your Heart**

It was the day after Christmas and they had moved from the moor to a thickly wooded forest. Harry and Ron had both gone out to look around. They'd been gone for most of the day. Taylor and Hermione had contented themselves with studying the Dark Magic books and discussing to great length some of the darkest of the spells in them.

Both Ron and Harry were really tired after their long trek that day and decided to take the last two shifts so that they could sleep longer. Hermione was going to take first watch, so Taylor stayed in the tent until she heard the soft snores from both boys before gathering her cloak and slipping silently out of the tent, her wand in hand. A flick of her wand and Hermione was frozen in place on the stool she had been sitting on.

"Sorry Hermione, but I thought that it would be better this way. If things should go wrong neither you nor the boys will be able to blame you. Don't worry, I'll lift the spell before I leave. I'm going to Greg Hunter's house. I'll be back before my watch starts. I hope you understand. I know I should have told you about my plans this afternoon but I thought you would have tried to talk me out of going or told Harry and Ron. I'll make sure I don't scare you when I get back. I hope you understand, and if I don't go now I'll lose my nerve. Bye Hermione, see you in a few hours." Taylor whispered as she stopped at the edge of their wards. Taking a deep breath, she released Hermione from the binding spell then stepped through the wards around their campsite, with the picture of the place nearest to the address Greg had given her firmly in her mind's eye. Turning on the spot, she apparated.

A second later Taylor landed in a less wooded area hundreds of miles from their current campsite, dropping into a crouch she quickly surveyed the area to make sure she was indeed alone. Assured that only the wildlife was watching her she quickly disguised herself and satisfied that she was unrecognizable as Taylor Porter, she headed out of the woods and into the nearby muggle village.

She knew that her brother was going to be furious when he found out that she had gone, and that this was incredibly dangerous and maybe the stupidest thing she had ever done, but she needed to go see the Head Boy again. She couldn't even explain to herself the strange urge that had driven her here. It was like a wild reckless desire to prove that he was indeed real and that he did like her.

In the village Taylor spotted a small pub and went in to see if she could get directions from someone. It was crowded and music pounded out the door as she opened it and slipped inside. Heading for the washrooms she quickly transfigured some toilet paper into several pounds, before heading for the bar.

"What can I get you?" the barkeeper asked as he stopped in front of her after putting a large mug of beer on the bar for the man beside her.

Taylor really didn't want to ask for a drink but decided that it would look weird if she didn't order something. "Just a coke please."

The barkeep lifted an eyebrow at her but went and got her the soft drink. When he brought it back and set it down she paid him with the transfigured toilet paper. Before he could turn to leave she asked, "I'm looking for a road by the name of Lindsaylands Road, is it anywhere near here?"

"Yeah, a couple of kilometers south of here, but there isn't much out there; just forest until you get to Biggar"

"Thanks," Taylor smiled and reached for her cola. The barkeep glanced at her once more then went on to his next customer. The soda was watered down, with most of the glass filled with ice cubes. Taylor felt less guilty of stealing as she thought about how the bar was ripping people off by overcharging for the few ounces of watered down soda that was in her glass. Watching carefully Taylor took note of everyone in the bar and was positive that they were all muggles.

She finished her drink and then left, quickly slipping down a side street and out of sight. It was going to take her quite awhile if she walked all the way but a large truck parked at the gas station across the street gave her an idea. Looking around carefully to make sure no one was watching she performed a disillusioning charm so that it would be difficult for anyone to see her and slipped across the street. A sign on the side of the truck read 'Biggar Trucking'. Taylor quickly hopped up onto the back and slipped under the canvas, as the driver got into the cab and started the engine. She knew she was taking a chance. The truck could be heading in the opposite direction, but it was a risk she was willing to take.

Five minutes later Taylor was surprised to see an opening in the trees and a house all lit up, as she peeked out the back of the truck. She knew she had found _Hunter's Place_! The truck didn't stop and Taylor realized that she was going to have to jump from the moving vehicle. It wasn't quite as bad as it could have been if she had been a muggle. A quick transfiguration spell made the ground into a large soft mattress. The only trouble was she didn't quite take into account the speed at which the truck was traveling and so she landed on the mattress but momentum carried her off the mattress and onto the hard road. She rolled quite a long way before finally coming to a stop in the gravel on the side of the road.

With a groan she rolled over as pain shot up her arm, but panic quickly overrode the pain as Taylor realized that she had dropped her wand. Scrambling to her feet she looked around desperately, spying the thin piece of wood lying in the road a few feet away. A second wave of panic rolled over her as she suddenly realized just how vulnerable of a position she was in, out on the open road in plain sight without her wand. Snatching up her wand, she made for the little cover the ditch provided, then looked around carefully. She knew that if Moody or Shacklebolt ever heard about her foolish stunt just now they would tear a strip off of her.

After a careful search of the area Taylor was relieved to find that she was extremely lucky and still all alone. Taking a deep breath she vanished the mattress from the road, and began to take a quick inventory of her injuries. Her face was scratched, she had a bad case of road rash on her right hand, and she decided that her left wrist was only sprained and not broken. All in all she decided that she was lucky, she could have been seen.

For a long moment Taylor thought about just apparating back to the campsite and forgetting about this foolishness, but then she decided that she had come this far and she might as well finish what she had set out to do and go to the Head Boy's house.

It didn't take long to vanish the dirt off of her clothes and remove the disguise that she had worn into the muggle bar, but she waited until she was just about to enter the wards around _Hunter's Place_ before she took the disillusionment charm off. The cuts she could only partially heal and her sprained wrist was going to have to wait until she was back at camp.

_Hunter's Place_ was a neat little two-story stone house surrounded by a carefully tended garden of shrubs, trees and flowerbeds. The brick walkway leading up to the house was swept clear of snow and the porch was lit up by a brass lamp that sparkled and seemed to reflect out over the snow.

At the door Taylor paused, she wasn't sure if she should just knock on the door or not. True she had been invited but not on this particular night. It was a dangerous time and an unannounced knock on the door might be met with hostility, or at the very least frighten those inside. Deciding that it would be better to startle them than to scare Greg's parents, she conjured her Patronus and sent it into the house announcing her presence.

It wasn't thirty seconds later that the door opened and there stood Greg, and another wizard, both with their wands drawn.

"I'm sorry for coming by so late. But you did invite me over Greg. Code word fuzzy pears." Taylor said nervously as she looked from one guarded face to the other.

"Taylor, is that really you? Ahh, hazel nuts." Greg exclaimed as a grin spread over his face. "Dad, it's ok. This is Taylor Porter."

The tall man beside Greg narrowed his eyes and looked carefully over the girl standing on his doorstep. "If you don't mind I'd like to make sure that you are not hiding anything on your person." And without waiting for an answer he waved his wand and a spell settled over Taylor like a cold burst of air, causing her to shiver.

"I'm sorry. I needed to be sure. I'm sure you understand. Please Miss Porter, come in." The elder Hunter said as his face warmed into a smile as he ushered the girl into the house shutting the door behind her.

"That's fine Mr. Hunter. I understand. I should have given you more warning but honestly I wasn't sure if I'd be able to make it or not." Taylor said as she looked down at her rather shabby appearance and noticed that there was still some dirt and snow on her cloak.

"Well I, for one, am really glad you came!" Greg said the happiness evident in his voice as he reached out to take the cloak from Taylor.

Taylor glanced up into Greg's handsome smiling face and a small smile pulled at her lips.

"Did you run into trouble coming here?" Mr. Hunter asked as a woman came into the entryway.

"Well, is it safe for the regular folk to come out of hiding now or what?" The woman asked, but she had a friendly smile on her face.

"No, nothing like that. I just had a little trouble finding your place is all." Taylor answered quietly, she didn't plan on telling Greg's parents what had happened on the way there, or Greg for that matter.

"Mum, I'd like to introduce you to Taylor Porter. Taylor this is my mum Veronica Hunter, and my dad Daniel," Greg grinned as he made the introductions.

"Mrs. Hunter. Mr. Hunter. It is very nice to meet you."

"It is very nice to meet you too. May I call you Taylor? Please call me Veronica. Mrs. Hunter is Dan's mother!" Greg's mother said warmly as she took Taylor's hand.

"Have you had your supper yet dear? We were just eating. You're welcome to join us."

Taylor's face turned red. She hadn't meant to intrude on their meal. "Yes Ma'am, I ahhh, didn't mean to interrupt your meal." Taylor stammered in her embarrassment.

"Oh you're not interrupting. Please come and join us." Mrs. Hunter said as she guided her down the hall to the kitchen, which was a large old-fashioned one with exposed wooden beams and dark oak cupboards. There was an electric stove, refrigerator, and even a microwave, but there was also a huge wood stove that was heating the large room and making it cozy.

"Greg reheat the food while I set a place for Taylor. It is so convenient to have wizards in the house!" Mrs. Hunter said with a laugh as she took down a place setting from the cupboard and set it at the table. "We are just having Christmas leftovers, I hope you don't mind Taylor."

"Oh no Ma'am! That will be fine." Taylor answered nervously as she sat in the chair Mrs. Hunter had shown her too. Greg grinned at her and gave her a wink as he performed warming spells on the many bowls of food sitting on the large table. He took the chair across from her as his father sat down at the head of the table.

"What would you like to drink dear? The water is hot if you would like a cup of hot chocolate or I could make you some tea if you prefer."

"Hot chocolate would be very nice, Mrs. Hunter, thank you." Taylor answered, and the older woman retrieved a cup from the cupboard and made the hot chocolate.

"Here you go dear, please help yourself. We have a very casual household here, so if you see anything on the table you want just make a long arm." Mrs. Hunter said as she sat down.

Taylor looked over at Greg, as she chewed nervously on her bottom lip. He smiled at her as he said, "How about some potatoes? My mum makes the best! Even better than at school," and he handed her a bowl of mashed potatoes.

"Thank you," Taylor said quietly as she spooned a helping of the mashed potatoes onto her plate. Things were easier after that. Greg and his parents seemed to understand her nervousness and strove to put her at ease. By the time Mrs. Hunter got up to serve dessert, Taylor was starting to relax and enjoy herself. The family had talked easily, including her into their conversations.

"I suppose Umbridge gave you a hard time at the Ministry during the census, did she?" Mr. Hunter asked while he ate his apple pie.

Taylor looked up at the wizard, a little startled by his question, and was suddenly unsure how to answer. She remembered that Greg had told her that his father worked at the Ministry. It wouldn't be wise to speak ill of one of his colleagues.

Greg though seemed to read her sudden unease, "You don't have to worry about what you say about that old hag in this house, Taylor. There is no love lost for Umbridge here!"

"She was no worse then she usually is. She really got to Hermione though." Taylor growled as memories from the census office came flooding back. A funny look passed over Mr. Hunter's face and Taylor remembered her little act of being upset as she left the Ministry. Thinking quickly she added "The old cow makes me so mad sometimes that…" Taylor let the sentence go unfinished.

"I have never met the woman but from what my husband and Greg have told me she shouldn't be allowed to work in a public office! Some of the things that she did while she was at Hogwarts were absolutely atrocious!" Mrs. Hunter said in an angry voice.

Taylor balled her left hand into a fist, making the thin white scar there stand out, and pain radiate from her swollen wrist. "Yeah, you probably don't know the half of it." Taylor growled in a low voice.

Taylor looked up and met Greg's eyes and could see them widen slightly by the anger that she knew was in her eyes. With an effort she forced the anger away and smiled. "She will never be on my Christmas card list, let's put it that way."

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have brought it up. I just happened to see you that day in the Ministry and you looked upset." Mr. Hunter said gently his face showing the concern that she had seen in Greg's so often.

"It's alright Mr. Hunter. I shouldn't let the ole toad get to me like that." Taylor replied with a smile.

"Why don't you kids go on into the living room while Dan and I clean up here. We'll join you in a little while." Mrs. Hunter said a few minutes later when they finished their desserts.

"Great idea Mum. Let's go Taylor before she puts us to work!" Greg said standing and waving at Taylor to join him.

"Thank you very much for supper Mrs. Hunter, it was very delicious!" Taylor was genuinely thankful. It had been a long time since she'd had a cooked meal like that. Not since she had left Hogwarts.

"Oh you are very welcome dear. Now you two run along." Mrs. Hunter said warmly and Greg grabbed Taylor's arm and guided her out of the kitchen to the spacious living room, with a toasty fire burning in the fireplace and a huge Christmas tree lit up in the corner.

Greg sat on a large leather sofa near the fire and Taylor sat down beside him.

"Ok, spill. What really happened to you?" Greg asked quietly as his blue eyes narrowed and took on a piercing quality. "I know something did. Your face is all scratched and so is your hand."

"I had some trouble finding your house, like I said earlier."

"Taylor, I know you. I also know what a partially healed wound looks like. You may have been able to fool my mother but not me or my dad." Greg said as he moved closer to Taylor his eyes never leaving hers.

"I just miscalculated a little is all. And I overshot my landing."

"You flew here?" Greg asked worriedly.

Taylor snorted, "No! I don't own a broom. And I wasn't about to borrow Harry's either. I hitched a ride and had to make an emergency exit."

"You jumped? From what? A Car?" Greg asked incredulously, again amazing Taylor with his quick intuition about her.

"It's not as bad as that. Don't worry I wasn't seen."

"Dear Merlin Taylor, you could have been killed! I didn't think you'd risk your life to come here!" Greg exclaimed, as he fought to keep his voice low. "Let me guess, Potter doesn't know you came."

Taylor looked away. This wizard was just way too perceptive.

"God Taylor, do you not know how dangerous it is to go off by yourself! What if… Merlin a thousand things could have happened to you!"

Taylor's temper started to rise, "You asked me here! How did you think I'd get here? You know I went away with Harry after school…"

"Yeah, I heard all about how you and Potter took off from Moody and Shacklebolt outside the Ministry!" Greg growled as he too started to get angry.

Taylor went to stand up from the sofa as her temper took over, but Greg's hand caught her left one and pain shot up her arm causing her to gasp.

Greg's eyes dropped to her hand and softened instantly when he saw how swollen her wrist was. "I'm sorry Taylor, what happened to your wrist?" He gently pushed her back onto the sofa and then pulled her sleeve up to get a better look, noting the heat as well as the bruising that was starting to appear there. "This is probably broken you know."

"No, just badly sprained I think, though I didn't think I should try healing it. I'm not that great at healing spells as you can see." Taylor pointed at her partially healed wounds.

"I'm no expert either but Dad is. He trained to be a healer before he started in the Department of Mysteries." Greg said with a gentle smile. "Here put this on it, until he comes in from the kitchen, it will help take the swelling down." Pulling his wand out of his pocket, he transfigured a coaster into an ice pack and laid it gently over her swollen wrist.

"Thanks," Taylor mumbled as the cold started to cool her heated skin.

They were quiet for a few seconds before Greg spoke again. "So Potter really doesn't know you came?" When Taylor shook her head he asked, "Do you think he will be mad?"

A vision of Harry, furious, flashed before her mind's eye and she grinned, "Oh yeah! He will be fit to be tied!"

Greg rolled his eyes and shook his head. "Not that I mind pissing off Potter, but it really was dangerous for you to go out by yourself. Maybe Dad and I should go with you when you leave to make sure you get home safely."

Taylor shook her head, "No I'll be fine going home. I can apparate right there. Besides next time I come, I'll be able to apparate right to your house no problem."

Greg's face split into a crooked grin, "So you think you will come over again, soon?"

Taylor grinned and rolled her eyes. They talked for a while about different things. Greg asked her about her detentions and said that he finally got all his memory back. He told her about telling his father about how well she was at dueling and about saving his butt in the fight. He also told her that he didn't believe a word about her using Dark Magic, but he was sure that the Slytherins were.

It was nearly forty minutes later when Greg's parents finally joined them in the living room, and Greg asked his father to look at Taylor's wrist.

Mr. Hunter drew his wand from inside his shirt and after waving it slowly over her wrist for a few seconds said, "It isn't broken, but it is badly sprained. I can heal it but it is going to be tender for a few days." He muttered quietly under his breath and Taylor could feel the swelling recede and the pain go away. He then waved his wand again and a bandage flew out of the tip and wrapped around her arm. "Leave that on for a couple of days. If, after that, it is still sore I suggest you go see a healer. I can finish healing your cuts too if you would like."

Taylor's face turned red, but she nodded. If she could keep Harry from seeing her bandaged wrist she would be better off, and with the cuts gone it would be even easier. It took only a few seconds for Greg's father to make the rest of her cuts go away completely. "Healing oneself is always a little trickier." He said as he finished and after inspecting his work he moved over to the love seat and sat down beside his wife.

They all talked for a while, the Hunters telling Taylor about themselves, and making her laugh with a few tales of the things Greg had done as a youngster.

Soon though Mr. Hunter glanced at his wife and then said in a serious tone, "Our son has told us that you are in the same year as he is at Hogwarts?" When Taylor nodded, he continued, "I'm afraid that something about that bothers me. When I checked you out with that spell when you arrived, I couldn't help but notice that you are still underage. Can you explain that to us, please?"

Taylor's jaw dropped. She had been using magic outside of Hogwarts since the summer and not been caught as an under-age witch. She'd even used it at the Ministry of Magic! "How…?" was all that she could ask as her mind whirled and fear rose up in her throat.

"The spell I used, we use it in the Department of Mysteries so we can be sure no one is leaving or bringing in anything that they shouldn't, and it detected your underage magic." Mr. Hunter spoke in a firm voice but not unkind.

Taylor shot a quick look at Greg and could see the confusion on his face. Swallowing Taylor said, "I ahh…" How was she going to explain this? Hogwarts, with its numerous wards wasn't supposed to allow anyone younger then eleven to start. Dumbledore had somehow fooled the wards, and the Ministry! Now here she was caught, _by a Ministry official_. Taking a deep breath Taylor tried to explain, staying as close to the truth as possible. "I was raised in Canada, by my Uncle. He died about a week before I got my letter. I was only ten at the time, but I had nowhere else to go so I came over to England. No one mentioned the fact that I was only ten, so I never thought about it. It never was a problem until it came time to get my apparation license…" Taylor's eyes widened. _Shit_! She had just admitted that she was apparating without a license! Could she dig herself a bigger hole?

Greg's father stared hard at her for a long time before he sighed, "I know about your past, or I should say I know the little about your past that there is to know." At Taylor's shocked look he explained. "I am very good friends with Mad-Eye Moody, and he asked me to look into your past for him some time ago. I didn't find much, and definitely nothing indicating that you are a year younger then you are supposed to be."

Taylor wished that she could get up and pace. She could always think better when her feet were moving. "Mr. Hunter, it is not my intention to try to deceive you, Mrs. Hunter or your son. I cannot tell you anymore… I'm sorry."

Mrs. Hunter spoke for the first time. "It wasn't our intention to make you uncomfortable. We were just worried by Dan's discovery. I trust my son's judgment in people, he has never been wrong about anyone. We were just concerned for you. These are dangerous times."

"I told Mum and Dad what you said to me in the Hufflepuff study, that day." Greg said quietly.

"No one hopes that the stories about Harry Potter being the Chosen One are true anymore then we do. I'm sure that you are very aware of the risks that you take by going with him to do what ever it is that he is doing. I was just very surprised to find that he took an underage witch with him. I assume he does know you are underage?" Mr. Hunter asked in his no nonsense voice.

"Oh Yeah, Harry knows. I really never left him with much choice but to take me. I have no family to hold me back." Taylor said, as emotion, sure and strong surged through her, "I will fight beside Harry until the end."

* * *

><p>AN Well there we go Taylor run off to see the Head Boy... I know this is very impulsive and might seem a little radical but I remember when I was a teenager doing some pretty strange things when it came to boys I liked... I even took off one night in a snow storm and drove 30km to see a guy about something rather trivial... so in that frame of mind maybe what Taylor did wasn't too unbelievable. I think of Taylor as being very impulsive... if she thinks of something she is likely to do it! And dum dum dum... now one of her secrets has been found out! Greg and his family know she is underage! :) Couldn't let Taylor's little adventure not have some repercussions! Mwhahahaha!

Want to say thank you for reading! and thank you if you alerted or favoured this story plus if you leave a review... well those just make me want to post more chapters!

Thanks to my wonderful bata barbc... you are awsome girl! Until next time, cytpotter.


	37. A Wrapped Little Box

Nope! I have the same crappy computer so I can't own Harry! Cause if I did then I'd definitely have one that is less then 10 years old! :)

* * *

><p>Chapter Thirty-seven<p>

**A Wrapped Little Box**

Somewhere in the house a clock started to chime. It was ten o'clock. She needed to get back to camp so that she could take her watch and relieve Hermione.

"I'm sorry Mr. and Mrs. Hunter, Greg, but I really need to get going," Taylor said as she stood from the sofa.

"So soon?" Greg asked as he stood up beside her.

"Yeah. I promised I'd be back at ten."

"Thank you dear for coming. It was very nice to finally meet the girl that Greg keeps going on about." Mrs. Hunter said as she and her husband stood up also.

"Mum!" Greg growled.

"Yes, thank you for coming Taylor. I'm sorry that it must have felt like an interrogation. I hope we didn't scare you from coming back again?" Mr. Hunter said with a gentle smile.

"Oh no Sir. I'd have asked questions myself if someone showed up like I did." Taylor said with a smile. She could see where Greg got his straightforwardness.

Mr. Hunter chuckled. "You have a lot of courage young lady. A true Gryffindor you are! Promise me that you will be very careful going home. I assume you are going to apparate? Correct?"

Taylor laughed a little too, "Oh yeah. That was the plan. I plan on getting my license when I am old enough, if that makes any difference."

"I'm glad to hear it. Not to worry, your secret is safe with us, besides I've seen wizards with licenses who can't side along as well as you can. You are a very talented young witch." Mr. Hunter added with a smile, at Taylor's confused expression he added, "Moody told me about you apparating Mr. Potter away from the Ministry."

Greg walked with Taylor to the door and passed her cloak to her, as his parents hung back to give them a little privacy. "When will I see you again? I never even got the chance to give you this," Greg said quietly as he pulled a small box out of his pocket and put it in her hand.

Taylor looked down at the beautifully wrapped box and remembered the conversation she had overheard Christmas Eve at Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes. She caught her bottom lip in her teeth as she looked up into his soft blue eyes. "I didn't get you anything…" she started but he interrupted her.

"Sure you did, you gave me this evening. Thank you." Then he pulled her into his arms and gave her a warm hug. Taylor thought she could have stayed wrapped up in them forever, but all too soon he released her, kissing her on the forehead as he drew away.

Taylor bit her bottom lip harder to keep it from trembling as emotions coursed through her and her heart pounded wildly. "No. Thank you. This evening was very special." Her voice was none too steady.

"Please promise me that you will stay safe! I hate the idea of you leaving here alone! But I am so selfish, that I am praying that you will come back again sometime" Greg's voice dropped to a whisper as he breathed the last bit into her ear.

"Can't make any promises." Taylor whispered as she slipped the small box into her cloak.

"I know. Meet me at Sofia's Diner!" When Taylor looked at him confused he went on quickly, "It's a restaurant not far from the Ministry where a lot of them go to eat. It's heavily warded and always well guarded. I have a picture of the apparation point in my room, so you could apparate right there. There are enough Ministry officials who bring their kids there that they'll never detect you." Greg finished pulling his wand and with a flick he Accioed the picture from his room and handed it to her.

"I know the place. It would be safe, as safe as is possible at this time." Mr. Hunter said as he and Mrs. Hunter joined them by the door.

Taylor looked at the picture for a long moment, memorizing it before she handed it back to Greg. "I can't promise. It will depend on just how angry Harry is, but if I can, I'll send you my Patronus."

A grin split the Head Boy's handsome face, "I will pray that Potter is in a very forgiving mood then and wait for your beautiful doe to appear again."

Taylor was about to reach for the door when Mrs. Hunter pulled her into a hug, "Please be careful. And thank you for coming."

"I will, Mrs. Hunter." Taylor replied as she stepped back from the kind older woman.

"Next time we will talk about you calling me Mrs. Hunter!" Greg's mother said with a smile.

Greg opened the door for her and she smiled at him. "Be careful, I'll be waiting."

"Bye," Taylor whispered as she stepped out the door, "Thank you again!" Waving once more as she was halfway down the walk she didn't slow down until she approached the wards surrounding Hunter's Place. Taking a deep breath of the frigid night air, she flicked her wrist so that she would have her wand in hand as soon as she stepped outside the wards. Shacklebolt's deep voice booming in her mind about being ready at all times. Without looking back and fixing the campsite firmly in her mind's eye, Taylor stepped through the wards and turned, apparating away.

A second later the huge bands released her and she was standing not twenty feet from their tent in the thick forest. Dropping to a crouch she looked around listening, the wards on their camp effectively hiding it from view. Once she was satisfied that there wasn't anyone else out in the forest, a quick revealing spell showed her that. She conjured a small bird and sent it towards the tent. The signal that it was only her that was returning and that all was well.

She waited a few more seconds before she then stood and made her way through the last few trees and into the campsite. All was still and dark. A movement by the tent alerted Taylor that there was someone there.

"Raisins in the snow." Taylor said and Hermione's voice answered "Only when the snow is yellow."

"You're late!" Hermione's voice was clipped and ice hard.

"Only by fifteen minutes, I…" Taylor started.

"You're lucky I didn't go wake Harry and Ron! I can't believe you ran off alone like that! Do you know how stupid and dangerous that was? What if you'd been caught?" Hermione tore a strip off of Taylor, which would have made Mrs. Weasley proud. It was twenty minutes before Taylor could get a word in edgewise.

"Hermione, will you just lay off! I think I have a way of getting the horcrux from Umbridge!" Taylor finally squeezed in and watched as Hermione's jaw dropped.

"How?"

Taylor quickly filled her in on the Diner that Greg had told her about, and where it was located. "Now all we need to do is watch to find out when the toad goes there, create a diversion and take the necklace off of her."

"You think she would go to such a place?" Hermione asked skeptically.

"If there are that many wards around it then I'd say some high up Ministry officials must go there, and if they do the toad will too." Taylor said with confidence.

Hermione stared at Taylor for a long moment before standing up and saying in clipped tones, "I'm going to bed. If you don't tell Harry in the morning about leaving then I will. Goodnight Taylor."

It was a long while before Taylor even started to feel the cold. Her mind was busy replaying the evening she'd had at Greg's house. True it had been quite tense at times but she was left with such a warm feeling that it had been more than worth the trouble.

The next morning at breakfast she began to second-guess the idea of it being worth the trouble.

"You did _what_! What the _hell_ were you _thinking?_" Harry bellowed when she told him about her adventure the night before, well about leaving and going to Greg's. She didn't bother mentioning her side adventure of just getting there.

"You mean to tell me that you snuck off last night to see that… that…" Harry seemed lost for words.

"Arrogant pompous Hufflepuff dick!" Ron growled.

"Freezing Hermione! What if a Death Eater had come along? Do you _ever_ stop to think?" Harry ranted.

"I released her before I left you dickhead!" Taylor snapped.

"Don't you give me that tone! You know what you did was reckless and incredibly dangerous!"

"You are not my boss Potter!" Taylor screamed back, immediately regretting her words.

"Well you sure seem to need one!" Harry bit out before he wheeled and headed out of the tent.

Taylor glanced over at Ron and could see that he was almost as pissed off as Harry, then she looked at Hermione to see that her friend was indeed angry too. Lifting her arms in defeat Taylor turned and went back through the curtain to her bed.

The move a few hours later was silent. No one spoke. Taylor took first watch that night even though it was still an hour or more before dark, just to get out of the angry silence that seemed to permeate the tent.

When Hermione came out to relieve her, Taylor refused and sent Hermione back in. Taylor decided that sitting outside in the cold was a lot better then sitting in the little tent with two angry wizards.

The next morning, she had come in last night when Ron came out to take his turn, Taylor didn't bother to get out of her bed like she usually would. She heard Hermione get up and could hear her getting breakfast. Normally she'd get up just to keep the other witch company, but not this morning. Rolling over onto her back Taylor stared up at the canvas that separated her from the cold wintry weather. Lifting her left hand she looked at it. Her wrist was feeling almost back to normal. She was glad Harry hadn't seen it wrapped, so she decided that she wouldn't push her luck and removed the bandage. It was a little tender. She'd need to be careful. She rolled up the bandage and stuffed it under her pillow. She'd put it with her things later.

It was then that her eyes fell on her cloak hanging beside her bed. In the pocket was still the gift from Greg. She hadn't opened it yet. Slowly she reached out and carefully removed the little beautifully wrapped box with a piece of gold ribbon tied around it. She stared at the box in her hand for a long time, relishing the memory of Greg's arms around her. She didn't allow her mind to examine too closely these feelings that the Hufflepuff could stir in her, and for the most part she kept them hidden away. Still though, as she looked at the little box in her hand her heart pounded and warmth spread through every fiber of her body.

She wasn't sure how long she just looked at the box. The deep rumble of Harry's voice and the softer sound of Hermione's reminded her that she wasn't truly alone, even though she was hidden behind the curtain.

"Do you think she's still asleep?" Harry's deep voice asked quietly.

"I'd say she is. I haven't heard her stir at all yet." Hermione answered softly. "How long are you going to stay mad at her? She does have an idea you know for getting the horcrux from Umbridge."

"What idea? How come you didn't mention it sooner?"

"I thought that maybe Taylor would tell you. You know as a peace offering." Hermione's voice was matter of fact and Taylor could imagine the serious look she was giving her brother.

"If she would just think! She acts without ever thinking of the consequences! First with the Dark Magic, and now running off all by herself. What is she going to do next?"

"Harry, I really think you need to cut her a little slack." A short pause "Don't give me that look. She has been under a lot of pressure. I know you are too, but you have Ginny. I'm lucky I have Ron and we rely on these people as emotional supports. Taylor has never had an interest in any guy as far as I know, but she is very fond of Greg Hunter. I think he would be very good for her." Another pause, "Oh come on Harry, you've seen her when she sees him! Remember that night at the joke shop? You even thought she would fall over the railing watching Hunter leave." There was a snort that could have only come from Harry. "I know you only want what is best for Taylor, and that you want to protect her, so please talk to her. Talk this through. It only gets harder the longer you put it off."

A few seconds later Taylor heard Ron enter the tent and the conversation changed to where they would be moving to today and when they would move.

Taylor lay in her bed thinking about what she had overheard. An hour later when she rolled out of bed, the little box was still unwrapped, and she stored it in her bag with her other things.

It wasn't until that night that Taylor finally had a chance to talk to Harry. They had moved around eleven, but when they apparated to their new spot, they had seen a couple of people off in the distance so they immediately apparated away to their emergency place. After some discussion they decided on a new campsite, but they were all nervous about being spotted and by whom. Hermione was more spooked than the others and insisted on double and triple checking their wards.

By the time they finally sat down to supper it was dark outside and Harry was on watch. Taylor washed up the dishes, Hermione had cooked, and then left Hermione and Ron alone in the tent. Taylor suspected that Ron would be able to calm Hermione better then she could, a quirky smile pulled at her lips for a moment, before it faded away. She needed to talk to her brother.

Outside the tent she stretched, rolling her tense shoulders and flexing her left wrist, testing it for any pain. There was none. Conjuring up a stool she sat down beside her brother and pulled her cloak tightly around her. They sat in silence for a long time, only the low moaning of the wind and the soft mumble of voices from within the tent could be heard.

Taylor wasn't sure how to start, but after watching another cloud pass over the full moon she decided that it was time. "I'm sorry Harry. I acted on an impulse. I knew it was dangerous but I went anyway."

Harry was silent for several long minutes. He had expected his sister to claim that it wasn't dangerous, that she wasn't in the wrong. "What if you had been hurt? Or caught? I didn't even know where you went. Or that you even left!"

"I know. I knew if I told you I wanted to go you wouldn't have let me. At the time it seemed worth the risk." Taylor answered softly.

"And now?"

Taylor looked up at the full moon that cast everything in its pale light. Way off in the distance they heard the howl of a wolf. They were too far off to tell if it was a werewolf or not. "Now, I think I would tell you, but I'd still probably go."

Taylor turned to look at her brother, the pale light from the moon making his face look paler then normal. "Harry, we are at war. Whether the Ministry of Magic thinks so or not. Most people think we are too young to fight, but the whole of the wizarding world seems to count on _you_ defeating Voldemort. I will fight by you, for you and probably with you for as long as I live. I will do whatever I have to, to help you. I love you. But Greg makes me feel things I never knew existed. He can make me feel safe by just being near me."

"I am so torn, part of me wants to be with him, just to be close enough to hold his hand, to feel the way only he can make me feel, but the other part screams that it is too dangerous, that by even thinking of him I put him in danger. That it would be far safer for him if I stay with you, until the war is finally over. Then I think of all the people who have already died, if that should happen to me, then at least I will know… I had the courage to at least, get a _peek_ at what it would be like to love someone like Greg."

Harry sat in shocked silence, as Taylor's words so closely resembled his own feelings for Ginny. He knew the awful price that this war might extract, how could he truly find fault with his sister when the same battle waged in his heart?

"Believe it or not I do understand. But I need to know I can trust you to not sneak off in the middle of the night. I need you Taylor, I wish to all those stars up there that I could send you someplace safe... I wonder sometimes what Mum and Dad must think of me putting you in all this danger. But I need your help. I can see that now. If we are going to find the rest of the Horcruxes and destroy them, and Voldemort too, then I need you… as wrong as it might be."

Taylor could hear the raw emotion in her brother's voice. She slid off the stool and wrapped her arms around him and hugged him tight. "I'm sorry Harry. I'll never do anything like that again! I need you too. You're all I have." Her voice broke as tears poured down her face.

Harry hugged his sister back. He could feel her shoulders shake as she cried on his shoulder. After Taylor stopped crying it was a while before either of them moved. It was comforting to simply show this rare display of affection to one another.

"So what did you do at Hunter's?" Harry asked, as his attempt to show his sister that he wasn't upset with her any longer.

Taylor told Harry about her visit to Greg's, even some of her adventure in getting there, though he was not pleased to hear that she went into a bar or stowed away on a truck. Though she did tell him about Mr. Hunter discovering that she was underage. After Harry calmed down again, she told him about the spell that he'd used to discover it and that the spell hadn't detected any Dark Magic. They pondered what this could mean for some time, and decided that they'd have to run it by Hermione and Dumbledore's painting.

It was well into Taylor's watch by the time she told her brother about the idea she had for getting the necklace from Umbridge, and by the time Ron came out to relieve Taylor, they had a plan almost hashed out.

* * *

><p>AN Well there Taylor made it back to the campsite and Harry was not impressed! LOL! So what did you think? :) If you want to know something or if something isn't clear leave a review and I will reply... I reply to all my reviews! Reviews just make my day!

Thank you to those who alerted and favorited this story! And to those of you who reviewed... THANK YOU!

I also need to say a HUGE thank you to my bata barbc! You rock girl! She has bata'd up to chapter 40! Yeah! So that means as soon as I go through them again and make the last corrections then I should be able to post at least another one maybe even two this week! So until next time, cytpotter.


	38. A Safe Place

No still not the great JK Rowling... if I was do you think I'd be posting here when I could publish and make billions? LOL!

Ok my lovely readers you know when you get on a roller coaster and there is a nice slow rise to the top? Well we have just about reached the top of **one** of the hills... so that means that you are in for an incrediable fast paced, action paced next number of chapters(not going to say how many :) you will just know when we reach the bottom!) So sit down. Keep your hands and feet inside the car at all times and for goodness sake HOLD ON! ;-)

MWWHAHAhaha!

* * *

><p>Chapter Thirty-eight<p>

**A Safe Place**

The following morning at breakfast, Harry explained to the others the rough plan that they had come up with. First they would need to scout out a place that they could watch the diner from, to determine when or if Umbridge went there. Then they would need to work out what sort of diversion and how big. If possible they would draw very little attention to themselves.

Hermione was quick to point out that they only had 9 days left until they were due back at Hogwarts, so after a lot of discussion it was decided that Taylor and Harry would apparate to Sofia's Diner today and start scouting. They would go disguised as a couple so that there wouldn't be any need to try to hide under the invisibility cloak and possibly splinch themselves when they apparated there.

They moved their camp, immediately after they finished planning, to a remote wooded area high on a hill. By noon Taylor and Harry were disguised and in transfigured clothes to match their new look. Taylor was a blond again but this time her features were such that she would easily be forgotten, as was Harry's brown hair and full beard that was sprinkled with gray.

"Hermione, don't you think you over did it a bit with all this gray?" Harry asked as he glanced at his new reflection in the mirror.

"No, the older you look the better. You will be less noticeable." Hermione replied briskly as she put the finishing touches on Taylor's blond hair.

An hour later Harry and Taylor sat at a table in the large restaurant. They hadn't had any trouble so far and were able to pick out several good places from which they would be able to watch for Umbridge. A waitress had just brought them their order when they heard a voice that both shocked and thrilled them.

"Why I was just telling Robert last night that the Minister will not stand for those animals being granted any more rights." The simpering voice said from behind a short wall.

"Yes but surely the Minister will at least hear the poor man's plight. Werewolf attacks are happening at a suddenly alarming rate…"

Harry and Taylor listened closely as the conversation continued, almost forgetting to eat. They couldn't believe their good luck, finding Umbridge this quickly, but they weren't ready to implement the rest of their plan today. The parting words of Umbridge made the two siblings eyes widen.

"…as I said yesterday. I have a dinner appointment here tomorrow night at six with the Head of the Department of Mysteries and one of his juniors, also the Minister's Under Secretary, to go over a few things before I head off to Spain for a couple of weeks for some important meetings there with their Minister."

Forty-five minutes later Harry and Taylor sat in their little tent as the wind whipped through the trees and shook the canvas, threatening to blow it away.

"Well, we caught a break there!" Ron said after he had heard what Umbridge had said. "If we had waited another day and gone we would have probably missed the old toad because we wouldn't have had a plan to take the horcrux. This way we have a day to work out the details to get the necklace and still have a week before we go back to school."

"Yes but it doesn't leave us much time to plan." Hermione said anxiously. Then she launched into questioning Taylor and Harry on everything that they had seen in the Diner.

"Taylor! Stop fidgeting," Hermione whispered as the two of them stood outside of Sofia's Diner. They had just apparated and were waiting in the short line up to enter the busy restaurant.

"Well this contraption you call a dress is riding up in all the wrong places!" Taylor growled into Hermione's new red hair. The two of them were in disguise again. Ron and Harry had come a few minutes before to pick out the best table that they could, as close to Umbridge's as possible. They had decided that the four of them arriving together might draw too much attention.

They only had to wait for a few minutes before a waiter showed them to the table where Ron and Harry were, only one table away from Umbridge's.

Taylor almost had a heart attack when she saw who was sitting at the table with Umbridge, and only because Hermione was behind her pushing her along did she make it to their table without stopping and staring.

"What…" Harry started to ask before Taylor leaned in close to her brother and whispered.

"Mr. Hunter, Greg's father is sitting with Umbridge!"

Harry's jaw tightened, this wasn't in the plans. "Do you think we should just go?"

Taylor took a deep breath and looked over towards the table where Mr. Hunter was sitting. No one from the table seemed to be at all interested in what was happening at this one. "No, this is our only chance. Besides I got all dressed up just to come here this evening." Taylor said as she leaned back and winked at her brother a smirk on her face, fully recovered from the shock of seeing Greg's father sitting at the table where they planned to steal the necklace from the toad.

To keep up appearances they ordered something off the menu, even though they didn't plan on eating any of it. They tried to act as normally as possible, keeping up their cover of two couples out on a date.

When their food arrived, as planned Harry excused himself from the table to head for the washroom. He placed the Instant Darkness Powder, that Fred and George had imported from Peru, near Umbridge's table and the hallway into the washrooms and the nearest exit.

When he came back he nodded that he was ready. Hermione and Taylor looked at one another. Their timing had to be perfect.

"Now!"

Harry activated the powder and the room plunged into total darkness as Ron and Harry set off a whole series of Wildfire Whiz-bangs. Amongst the screams and confusion, Taylor and Hermione went to work.

"Accio Horcrux!" Taylor called, as her pendant burnt and a horribly familiar feeling drained her magic.

Hermione had been waiting for Taylor to cast her spell as she sent the replica Slytherin necklace through the air, working from memory in the pitch dark, and settled it on a screaming Umbridge.

Harry deftly caught the real necklace as it sailed towards their table and Ron cast the spell to blow open the exit door, effectively covering their tracks by misdirection.

The whole thing took less then twenty seconds.

In less then thirty seconds the darkness began to lift and restaurant security, and the pure number of qualified witches and wizards in the place, had put many of the fireworks out.

"Harry!" Taylor groaned as she fought the blackness that wanted to consume her. She couldn't afford to lose consciousness here. She now knew that it was summoning a horcrux that drained her magic. A realization that had come too late.

"Taylor?" Harry said as he looked to where his sister had been sitting in the dim light that was chasing away the blackness. He could see her lying on the floor. He quickly bent down and picked her up.

"What's wrong?" Ron asked quietly as things started to return to normal, and Ministry officials, as well as security, gained control of the panicked people in the restaurant.

"I don't know but we need to get out of here!" Harry muttered urgently. They had used simple spells, that if they could keep from being noticed, wouldn't give them away if their wands were checked. With something wrong with Taylor, it would surely draw more attention and…

A huge explosion blew out the far side of the restaurant sending debris flying and throwing the place into total chaos again.

Dropping into a crouch, Harry felt Ron beside him, the sight of several dark figures coming in through the gaping hole in the wall of the restaurant sent a cold chill down Harry's back. Death Eaters.

Holding his sister tightly, he said urgently "We need to go! Now!"

"Come on," Ron hissed as he started to move, pulling Hermione with him, towards the exit near the washrooms, away from the Death Eaters, the same one that he had blew open only a few moments ago.

Spells, jinxes and shield charms were being cast everywhere as some people tried to fight with the Death Eaters, while others just wanted to protect themselves, while others still had only escaping in mind.

It was like trying to move through a minefield, as errant spells flew past, smashing into the floor or furniture, causing it to explode. Also there was a constant crush of bodies as people tried to get out of the way.

They were almost to the open door when Harry was hit with a jelly-legs jinx and dropped Taylor as his legs flew out of control.

Taylor hit the floor hard, the jolt clearing her head from the blackness and she could see Harry above her as his legs jerked and spasmed out of control.

"Harry!" Ron yelled reaching for his friend. "'Mione get Taylor out of here. I'll get Harry! GO!"

Hermione reached down and struggled to help Taylor up off the floor. Taylor helped as best she could but weak as she felt, she could do little more than cling to her friend. Awkwardly the two finally made it outside, the mayhem in the restaurant driving them forward, as Hermione was nearly carrying the younger witch. What they saw there nearly caused them to go crashing to the ground.

A Death Eater suddenly appeared in the tiny alleyway to cut off the escape of anyone using the emergency exit. A new wave of panic swept through the alley as a witch screamed and a brave wizard leapt forward to duel with the Death Eater.

Ron and Harry were suddenly beside Hermione and Taylor. ""Mione we gotta go now!" Ron yelled as he fought to keep his hold on Harry and his spasming legs.

Taylor looked up and saw the fear on Hermione's face, as adrenaline pounded thru her. "Go!" Taylor yelled, in the background she could see the wizard was about to fall before the Death Eaters assault. Gathering every once of strength she had Taylor pulled a frightened Hermione into her apparation spin as Ron did the same with Harry.

A few seconds later the two witches crashed to the frozen snow-covered ground, unconscious.

Slowly Taylor became aware of the coldness, as the snow she was laying in melted, soaking through her dress. A feeling that something wasn't right assailed her groggy mind. With an effort she opened her eyes and instead of the thick woods where their tent was, she looked up into the clear night sky.

As if it were wading through thick mud, a thought slowly formed in her mind. "'Arry." Taylor groaned, the word nearly unintelligible.

Then she could hear it, the sound of voices. They seemed to be coming from far away. The nagging feeling that they weren't quite right persisted as the voices became clearer.

"Oh my god! Taylor!"

"Wait! It could be a trick!"

"It's no trick"

"How can you be sure? What if…"

"Taylor, can you hear me? What happened?"

A face swam into Taylor's line of sight. A feeling of being safe warmed her body and her eyes slid closed, too tired to keep them open any longer.

"Taylor!" The voices seemed surreal. "Look if you aren't going to help me, then go Bruce! Otherwise get Hermione. I'm taking Taylor into the house! What's it going to be?"

"Your father is going to have your ass, you know that right? What if… Alright, I'll bring the other chit in."

Gentle arms picked Taylor up off the cold ground and a warm chest was beneath her head. All too soon a new voice started asking questions.

"Oh dear Merlin! What's happened? Bring them right in here."

Taylor could feel herself being lowered onto something soft as the warm arms and chest moved away. She whimpered at the sudden loss.

"Taylor can you hear me? Please open your eyes. I need to know what happened to you and Hermione. Were you attacked?" The deep voice was gentle but insistent.

"Maybe you should try to revive her."

"No, I don't think she's been hit with a spell."

"What do you think is wrong?"

"Taylor come on, you need to talk to me." The deep voice insisted a little more urgently. "I need to know if you were attacked and if you might have been followed."

Taylor's mind slowly processed what was being said, as memory of what happened came back to her in pieces. Her voice was weak and thready as she tried to explain. "We were at the… it was attacked, Death Eaters. I was so weak. 'Mione was helping me. People were screaming. Harry dropped me. He was hit with a jelly-legs… Ron went to help him. Another Death Eater was outside…" The nagging feeling of something not being right came back.

Taylor's eyes few open. "Harry! Where's Hermione? Where am I?"

Gentle hands held her down as the face that belonged to them came into focus. "Greg…" Taylor breathed the name.

"Yeah, relax. You're at my house. You're safe. Hermione is lying on the other sofa. You're saying there were Death Eaters? Where?"

Taylor tried to force her sluggish mind into gear. She was at Greg's? But how? She remembered Hermione froze, and knowing that they needed to get away from the restaurant… Then she remembered reaching for someplace to go and thinking it needed to be safe… She must have reached for Hunter's Place and the feeling of safety that she'd felt there.

"Harry. Harry will be worried. I need to get him a message before he goes back to look for us!" Taylor cried as she weakly struggled to sit up. "Hermione…"

"Taylor, it's okay. I'll send my Patronus and tell Harry you two are safe. Hermione is still unconscious." Greg said firmly as he stood and drew his wand.

Taylor watched as the massive silvery white dog burst out of Greg's wand and he gave it the message before sending it away. He'd told Harry that they were safe and that he would contact him again when it was safe to do so.

A soft moan from the other sofa made everyone turn, Hermione was coming to.

"Ron? Where am I? What happened?"

"It's alright Hermione. You're safe. Just try to relax." Greg said as he moved over to the other witch.

"Greg Hunter? But how…" Hermione asked as her voice started to rise.

"It's okay Hermione. I brought us here." Taylor said to calm her friend.

"Taylor? What happened?' Hermione asked, as she found her friend lying on the other sofa. "Are you okay? Why did you bring us here? Ron and Harry are going to be desperately worried."

"Just relax. I don't know what you two have been hit with, so just lie still for a bit until we figure it out. I sent my Patronus to Potter and Weasley to let them know you are safe." Greg spoke in a calm voice, and he saw Hermione relax back onto the sofa cushions.

"Greg, I'll go get your father's healer bag. Bruce, why don't you conjure up a couple of blankets for these two girls? I'll fix some hot chocolate when I return and then they can tell us exactly what happened." Mrs. Hunter ordered in a gentle voice.

Taylor watched the older woman leave the room. A second later a warm fuzzy blanket covered her and warmth suffused her as Greg cast a warming charm, making her realize that she was shaking with cold, and probably shock too.

Mrs. Hunter had just returned with steaming cups of hot chocolate when they heard a noise from the entry way and a deep worried voice called, "Veronica? Greg? Why was the front door unsealed?" It was Mr. Hunter.

"We are in here Dan!" Mrs. Hunter called to her husband, and a second later he appeared in the doorway, his clothes covered in dirt and a couple of scorch marks.

Mrs. Hunter gasped at the sight of her husband having so clearly been in some sort of skirmish. "What happened? Are you all right?"

"I'm fine dear." Mr. Hunter said gently as he gave his wife a hug, but his eyes were taking in the scene in the living room where two witches lay on the sofas clearly injured. "What happened here?" He demanded.

"There was an attack by Death Eaters. Taylor and her friend apparated here only ten minutes ago." Mrs. Hunter answered her husband.

Mr. Hunter sent a sharp look at his wife, then pinned his son and nephew with a hard look, before turning that look to the two witches that were in his living room.

"Taylor, and you are?" Mr. Hunter asked as he looked at Hermione.

"Hermione Granger, sir."

"Well Miss Granger, Taylor, I believe you have a little explaining to do. I just came from the restaurant where the Death Eaters attacked and I don't recall seeing either of you there."

Taylor looked over at Hermione and saw the fear that crossed her face, her real face. The disguise that they had used at the restaurant was gone, likely dissolved when they lost consciousness. How were they going to explain their way out of this fix?

Exhaustion pressed down on Taylor. She still felt incredibly weak. She didn't think she could perform the simplest spell right then. Summoning the horcrux and then apparating them here had left her completely spent. She was amazed that she hadn't splinched the two of them, considering how drained her magic had been when she apparated.

Greg was talking to his father. "Dad, cut them a little slack. They were both unconscious when they got here and just woke up. I don't know what spells were used on them."

Mr. Hunter's lips thinned, but his voice softened slightly. "All right. I'll see what's wrong, then I want some answers. I'll probably need my bag."

"I already brought it down, dear." Mrs. Hunter said as she passed a bag to her husband.

Mr. Hunter removed his dirty scorched cloak and after a quick scourgifying charm he moved over to Hermione, he passed his wand over her slowly as he muttered under his breath. After a few minutes he smiled at her as he said. "I think you will be alright Miss Granger, I have a potion that should help you feel better. Also a cup of hot chocolate I see my wife has already made." He smiled at her as he handed her the potion that he'd taken from his bag.

"Thank you Mr. Hunter." Hermione said as steam drifted out of her ears, but she sounded better and her face regained most of its natural color.

Greg watched his father as he looked at Hermione. He wanted to sit and pull Taylor into his arms and hold her. However he resisted the urge, afraid that the whiteness of her face and weakness in her voice and movements was an indication that there was something seriously wrong. He'd also wanted to demand that his father look at Taylor first, but long ago he'd learned that his father rarely did things randomly.

Taylor watched too as Mr. Hunter finished with Hermione, and was pleased to see that her friend looked much better now. When he came over to her he began the same slow wand movements that he'd used on Hermione, though they seemed to take far longer. It was when Mr. Hunter's eyebrows drew together that she knew he had found something different. After a few more moments he said worriedly "I've never seen anything like this before. It's as if you've somehow had your magic drained. I'm afraid this is way beyond my training."

Taylor felt her heart start to pound, knowing what he was about to say.

"I think you should go to St. Mungo's. They will be able to figure out what has happened."

Taylor heard the other's gasp, as she shook her head. "I can't go there. I'm sorry. I'll be fine in a little while, as long as I rest for a while."

"Taylor, something like this can only come from some sort of dark spell. It's not something that you should fool around with. There's no telling what sort of side-effects there might be." Mr. Hunter said concerned.

"I'll be fine. It's not a dark spell. I had it happen once before at school. Greg you remember? I was fine after I had a chance to rest and eat something." Taylor said as she looked up into the Head Boy's concerned face.

Greg's eyes widened as he remembered indeed finding Taylor weak and being supported between Potter and Weasley. At the time he remembered thinking that her magic had somehow been drained. Now his father had just confirmed that was the case this time. He also remembered that she said it had been caused by a wonky spell. What had happened this time? Was it a 'wonky spell' this time again? Or something else?

"Yeah I remember." Greg answered and his father glanced up at him sharply.

"I remember too." Hermione exclaimed as she looked at the younger witch with concern. "Taylor, are you sure it was like that other time? The wonky spell?"

"Yeah. I'm not trying that spell again!" Taylor said in an effort to lighten the mood but didn't quite carry it off, as her voice still sounded so weak.

"What kind of spell did you attempt? I've never heard of a spell causing a witch to lose their magic, even one that went '_wonky_'" Mr. Hunter asked in a deadly serious tone.

Taylor sighed and closed her eyes. She couldn't tell Greg's father any more than she could tell Greg. She didn't manage to open her eyes until after she had started to speak again. "I can't tell you… I'm sorry, but you are just going to have to trust me that it was a spell that didn't go quite the way I planned... All I can tell you is that it was very important for what Harry is doing."

"I see. So I am to just trust you, is that it? When you have admitted to being at a Death Eater attack, even though I didn't see you there. And then coming to my home weak from some _wonky_ spell?" Mr. Hunter asked in a tight voice.

"Dad!" Greg cried, suddenly wondering if his father was going to make Taylor and Hermione go away.

"Mr. Hunter," Hermione put in as she sat up on the sofa. "The reason you didn't notice us at the restaurant was because we were in disguise. We were sitting only a few tables away from you when the attack began."

"What were you doing at the restaurant and why were you in disguise?" Mr. Hunter demanded as he straightened up from Taylor and pinned Hermione with a penetrating look.

"Well Harry can't very well go out in public without a disguise, can he? You-Know-Who is looking for him!" Hermione said in her best matter-of-fact voice.

"What were you doing at the restaurant in the first place?" Mr. Hunter demanded.

Taylor wished she were feeling stronger, as a snippy reply came to her, but instead she said tiredly, "Mr. Hunter, we can't tell you that. All we can say, is that we thought what we were doing was so important, that we were willing to be discovered by Voldemort to complete it."

There were the usual gasps and exclamations at the mention of Voldemort's name.

"That is no sort of answer young lady!" Mr. Hunter said in a clipped tone.

"Dan, dear. If the girls can't tell us, then they can't." Mrs. Hunter said gently as she went to stand beside her husband.

"I have a good notion to take the two of you to the Ministry and let the aurors there see if they can't get some answers."

Hermione let out a frightened squeak, as Taylor's heart slammed against her chest, fear giving her the strength to sit up on the sofa. She was in no shape to fight her way out of here if Greg's father followed through on his threat. However, allowing herself and Hermione to be taken to the Ministry would be suicide. They'd be in Voldemort's hands before midnight.

Using that fear she pushed herself up off the sofa, only Hermione's and Greg's quick action kept her from hitting the floor, but she managed to say, "I'm sorry you feel that way Sir. We will leave."

"Taylor you can't go anywhere, you can barely stand! Dad, you can't be serious!" Greg exclaimed as he held Taylor up and glared at his father.

"Dan! Surely you can't mean to put these two girls out? Can't you see that you've gone and frightened them into thinking that they have to leave?" Mrs. Hunter admonished her husband.

Mr. Hunter sighed. "I'm sorry Taylor. Son, sit her down before she falls down. I do not like the fact that you won't answer my questions, but I suppose I can see why you might not be able to tell me. The constant threat from You-Know-Who makes me a lot more suspicious then I used to be I'm afraid."

Taylor was never so thankful to sit down, and she even leaned heavily against Greg as he sat down beside her.

"We're sorry too Mr. Hunter. You have every right to be suspicious of us. These are dangerous times, and it is only by mistake that we are here." Hermione said a little nervously as she sat beside Taylor on the sofa.

* * *

><p>AN Ohhhhh a cliff hanger... well sort of anyway! LOL! So what did you think? Any questions? Thoughts? Ideas about what is happening? As I said at the first of this chapter we are starting into a sequence of events that will be rather... eventfull :-) Unfortunitly that means there will be a number of cliff hangers but I hope to be able to post a chapter every couple of days until there is a little breathing room in the story again! Or until we hit the bottom of this very twisted fast roller coaster hill we are on! Then we will just have to start up another slope! LOL

Thank you to those who Alerted and Favorited this story! It means alot to me to know you enjoy this story enough to do that! Plus I need to say thank you to barbc who without her quick bataing these next chapters would take a lot longer to post!

Well until next time, cytpotter.


	39. Short Hello's

Ahhhhhhh if I was Rowling life and work wouldn't get in the way of me posting chapters!

Sorry for the delay in getting this chapter out there! Hope you enjoy!

* * *

><p>Chapter Thirty-nine<p>

**Short Hello's**

Over an hour later Taylor could feel her strength returning. She had drunk the hot chocolate and ate some sandwiches that Mrs. Hunter had made. The conversation had been tense at times but Taylor and Hermione had tried their best to put the Hunters at ease, whether they had succeeded or not they weren't sure. They had probably just raised more questions than they answered. Still Mr. Hunter seemed to accept them.

"I'll go make you girls up a bed. Bruce you will have to sleep in Greg's room tonight. I'll put some extra towels out for you so you can have a shower if you wish." Mrs. Hunter said as she got up and headed out of the living room.

"Sure no problem Aunt Veronica," Greg's cousin said. He'd been quiet most of the time they were talking.

"That's very kind Mrs. Hunter but we can't stay." Hermione quickly protested. "We really need to get back to Ron and Harry, they'll be very worried."

"I think you had better stay here for the night. It's very dangerous to travel at night and after what happened earlier this evening…" Mr. Hunter let his sentence go unfinished but the meaning was clear that he didn't want them leaving.

"You aren't up to Apparating yet anyway Taylor, and don't look at me like that. You can still hardly stand by yourself," Greg added, he had been watching his witch closely and knew she wasn't nearly as well as she was putting on.

"I'll need to send a message to Ron and Harry to let them know we are all right." Hermione said reluctantly. She too knew that Taylor was still weak. She suspected that it was taking longer for her friend to recover because she had Apparated them here. Still though, the thought of staying away from Ron and Harry for the night was a little scary. She was worried that something might have happened to them.

"That will be fine Hermione. Just be careful you don't give out too much information about where you are, in case your message is overheard." Mr. Hunter cautioned.

"Don't worry Mr. Hunter I won't." Hermione replied as she glanced at Taylor and then rose to send her Patronus. She kept the message short, just telling the two wizards that they were fine and that they'd be home in the morning, promising to explain then.

Mrs. Hunter came back into the living room shortly afterwards and with the help of Greg, Taylor stood up to go up to the room his mother had prepared.

"Goodnight Hermione and Taylor. If there is anything you need please let us know." Mr. Hunter said as he stood up too.

"I left a couple of old shirts on the bed for you to change into if you wish. I hope you have a good night's sleep. We'll see you in the morning. Greg, I suppose you will show them to the guest bedroom?" Mrs. Hunter asked, as she smiled at the two witches kindly.

Greg nodded and supported Taylor as she walked out of the living room and down the hall. When they reached the stairs he bent and swept her up into his arms and carried her up them swiftly as Hermione hurried to keep up. He knew he had made the right decision when the witch in his arms made very little protest. He carried her down the hall and into a neat little bedroom furnished with intricately carved old-fashioned wooden furniture, and beautifully papered walls, completing the turn of the century décor. Sitting his witch on the huge old-fashioned bed Greg stood back up.

"The bathroom is right through there," He pointed to a door that stood open on the far side of the room. "My room is right down the hall. If you need anything just give a shout."

"Thank you Greg." Hermione said with a smile.

"No problem, glad that we were here to help." The Head Boy looked down at the redhead sitting on the bed, noting that she was still too pale.

"Thank you… for everything." Taylor said quietly.

The next morning awareness slowly came to Taylor. She was warm, and the bed was so comfortable.

"You know you snore, Taylor." Hermione said when she was sure Taylor was indeed awake.

Memories from last night slowly came back to Taylor, as she slid her wand from its holder and pointing it at the night stand muttered "Accio glasses" catching them as they flew towards her and pushed them onto her face.

"You know Taylor, you don't need to use magic for everything." Hermione grumbled as she got out of the bed.

"I know. I was just checking."

"Checking what?" Hermione asked sounding baffled.

"To make sure my magic was back again." Taylor said simply as she met her friend's gaze.

"Oh," Hermione whispered startled "Sorry, did you think that..."

"No. But I wanted to make sure." Taylor replied in a serious tone.

The two witches had taken advantage of the luxury of having a shower the night before, so it didn't take long for them to get up and get dressed. Transfiguring their clothes into more appropriate clothing than the dresses that they had on the night before; and warmer too. Without even discussing it they knew that they would be leaving the Hunter's house very shortly.

"Ready?" Hermione asked a few minutes later as she took a last look around the room to make sure it was neat and tidy.

Taylor nodded and the two opened the door and made their way down the stairs quietly. Taylor noted that Greg's bedroom door was still closed. She'd like to say goodbye before she left, but she knew that they couldn't wait for him to get up.

Mrs. Hunter appeared in the doorway at the end of the hall as the two witches reached the bottom of the stairs. "I thought I heard someone. I have breakfast all ready. Dan had to go into work early this morning. He wanted to get a chance to see you again but he didn't want to wake you. He thought you needed your rest. I hope you slept well? You both look much better this morning."

"Thank you Mrs. Hunter. We both slept very well. The shower was really nice!" Taylor replied sincerely.

"What would you like for breakfast? I have some pancakes already mixed up. It will only take a few minutes to cook them. There's also bread for toast or eggs if you'd like." Mrs. Hunter talked as she led them into the large kitchen.

"We don't want to impose any more then we already have. We can eat later when we get back with Ron and Harry." Hermione said as she stopped in the doorway.

"We really need to be going Mrs. Hunter. Harry and Ron will be expecting us." Taylor added.

"Oh posh! It will only take a few minutes to eat. Besides the boys aren't up yet and Greg would never let me hear the end of it if you left before he was up. You two are early risers." Mrs. Hunter said as she bustled around her kitchen getting a jug of juice out of the refrigerator, and glasses and plates from the cupboard. "If you want to help, one of you can set the table. We only have orange juice I'm afraid. I've never been able to get used to pumpkin juice."

Taylor shrugged her shoulders. It wouldn't take long to eat and the delicious smells coming from the stove were very enticing. "It is nice to eat someone else's cooking for a change."

Mrs. Hunter chatted as she cooked, talking about the differences between living in the magical world and as a muggle. She'd found out last night that Hermione was muggle born also. She was soon sitting a large stack of pancakes on the table.

"Wow, how come our pancakes never look like that?" Taylor asked as she stabbed her fork into a couple and slid them onto her plate.

The easy talk continued as they ate, Mrs. Hunter sitting down with them to drink a cup of coffee. When they were finished the two witches carried their plates to the sink and thanked Greg's mother again for their breakfast.

Taylor was wondering if she would get to see Greg before she left when she heard someone thumping down the stairs. A moment later a very disheveled Head Boy staggered into the kitchen, his hair poking up in weird places, wearing pajama bottoms and an old t-shirt.

"Taylor! I thought I'd missed you!"

"Well you almost did. We were just about to go. We'd already be gone except your mother talked us into having something to eat first." Taylor said as a smile played at her lips. The Hufflepuff was extremely good looking this morning, in a strange homey sort of way.

"You wouldn't have left without saying goodbye would you?" Greg asked with a crooked grin.

"Not everyone has the luxury of sleeping all day." Taylor cut back but the twinkle in her eyes told the Head Boy that she was joking with him.

The two bantered back and forth for a few minutes, but Taylor knew that it was time for her to go.

"Well, we really have to go. Mrs. Hunter thank you, again, for everything. I don't know how to thank you enough." Taylor stepped forward and hugged the older woman.

"You are welcome dear. I'm so glad that you are feeling better." Mrs. Hunter turned to Hermione. "It was so nice to meet you Hermione. Please come again, though under better circumstances would be preferable."

At the door Greg halted Taylor with a hand on her arm. "I don't suppose it does any good to tell you to be careful, does it?"

Taylor smiled at the tall Hufflepuff. "Would it make you feel better if I told you that I have been careful?"

Greg rolled his eyes. "If you've been careful, I cringe to think about you _not_ being careful. Seriously though Taylor..."

"Greg, I'll try to stay safe. That's the best I can do. I'll see you in a week or so at school, okay?" Taylor said firmly before she opened the door and with a final goodbye left with Hermione.

Harry paced back and forth restlessly in front of the tent. It had been one hell of a long night.

When he and Ron had made it back to the campsite and Hermione and his sister hadn't turned up… well it had taken a few minutes to undo the jelly-legs curse, but then when the two witches weren't back… His stomach twisted painfully again as he remembered the details once more.

He and Ron were just about to Apparate back to the restaurant to look for the two witches when a Patronus, he knew instantly that it wasn't either of the girls, but he had recognized it fairly quickly from Dumbledore's Army, especially when he heard Hunter's voice saying that Taylor and Hermione were safe. At first he'd been relieved but then Ron had pointed out that the senior Hunter had been at the restaurant, and obviously worked for the Ministry.

Ron and Harry had quite a row over what they should do. Ron was all for going in search of Hermione and Taylor, but as Harry had pointed out, they had no idea where to start searching. Taylor had never given any hint where Greg Hunter lived, so they had no idea where to start searching. For all they knew Hunter had turned their two witches over to the Ministry, and they were now either at the Ministry of Magic being interrogated or had already been handed over to Voldemort. It was a very chilling thought. In the end Harry had convinced Ron to have a little faith in the Hufflepuff that Taylor had taken a liking to. Plus it was just too dangerous to start Apparating around to random places in hopes of spotting Hermione and Taylor.

A short respite from their worry had come when Hermione's Patronus had appeared telling them in her own voice that they were okay, but wouldn't see them until morning.

As the light from the Patronus faded Harry and Ron were left to wonder at the message. There was no doubt that it had been from their bushy-haired friend but what did she mean by they were fine? Had Taylor been hurt more seriously then they had thought? Was that why the two girls weren't returning that night or was it something else?

Neither wizard had been able to sleep. Mostly they had paced the night away, too worried to sit still for long. They had even given up talking after exhausting their ideas of what might have happened by midnight.

The sun was just about to rise above the tree line when a pop alerted the two wizards that someone had just Apparated nearby. Pulling their wands, they waited inside the wards around the tent. Caution winning over their desire to see if it was Hermione and Taylor returning, they didn't have long to wait as the two witches stepped out from behind a tree.

"Only the pink toad is yellow." Hermione said as she walked towards where their tent was hidden behind the wards she had set up.

"Only when the sky turns green." Ron cried as he stepped outside the wards and rushed towards Hermione, crushing her against him the second he reached her. "Oh 'Mione… you're all right."

Harry also rushed toward his sister and hugged her, relief swamping him. "Taylor, are you all right? What happened?"

"Maybe we should go inside and we will tell you." Taylor cautioned, but she was relieved to see that her brother and Ron were both all right too.

Once inside the tent, Taylor quickly made a fire in the cook stove and put water on for tea and porridge, aware that the boys had probably not eaten yet, as Hermione began to explain what had happened.

"Why did you end up at Hunter's when you Apparated away from the restaurant?" Harry demanded after just a few minutes.

Taylor sighed she knew this was going to be hard to explain to her brother. She began by telling him that it was summoning a horcrux that caused her to feel so weak and drain her magic. A short discussion followed as to why that was so and what it could mean. Then she explained that as she started to Apparate that her only thought had been to go someplace safe, and she had ended up at Greg's.

"What happened to you Hermione?" Harry asked concerned, his last recollection was that it had been Hermione carrying his sister.

Taylor didn't intend for anyone to question her friend's inaction and she added quickly "I beat Hermione to it. I saw the Death Eater there in the alleyway and panicked. Good thing she was thinking fast because if she hadn't stopped her Apparation, we'd have splinched ourselves horribly." Taylor met Hermione's eyes and could see the warring emotions of thankfulness and self-disgust. Taylor smiled gently at the witch trying to tell her without words that she didn't blame her.

Taylor finished telling the story as the two boys ate the last of the porridge. They asked a few more questions, but it was obvious that both were grateful that it hadn't been something much worse.

Hermione asked about the necklace and Harry showed it to her from where he had it hidden. Taylor performed her revealing spell once more to prove that it was a horcrux, and the four spent the next while talking about it.

When it was nearly noon they began preparing for their next move and discussing where that would be. They changed their code words and before Taylor removed their wards they decided on a new emergency Apparation point in case they were split up. It was all done automatically now. A precaution they took everyday before they moved. Gathering around Hermione she pulled the invisibility cloak over them, Taylor vanished the wards as Hermione spun them to their next campsite.

The tight bands had barely left them when it was apparent that they were in trouble.

Not twenty paces away from the tiny clearing to which they had Apparated, was a group of people, several of whom were Death Eaters.

Hermione gasped, and started to turn to Apparate them away, but it was too late. They were just too close to the group of wizards who had easily heard the four friends pop into the clearing.

Stunners flew toward them and before they could complete the turn Ron was hit, causing the complicated motion to wobble, overbalancing and the other three to fall to the ground. The invisibility cloak caught on someone's foot and was pulled off them.

Harry and Taylor immediately had their wands out and started firing off spells that they had learned from their months of lessons with Shacklebolt. The two siblings knew, without saying it, that they had to get to cover.

The group of wizards had scattered for cover, giving Harry and Taylor the moment it took to scramble behind a fallen log taking Ron and Hermione with them. Taylor's wand flew as she charmed the log into a shield and Harry took stock of the situation.

Ron was stunned and completely unaware at the moment. Hermione had her wand out but it was shaking terribly, though she did manage to fire off a spell or two. For the moment they had some cover, but Harry knew it wouldn't be long before the Death Eaters split up and came at them from both sides. They had recognized him right off, for he had heard his name called out from a couple of them.

"We need to get out of here!" Hermione cried.

"I'm working on it!" Harry growled as he looked around desperately. The forest was too sparse to afford them cover. The only good thing was a very steep hill directly behind them, and what looked to be a deep wash to their left. They couldn't risk standing up to Apparate, they'd be totally exposed.

"Harry take Ron and Hermione and get into the wash, it will offer you some cover. I'll keep them busy while you get out of here!" Taylor said quickly as she sent several curses and a jinx towards the group on the left.

Hermione cried "No!" as Harry shook his head.

"Don't be stupid Harry! I can't lift Ron. He's bigger then you! Hermione can Apparate the three of you away. Besides I'm the better duelist." Taylor growled.

"I'm not leaving you." Harry snarled as he also sent off a curse and several jinxes.

Hermione charmed several rocks to fly at the group on the right.

"Think Potter! Voldemort wants you! If he gets you, we will all die anyway!" Taylor argued as she hit a wizard trying to sneak up on their right with a stunner.

Harry met Taylor's angry hazel eyes. He knew she was right but he couldn't leave his sister behind. Looking past her he saw another wizard trying to get to their flank, he dropped the man as he tried to duck out from behind a tree.

"We're going to lose here! There is no other option! If I have to curse you Potter, so help me you are leaving here!" Taylor snarled as she stunned someone trying to get to the wash on their left. Hermione's stunner hit him too, making sure that he wouldn't be getting up for awhile.

"We go together!" Harry growled stubbornly.

"So help me Potter, if we get out of this I am going to jinx your ass into next month!" Taylor muttered as she met her brother's stubborn green eyes for a second between jinxes. They had to move now, or none of them would get out of there.

Harry seemed to know when Taylor stopped arguing with him and agreed. "I'll get Ron. You two cover me until I get to the wash. Then I'll cover you."

Taylor rolled right and Hermione left as they opened up with everything they had. It was only seconds before she heard her brother's yell and springing to her feet she raced with Hermione towards the wash.

Leaping Taylor dove into the wash, rolling and landing in the freezing trickle of water there. Harry's cry had her scrambling to her feet.

A Death Eater had rounded the turn in the wash and had fired a spell at her brother. Without thinking Taylor reacted, jumping in front of her brother, her wand sliced the air as her pendant burnt. The Death Eater crumpled to the ground.

"Harry!" Taylor wheeled to see her brother fighting to stay upright. Pointing her wand at Ron she levitated him to her brother and summoning Hermione's handbag with the Horcruxes and Dark Magic books in it she magically stuck it to Harry so he wouldn't lose it. "Go!"

"Hermione!" Harry protested weakly.

"I'll get her, now go!" Taylor ordered as she saw her friend laying on the ground at the top of the wash, obviously stunned. To Taylor's great relief her brother grabbed Ron and started his turn, just as more Death Eaters rounded the turn.

Taylor's wand was a blur as she threw a shield charm at her brother and fired spell after spell at the Death Eaters as she ran. She could barely hear the pop of Harry leaving amid the barrage of spells being fired at her, but she knew her brother was gone.

The Death Eaters had taken cover behind whatever they could find but they knew there would be no escape for the two witches.

Taylor was able to make it to Hermione, but there was no cover there, and it was only a matter of time before they were able to smash through her shield charm and stun her too.

* * *

><p>AN Dum, dum, dum, daaaaaaa... (evil laugh!) another cliff hanger! but don't worry I AM going to update again very soon... maybe even later today! Poor Taylor and Hermione just got out of one mess and are in another! Let me know what you think! I love seeing Alerts and Favorites but Reviews truly make my day! They will even make me post chapters faster! ;)

Thank you for reading and to those who have added this story to their Alerts and Favorites! Thank you to my wonderful bata barbc! Without her great help this story just wouldn't be posted! Well until next time, cytpotter.


	40. Hope

Let's try this again! Last time I tried to post this chapter my computer gave me the blue screen of death! Tell me if I was JK Rowling do you really think I'd put up with a crappy old computer that gave me the blue screen of death twice this week? I think NOT!

Anyway hope you enjoy! Two chapters in one day! :-)

* * *

><p>Chapter Forty<p>

**Hope**

Harry's feet hit the frozen ground hard as he tried futilely to hold onto Ron's unconscious body. He couldn't do it. Whatever he had been hit with was sapping his strength. Within seconds he sagged under the combined weight and they both went crashing to the ground. Struggling to even lift his hand, Harry clenched his wand in his fist, knowing that he was in deep trouble. A scream reached his ears and the sound of running feet.

"Molly! No!"

Harry could see two people running towards him and relief flooded through him as he recognized them both.

Mr. Weasley caught his wife just before she reached the two prone boys. "Molly, stop! We need to make sure it's them!"

"Mr. Weasley, thank god." Harry said tiredly.

"What's the code? Tell me!" Mr. Weasley demanded as he held his wife back.

"Oh Ron! Oh Harry!" Mrs. Weasley cried.

Harry shook his head, trying to think, to remember. "Into the eye of the phoenix."

"Out of the mouth of the snake. Oh Merlin Harry! What's happened? Were you attacked? We need to get you into the house!" Mr. Weasley exclaimed. "Molly, levitate Ron. I'll help Harry. We need to get them into the house now!"

Mr. Weasley raised Harry up with his wand and then pulled Harry's arm over his shoulders so that he could half carry and half drag the younger wizard through the wards around the Burrow and into the house out of sight.

Harry fought to stay awake, knowing he had to tell Mr. Weasley about Hermione and his sister.

"Harry, what happened? Do you know what you've been hit with?" Mr. Weasley wheezed as soon as he had the younger wizard sitting in a chair.

Harry shook his head, "Hermione and Taylor! I've got to go back. There were Death Eaters…"

"Go back? You won't be going anywhere. You can't even stand up for Merlin's sake!" Mrs. Weasley cried in a terrified voice as she waved her wand over Ron's still form as he lay on the floor a few feet away.

Mr. Weasley shook his head sadly but he said "I'll send an urgent message to Moody but…" he didn't finish, instead he sent his Patronus off, asking Moody to come and that it was urgent. Then he walked over to where his wife was still looking at his youngest son.

"I believe he will be alright. He was hit with a nasty stunner, but other then that he is…" Mrs. Weasley said her voice choked with emotion.

Mr. Weasley patted his wife's shoulder and turned back to the black-haired boy that he also considered a son, who was sitting slumped at the table. Noting for the first time the dark stubble on the young man's face and the drawn haggard look on his face. The face of a man, not a boy any longer.

"Do you know what you were hit with? I have a few potions that could help." Mr. Weasley asked in a grave voice.

Harry shook his head again. "No, they were Death Eaters. One of them took me by surprise."

Suddenly several whistles started to blow and Mr. Weasley pulled out his wand and headed for his door warily. A few quick words and Mr. Weasley opened the door and in clumped Moody and two others

"Harry! What happened? Are you alright?" Lupin asked briskly as he strode across the room to the young wizard.

Harry sighed. Lupin would understand. "Taylor and Hermione are still there. They were Death Eaters, six or seven of them. I need to go back after them!" Harry growled as he pushed himself up out of the chair. If Lupin hadn't caught him, he'd have fallen back down.

A noise near the stairway caused the group to look and see Hermione's parents, Mr. and Mrs. Granger standing there looking terrified. "Hermione? Hermione is missing?" Mr. Granger asked in small voice.

Harry felt like he'd been kicked in the stomach, as he watched Hermione's mother give a frightened cry and turn into her husband's arms. He'd never have wanted them to find out like that.

"Don't worry. We will go looking for her Mr. and Mrs. Granger," Kingsley Shacklebolt's deep voice reassured them.

Harry caught the look that Moody sent the younger auror/teacher. It said more plainly than words that he was giving the muggles false hope.

Mrs. Weasley ushered the Grangers into the living room levitating Ron after her, so that they wouldn't hear what the Order members were planning.

"Potter I'll need you to explain to me very carefully where you were," Moody growled in his gravely voice.

Harry shook his head and pushed away from Lupin a little, "I'm going. I left them behind and I'm going back to look for them."

"Harry, you can't. You can hardly stand. What if they are still there? You'd…" Mr. Weasley tried to reason with the black-haired wizard but Harry cut him off.

"I am going! With or without you."

"Potter! Enough. We are wasting time. If there is any chance at all that we will find those two witches, we need to go now." Moody snapped.

"I'll Side-Along Harry. Now let's go." Lupin said as he put his arm around Harry and started out the door with him. He understood why Harry had to go back. He knew how painful it was to lose a friend, but not being allowed to go and see what happened, was even worse.

Harry quickly described where they were going on the way out of the Burrow so that when they reached the wards, the five wizards Apparated without hesitation.

Wands drawn and ready for trouble, they arrived at the tiny clearing that was meant to be a campsite. All around was evidence of the fight that had taken place as scorch marks on the trees and gouges in the ground could be clearly seen but there were no witches or wizards to be found.

Harry watched as the others searched the clearing, but he knew before they even told him, that there was no sign of his sister or his best friend.

"I'm sorry Potter. There's no telling where they took them. We haven't been able to find out where the Death Eaters might be meeting, and even if we could there's no way of knowing if Granger or Porter would be there." Moody's voice, though gravely, was gentle. He didn't hold out much hope of ever seeing the two witches again, let alone alive.

Harry could feel the agony trying to claw its way out, but he pushed it down, as an idea came to him. "If she was able to get away, Taylor might go to… Greg Hunter's house. She went there before when we got separated."

"Greg Hunter? Dan Hunter's son?" Shacklebolt asked.

Harry only nodded, not trusting his voice. He knew it was a long shot but…

"There's nothing more we can do here. I'll check out Hunter's place. I think we had better go back and tell the Grangers the truth. It will be kinder in the end." Moody said slowly.

Harry nodded again saying woodenly. "I'll tell them. Hermione was my responsibility. They both were." He thought of Ron and cringed, this was going to be just as hard on him.

Lupin put his hand on Harry's shoulder and gave it a squeeze. He could see that James' son was just barely hanging on, but he could understand the weight of responsibility that he felt for the two witches.

Afterwards, Harry would wonder how he ever made it through telling, not just the Grangers but also his best mate, that Hermione had been taken by the Death Eaters, and there was little hope that she would ever come back.

The only thing that kept Harry from losing it was that Ginny was there. She had been over to see Bill and Fleur for the afternoon and had returned shortly before he got back. Ginny had hugged Harry tightly and then stayed at his side, giving him strength with just her presence.

The Grangers were stricken with grief and held each other tight.

Ron on the other hand was furious with Harry for leaving without Hermione and Taylor and he wasn't shy about letting everyone know exactly what he thought. Mr. Weasley and Kingsley had to take Ron outside to calm down.

"Harry, I checked with Hunter. Granger and Porter were not there. I'm sorry son." Moody spoke gruffly, but he laid his hand on Harry's shoulder, before he announced that he needed to go.

Lupin could feel his heart breaking also. He needed to go with Moody and finish what they had been doing before they had come to the Burrow. He would have to wait until he was alone before he could allow himself to deal with the pain of James and Lily's daughter going missing. "Harry," he said quietly, he couldn't say any more, not here, but he knew the young wizard got the message. "If you need anything…"

Harry nodded numbly, as he watched the three Order members leave.

"Come on Harry," Ginny said softly as she stood and pulled him to his feet. She led him up the stairs and into her room. Setting him on her bed she left and returned shortly with a bottle of potion. "It's Dreamless Sleep potion. Mum has been having trouble sleeping sometimes."

Ginny handed him some and he drank it without saying a word.

When Ginny sat down on the bed, Harry laid down with his head in her lap. Numbness in the form of the potion spread through his body, as an anguished sob welled up his throat. Ginny's lap was soaked before the potion claimed him in wonderful anguish-free nothingness.

At first Taylor wasn't sure if her eyes were open or not, the blackness that pressed in on them was so complete. She might even be dreaming, except that her body shook from lying on the freezing cold floor. She was fairly certain she would wake up if she were shaking that hard in a dream. Still it took her a long time to push herself up so that she was sitting. Slowly she remembered the fight with the Death Eaters, and she decided that she must be awake, because this was worse then any nightmare, well except one and she wasn't convinced that was a dream anyway.

A low moan out of the dark alerted her that she wasn't alone. It took several attempts before she was able to speak, "Herm…my…nee?"

An answering moan had Taylor reaching cautiously in that direction. Her searching fingers soon found a body and then she felt the telltale bushy hair of her friend.

"Ta…lor?" Hermione asked thickly.

"Yeah. Are ya a'right?" Taylor asked as it became easier to talk.

"Yeah, I think. Where… are we?"

'Don't know. At some Death Eaters I suspect." Taylor whispered, there was a hollow sounding echo, that made the darkness eerie.

"Ron? Harry?" Hermione asked as she sat up. "What happened to them?"

"They're not here. They were able to get away." Taylor heard the other witch sigh in relief.

The sound of footsteps approaching halted any further conversation as the two listened fearfully wondering what was going to happen now.

The door opened and flooded the room in light, blinding the two witches temporarily, as a gruff voice commanded that they get up.

Their muscles were stiff from lying on the cold floor and it was a few seconds before they were able to stand.

"I said get up! Mudblood!" the gruff voice snarled and a heavy boot smashed into Hermione's leg causing her to cry out.

"She was getting up you arrogant bastard!" snarled Taylor as she started forward only to be stopped after a step by the tip of a wand pointed in her face.

"You will learn, Mudblood," A fist colliding with the side of Taylor's head made her spin halfway around and her ears ring, "to speak only when spoken to!"

Taylor turned back and glared at the Death Eater. A frightened sound from Hermione made Taylor look at the other witch to see the fear clearly in her friend's eyes. Taylor curled her hands into fists but that was all.

"Your friend is smart, Mudblood." The Death Eater grinned at Taylor evilly. "Now move!"

Taylor and Hermione were taken up several sets of stairs, down a long marble tiled hall and into a large room that looked like it was a study or a library. There was no desk in the room, only a long bare wooden table with an elaborately decorated chair at the head of it. A large marble fireplace was at one end of the room and the other walls were lined with books, thousands of them.

A small group of Death Eaters stood near the fireplace, but they turned when the two witches entered.

Taylor never had a lot of experience with Death Eaters before. Sure she had been with Harry in the Department of Mysteries at the end of fifth year and she had fought along with the others at Hogwarts last year when Dumbledore had been killed, but other than that, her experience was limited to what her brother had told her. However she recognized immediately the insane laugh that preceded the voice.

"Ahh I'm so glad you came out to play... Mudbloods!" Another insane laugh filled the room. "But first I have to ask you a few questions. Where is Potter?"

Taylor felt her anger rising as she glared back at Bellatrix Lestrange. The words were out of her mouth before she even thought about them. "Go to hell!"

It happened so fast that Taylor barely saw the wand move or heard the curse uttered before pain exploded all over her body. Time stood still. Nothing existed except the pain. Then as suddenly as it started it stopped leaving Taylor shaking on the marble floor. She could hear Hermione's voice wavering slightly.

"We don't know where he went. I swear."

With an effort Taylor rolled over and sat up, still shaking, but she looked up at Bellatrix to see her smiling insanely.

"I don't believe you Mudblood. But I have no doubt that before long you will be telling me everything I want to know. _Crucio_!"

Hermione's body jerked and she fell to the floor screaming and writhing in agony.

Anger, hot and potent coursed through Taylor giving her the strength to get up and step between her friend and Bellatrix. "Leave her alone, bitch!"

Bellatrix looked from the screaming girl on the floor to the one that stood in front of her, and she laughed. "Ah, we have a true Gryffindor here."

"What the hell do you want anyway?" Taylor snarled, her knuckles white as she fought the desire to dive at the Death Eater and pound her with her fists alone.

"I want to torture you Mudblood. Find out everything you know, and then when you are begging for death… I will kill you!"

"Well that's a load off my mind. Now at least I don't have to worry about what's going to happen!" Taylor snarled continuing to glare at the Death Eater as Hermione whispered desperately from the floor. "Taylor, no!"

"You _dare_ to talk to me like that MUDBLOOD!" Bellatrix shrieked outraged.

"So _what _are you? A Full-Blooded bitch?" Taylor snapped.

"_Crucio_!"

Once again pain consumed Taylor's whole body. She knew nothing but pain, not that she was lying on the floor, or that she was screaming.

When the pain finally stopped, Taylor was left trembling on the floor again.

"You will learn Mudblood, in the weeks and months to come, that it is only by the grace of the Dark Lord that you still draw breath." Bellatrix cooed softly as she leaned over Taylor and traced her finger along the check of the girl lying on the floor, her fingernail leaving a trail of blood behind it.

It was the sun shining brightly on his face that finally drew Harry out of his deep sleep. Opening his eyes it took him a few minutes to figure out where he was. Everything was blurry, so he knew he didn't have his glasses on. The room though looked familiar. The blurry posters on the pink walls. Suddenly the memories of the previous day came crashing down on him and he wished that he hadn't opened his eyes. A slight noise made him roll over and look towards the door, hoping that it was Ginny.

He knew instantly that the blurry figure standing by the door wasn't his girlfriend and he groaned, wondering if physical pain might somehow ease his mental pain.

"Good Morning Harry dear. I'm sorry if I woke you. I just wanted to see if you felt like having something to eat. You slept through supper last night. How are you feeling this morning dear?" Mrs. Weasley asked kindly as she approached the bed carrying a tray of food.

"I'm sorry Mrs. Weasley, I didn't mean to fall asleep in Ginny's bed I just…" Harry tried to explain to his girlfriend's mother.

"Harry dear. It's all right. Ginny told me that she gave you some potion. She slept in Percy's old room. She didn't want to disturb you. We all thought you needed the rest." Mrs. Weasley said gently, sitting the tray on the bedside table and then handing Harry his glasses.

"Thanks," Harry mumbled as he pushed his glasses into place and looked off across the room.

Mrs. Weasley sighed and knew that the young man lying in her daughter's bed wouldn't accept any kind of comfort that she could give him, so she gave his shoulder a squeeze with her hand as she said, "If you'd like some more to eat dear, there's plenty down in the kitchen."

Harry just nodded as Mrs. Weasley left him alone. He wasn't sure how long he just laid there thinking, but after a while he rolled over and got up, slightly surprised to find that he was wearing an old pair of pajama bottoms and an old t-shirt, that for some reason he thought belonged to Ron. He didn't feel hungry, but knew that it had been over twenty-four hours since he'd eaten the porridge his sister had made. The thought brought a fresh wave of agony with it, and he turned away from the tray of food to go stand and look out the window.

"Harry?" Ginny's voice spoke softly from behind him sometime later. He could hear her walking towards him and then her arms wrapped around his middle and she hugged him tight. He turned and wrapped his arms around the witch that he loved, not knowing what he'd do without her quiet strength.

They stood like that for a long time before Ginny finally said gently, "Nothing is certain. Neither Hermione nor Taylor would want you to give up hope."

Harry drew in a ragged breath, "Yeah I know. It's just that I failed them Ginny. I left them there with those Death Eaters. It's all_ my_ fault."

Ginny pulled away from Harry enough so that she could look up into his eyes. "You're wrong Harry Potter. Taylor and Hermione were with you not because you asked them to go but because they wouldn't let you go without them. They knew the risks, and they were willing to take them. You told me yesterday that Hermione was stunned as well as Ron. Taylor told you to go, and by the sounds of it if you'd waited any longer you and Ron wouldn't have made it out of there either. You didn't leave them Harry. You did what had to be done!"

Harry pulled away from Ginny and walked over to the bed, running a hand up over his face in agitation. He could hear his sister's voice ringing in his ears for him to go, that she'd get Hermione. On some level he knew that Ginny was right. There hadn't been anything else he could have done, other then allowing himself and Ron to get caught also.

Maybe that's what I should have done.

Harry hadn't realized he'd said it out loud until Ginny spoke at his side where she had joined him by the bed. "Taylor knew that you _couldn't _allow yourself to be caught! I'll bet all the gold in Gringott's that she told you to go threatening to jinx you if you didn't. Am I right?"

Harry nodded remembering his sister threatening that and more.

"Harry, Taylor would have done whatever it took to protect you. That she would be willing to die for you, I know. I've seen how much she loves you, and you love her. I don't pretend to understand the connection you two have but… Taylor knows that if You-Know-Who catches you then the war is over. We lose."

Harry remembered his sister saying those same words, more than once.

Ginny wrapped her arms tightly around Harry again and as she finished saying, "Hermione is no quitter, and Taylor won't go down without a fight. Deep down I know they are still alive, and fighting."

Harry crushed Ginny to him as he whispered desperately, "Merlin, I hope so Ginny."

"I love you Harry." Ginny whispered.

Harry's answering, "I love you, too" was almost intelligible as his lips sought his witches and he kissed her fiercely as hope renewed coursed through him.

* * *

><p>AN Wow... there you have another chapter! Oh My what a place to be in! Hermione and Taylor captured by Death Eaters and Harry and Ron barely made it out! Please tell me what you think! I would really love to know what you think of the pickle that I have gotten our beloved charactors in! :) So why don't you push that little button right there... the one that says _**Review**_ and let me know! ;) I was kind and posted two chapters today! Even if I am leaving you in a bit of a rough spot once again! I will post again soon!

Thank you for reading! And Alerting and Favoriting and for those who left a review... Thank You! To Barbc, my bata, she rocks! Love ya! Well until next time, cytpotter.


	41. Uncontrollable

Nope still not JK! If I was I would of had a dozen computer tec's working on why I couldn't get this chapter posted sooner! ;)

A Very special Thank You to _Meegles_ and _Liza Cobbler_ who both left reviews and I promised I would post another chapter because they did! Of course because of problems with the site I nearly didn't get to keep my promise!

So without further ado...

* * *

><p>Chapter Forty-one<p>

**Uncontrollable**

Hours later, as Harry stood glaring at his best mate, he wished that he could once again feel that hope that Ginny had been able to fan to life in his heart. Right now he felt empty, except for the anger that was building white hot in his stomach.

All day Ron had avoided him and Harry had left his friend alone, thinking that he needed to be alone for a while. Tonight however, after supper Ron had made a cutting remark to Harry before he headed upstairs. Harry had followed his best mate ten minutes later, with the idea of them talking it out. He should have known better.

"How dare you! I saw you snogging my sister!" Ron roared like an angry bull.

"What are you talking about?" Harry snapped back, remotely glad that Ron had sealed and silenced his bedroom when Harry came in.

"Talking about? _You_! With your hands all over my sister! Hermione and Taylor are missing and all you can think about is getting your hands on my _sister_!"

"Have you gone mental?" Harry yelled but Ron cut in.

"You don't even care! You left them. You left them to the Death Eaters! And then you have your hands all over my sister!" Ron roared as he dove at Harry, catching him around the waist and driving him to the floor. Ron's fists flew as he tried to hit every inch of the black-haired wizard that he could.

Wands forgotten the two rolled around hitting as hard as they could. They toppled the nightstand and smashed into the dresser, knocking it over on top of them.

Breathing hard they both clambered slowly to their feet, facing each other warily. Each were bleeding, Ron from a nasty cut on his mouth and Harry from his broken nose, as well as skinned knuckles and multiple bruises that they'd be sporting for several days to come.

"How can you say I don't care? I didn't want to leave but I had no choice!" Harry growled.

"All you thought about was saving your own miserable hide! You left Hermione, _my Hermione_ there, stunned. She couldn't even protect herself! And you left Taylor! Who you supposedly love. But she isn't gone a day before you go right back to snogging my sister!"

The words tore through Harry like a knife. He'd left his sister, and his best friend, defenseless against the Death Eaters. To save himself. Self-loathing made his stomach roll in disgust.

"You have no idea…" Harry whispered

"No Idea? Of what? How the great Harry Potter turned tail? What would it matter to you, if two more muggle-borns were taken by Death Eaters? As long as you saved your own ass!"

"You have no idea…" Harry said more forcefully as anger rolled through him.

"I can see that seven years of friendship mean nothing to you! As long as you save your own ass!" Ron repeated, missing in his own pain, the tortured look that had come to Harry's face.

"I didn't have a choice! I couldn't help Taylor. _I couldn't help her_ even if I stayed. It was only her shield that allowed me to go… I couldn't even lift my wand hand. I…" Harry's anguished voice fell on deaf ears, as Ron shook his head refusing to believe Harry.

"You left them! Hermione and Taylor! You abandoned them!"

Harry launched himself over the overturned dresser at the redhead as anguish turned to rage. His fist collided with the bigger wizards jaw as his shoulder rammed into his chest, knocking Ron back onto his bed causing it to collapse under the weight.

Harry lost it. Pain tore through him white hot and he hit. He hit Ron with everything he had, not even noticing the sickening crunch in his fist as he broke his hand.

"You son of a bitch! You have no idea!" Harry bellowed as his fists flew. "You don't know _any_thing!"

Ron's fists swung too, each trying to get the advantage and soon they toppled off the broken bed. Rolling apart once more they stood, gasping for breath.

"Taylor was _my_ _responsibility_! I abandoned her… _I left her_… She is _my little sister_! Merlin help me! _I left my little sister for Voldemort!_" Harry groaned as he fell onto his knees on the floor in defeat.

Stunned Ron stared at his best friend for seven years as slowly the words sank in. "_Your little sister_? But… Taylor is your little sister?"

It was a long time before Harry lifted his head up to look at Ron. "I abandoned my little sister and best friend. To save my own sorry ass."

Ron shook his head slowly, he had been so upset about Hermione, and angry. He'd wanted to blame someone and Harry was the easiest one to blame. It hadn't mattered that they had discussed what to do in a case like that. It hadn't mattered that Harry was hurting. All that had mattered was that Harry and he had made it back and Hermione and Taylor hadn't.

"I'm sorry. Harry I'm really sorry, mate. I didn't know. Taylor's your sister? But how?"

Harry's voice sounded dead as he answered. "No one was ever supposed to know. I didn't even know until the beginning of sixth year when Dumbledore told me."

"But… your parents died when you were just a baby…" Ron said as he lowered himself onto the broken bed.

"Taylor, she was only a month or so old when… Mum and Dad… they never told anyone. Sirius… I don't think even Sirius knew. No one knew. Hagrid found her when he went to get me… he brought her back to Dumbledore too."

"But why the secrecy? Why split you up like that?"

Harry looked out the window at the dark night sky. "At the time Dumbledore couldn't be sure that Mum's sacrifice would protect Taylor too." Harry laughed a hollow laugh. "And he couldn't very well leave her with the Dursleys, something I will be eternally thankful for! He found some distant, recluse great uncle of Mum's and sent Taylor there to live. Hoping that by keeping her secret, that she would be safe from Death Eaters, and Voldemort when he came back."

The two were silent for a long while before Ron spoke again, his voice contrite. "Look Harry. I've been a real git. I ahh… Well I'm sorry. If Hermione were here she'd… well she'd tell me that I was being a blockhead again."

"I miss her too, Ron. I don't know what I'm going to do without her, or Taylor." Harry met Ron's eyes, the worry, pain and fear that he felt was reflected in them.

"We'll figure something out. We have to. I'm not going to give up on Hermione, or Taylor. Somehow or another we'll figure something out." Ron's voice was solemn as he stuck his hand out for Harry to shake.

"We'll figure something out. If there's any way possible, we'll get Hermione and Taylor back." Harry agreed as he shook Ron's swollen hand, cringing as he moved his broken one, but he said. "You can't tell anyone about my sister, _ever_."

"Don't worry I won't. So no one really knows? Not even Ginny?" Ron asked as he looked at Harry's extremely swollen hand and added. "I think that's broke mate."

Harry gritted his teeth as he tried to flex his hand, as his swollen, slightly disfigured hand started to throb. "Yeah, I think it is too. But no, not even Ginny knows. No one knows. Except Dumbledore, myself and my sister… and Lupin. He figured it out last summer."

"Huh. I know something Hermione doesn't…" Ron began with a crooked grin before it faded. "It's come at an awfully high price though." He finished almost to himself.

They heard it then; A distant pounding, followed by the faint sound of Mrs. Weasley's voice calling to them.

Ron looked at Harry, and really noticed his friend for the first time since their fight. "Man Harry, you look like hell!"

Harry rolled his eyes, "You bloody git! You don't look any better!"

Ron turned and looked at his reflection in the cracked mirror, and laughed, and then he sobered quickly. "Mum's gonna kill us! Look at my room!"

The two wizards looked at the carnage in the room, before they spotted their wands lying forgotten on the floor. Picking them up, they started hurriedly fixing and straightening the room. When they were done they looked at each other again.

"I'm rubbish at healing charms, you know." Ron said quickly as the pounding and yelling was louder now.

Harry looked down at his hand. He didn't want to attempt to fix his hand himself either. "Let's just siphon off the blood. We'll look a little better then." Ron nodded his agreement.

In a few minutes the two wizards were sitting and looking as innocently as possible, when Ron lifted the charms that had sealed his room.

"WHAT is the meaning of this SEALED ROOM?" Mrs. Weasley demanded as she threw open the door and marched into the room, wand out. "You two have been fighting!"

Ron looked up at his mother and said as innocently as possible, "Fighting? What would make you say that? Why would I be fighting with Harry?"

"Ronald Weasley! Don't you lie to me! I know a fight when I hear one even if the room is sealed!" Mrs. Weasley snapped angrily.

Harry could see Ginny standing behind her mother staring open mouthed at him. He guessed that he hadn't cleaned up quite as well as he hoped.

"Harry Potter!" Harry jumped when Mrs. Weasley called his name in the same tone as she had Ron's a few seconds ago. "What have you got to say for yourself? Fighting like a couple of hoodlums!"

"Mrs. Weasley I…" Harry began as he started to feel guilty.

"Mum, we weren't fighting! We were just settling our differences!" Ron cut Harry off as he stood up, towering over his mother.

"Settling your differences? Is that why Harry has a broken nose and most likely a broken hand?" Mrs. Weasley demanded, not backing down one inch as she glowered up at her son.

"Yeah, well, we happened to have a lot of differences to settle!" Ron said but he backed up a half a step.

"I raised six boys in this house! Six! And never have I been so disappointed! Not even Bill and Charlie smashed up the house like you two just did!"

"I'm sorry Mrs. Weasley. I ahh, well, we tried to repair it." Harry finished lamely.

"Well I guess I can be thankful for one thing, at least you had the sense to leave the healing to someone else!" Mrs. Weasley cried angrily, but her voice softened just a little by the end.

"We're sorry, Mum." Ron mumbled.

Mrs. Weasley huffed. Then she added before she turned to leave. "I want this room fixed right! Do you hear me? Not one splinter out of place! Then come downstairs. I'll have my healer's bag ready and I'll fix you two up, before your father gets home!"

The sound of Mrs. Weasley going down the stairs couldn't be heard any longer before anyone made a sound.

Ginny crossed her arms and glared at the two wizards. "What were you thinking? Fighting like that?"

"Stow it Ginny!" Ron growled as he turned and started to work at repairing his bed better.

"At least when my other brothers fought they had the common sense to do it outside!" Ginny said icily.

Harry looked away from his angry girlfriend and stared at the dresser wondering what wasn't right about it.

"What were you fighting for anyway? Fighting never solves anything!"

"You're a girl. You wouldn't understand. Besides you've jinxed loads of people who have made you mad!" Ron snapped as he tried to get the headboard just right.

"Of course I have. But I've never lowered myself to something as barbaric as trying to beat my best friend to a pulp!" Turning on her heel, Ginny left, muttering, "Boys!" and leaving the two wizards alone to finish putting the room back together.

Ten minutes later when Ron and Harry came downstairs they found Ginny and Mrs. Weasley bustling around the kitchen. Several potion bottles sat on the table and a book was lying open near a cauldron that was gently bubbling.

"Sit!" Mrs. Weasley ordered and she began to examine Harry, waving her wand slowly over him and tsking. "Your nose is broken and so is your hand plus a few cuts here and there. I can fix your nose no problem but maybe you should go see Madame Pomfrey about your hand. I'd hate to heal it not quite right."

"No. You please fix it Mrs. Weasley, if you can." Harry said earnestly.

"Very well. I have had quite a bit of experience. Six boys tend to get themselves into a lot of trouble at times." Mrs. Weasley muttered as she waved her wand.

Harry felt his nose straighten with a small pop. He had to grit his teeth not to make a sound but when his bones in his hand realigned he couldn't quite say the same.

When Mrs. Weasley was finished fixing up Ron she handed them each a cup full of potion from the cauldron. "This will help with the bruising which I'm not sure that I should help with. Maybe a little discomfort for a few days would do you two good! However, it will also help heal any tiny fractures that I might have missed."

Taylor finally came to, shaking from the cold and the after effects of the multiple Cruciatus Curses she had endured. The dungeon was just as black, but she could feel a warm body beside her and Hermione's hesitant voice when she spoke.

"Taylor? Are you awake? How are you feeling? Are you okay? Please speak to me."

"Yeah I'm awake. How long have I been out?" Taylor's voice was scratchy, she was really thirsty.

"I don't know. There is no way of knowing down here. It's felt like hours."

Taylor pushed herself up into a sitting position, groaning as her stiff muscles protested the movement. Hermione's hand touched Taylor's arm and moved up to her shoulder before Hermione wrapped her arms around the younger witch and hugged her.

"I've been so afraid that you were hurt badly and I couldn't see it."

Taylor cleared her throat and awkwardly returned the hug. "Sorry. I'm fine. Though I don't relish the idea of repeating that again. We need to figure out a way out of here."

"I don't see how. We don't have our wands and the door is most likely charmed shut. Even if we did get it open, who knows how many Death Eaters there are upstairs."

Gently Taylor pushed Hermione's arms away from her and stood up. Staggering and feeling a little disorientated from the lack of vision. With her hands out she walked forward cautiously.

"Taylor? What are you doing? Where are you going?"

"I'm going to see if I can find the door." Taylor answered as her fingers made contact with a rough, cold surface. After feeling around a bit, Taylor surmised that it was a stone wall, and she began feeling her way along it.

"Taylor? What did you find? The door?" Hermione asked sounding a little frightened.

"No, just a stone wall. I'm going to follow it to the right to see if I find anything. Keep talking. So maybe I can get an idea how big this room is."

"You call this a room? I'd call it a cell myself. I wish there was a way so that we could at least see! I hate not even being able to see!"

"Yeah, that would be a big help." Taylor said as her searching fingers found a smoother surface. She'd found the door. She explored it carefully, finally deciding that there was no door handle. It must be bolted or sealed shut from the outside she thought, saying as much.

"If only we had a wand, or even a few potion ingredients I could brew a fire."

Taylor moved on past the door but it didn't take her long to get back to the door again. The cell wasn't a large one.

Taylor joined Hermione on the floor again and the two talked for a long while, about different things, anything to take their minds off their current situation.

"Remember the start of third year? When Harry blew up his aunt? I thought he was going to be in so much trouble and you and Ron couldn't stop laughing? You both thought it was a big joke!" Hermione said, a little huffily at the inappropriate behavior of the two of them.

"Hermione! That's it!" Taylor said excitedly.

"What's it? A big joke?" Hermione asked confused.

"No! Harry blew up his aunt! He performed wandless magic!" Taylor stood up and began to cautiously pace, careful not to step on her friend or run into the walls.

"Yeah… but that was an _accident_. Totally uncontrollable. He could have just as easily blown up the house!" Hermione pointed out.

"Yeah, but it was wandless! Don't you see? That's how we can get out of here!" Taylor said excitedly as she began to think.

"But we can't do wandless magic! Have you ever done it? It's impossible."

"No, Hermione it isn't! Little kids do it all the time. Didn't you make anything happen that you couldn't explain when you were little? I'm sure that is how the Ministry finds muggle borns." Taylor explained as she started to search her memory for any such thing that she had done.

"But we aren't little kids. We are witches."

"But if we could do it once we can do it again! We might not be able to control it, but… if we can… We have to a least try!" Taylor said with conviction. Stopping by the wall, Taylor thought about what would cause her to lose control.

Slowly like molten lava coursing through her veins Taylor could feel herself getting close as she focused on the mental picture of her brother, all alone, being forced to kneel in front of Death Eaters defeated and broken.

A pop sounded loudly in the stone cell, Hermione gave a startled cry as tiny points of light exploded over where Taylor was standing.

Breathing hard, Taylor grinned in the dark as Hermione's voice sounded accusing.

"What did you do? You scared the life out of me! You could have at least warned me!"

"Well that answers that question! We are still _capable_ of wandless magic. Now we will just have to work on _controlling_ it a little."

Hermione huffed, but she began questioning the other witch about what had just happened.

* * *

><p>AN Well there you have it... So what did you think? I know another cliffhanger type of chapter. I am sorry but until we get past this sequence of events they are going to end like this... I had to end the chapters somewhere! ;) Besides I will update again soon. Do you know I have posted 18 chapters in the last 40 days? That is rather impressive I think anyway! LOL! And we are NOT half way through this story yet! Hopefully this doesn't scare anyone away! What did you think of the fight between Ron and Harry? I could see Ron reacting like that and Harry just looseing it! And poor Hermione and Taylor... they are in a really tight spot! I have read a few fanfic story's about wandless magic... but I think the way it is used in my story keeps inline with the Potter-verse. Let me know what you think!

Thank you for reading this far! WOW over 160 000 words! As well Thank you for those who have Alerted and Favorited this story! It warms my heart and makes all the research and editing worth it! And of course a HUGE THANK YOU to those of you who take the time to leave a review! You guys really make my day! Plus make me want to update again sooner! Of course my thank you paragragh wouldn't be complete without saying THANK YOU to my wonderful, understanding, helpful and tireless bata barbc! She truely makes this story readable and realitely mistake free!(see my A/N and you will see what she has to put up with! LOL!)

Well until next time, cytpotter


	42. To Live In Hell

If I owned Harry... well let's just say that I wouldn't stop at 7 books! And I would write the Mauraders story as well! In 7 or so books! :)

I will twist this quote just a bit... "Becasue I am a kind writter, I will make you suffer no longer for the next chapter..."

:) Cyber cookies for those who know who I am attempting to quote. ;)

* * *

><p>Chapter Forty-two<p>

**To Live In Hell**

"You're leaving again." Ginny said, it wasn't a question, as she leaned against the door frame of Percy's old room. The one Harry had slept in last night, when he had finally come down from Ron's room long after midnight.

Harry glanced up from where he had some things spread out on the bed. He'd been looking through Hermione's magically enlarged handbag that the tent and everything else was stored in. Taking out a couple of items that he wanted to examine before he left, like a rough map that Hermione had kept of where they had camped already and other spots that they could try.

"Yeah we are." Harry said firmly as he turned back to what he had been doing. It hurt him to see the pain on Ginny's face.

"I want to come with you!" Ginny said as she came to stand beside him looking at the odd assortment of things on the bed.

"Absolutely not."

"I could help! I could…"

"Get hurt, or killed… or caught like Hermione and Taylor. No you're not coming!" Harry said forcefully as he turned to look at Ginny. His voice softened as he put his hands on her shoulders. "Ginny if something happens to you… I don't think I… I wouldn't survive it. Hermione and Taylor…if… almost killed me, but you…" Harry paused searching for the words to let her know how he felt. "When this war is over… I need you Ginny. I need you to be there waiting for me." In a way Harry knew that he wasn't being fair. He knew that there was a very good possibility that he wouldn't live to see the war ended, but he knew if he did, then Ginny had to be there.

"Don't worry, I will be Harry! I love you." Ginny promised as she hugged him tightly.

Harry returned her hug as he dropped his head down by her ear. "I love you Ginny Weasley!" he whispered and then caught her lips as she turned her head and kissed her tenderly. Trying to show her how much he meant it.

"Oi! If you guys are going to do that, at least close the door! That's disgusting!" Ron groaned at the door.

"Go away Ron!" Ginny growled as Harry drew back, hating her brother at that moment for his untimely arrival.

"That is my sister you know, Potter!" Ron growled as he watched his friend back away from his sister as he crossed the room to the bed.

"A Bat-Boogie hex might be just the thing you need Ron, to keep your nose out of other people's business!" Ginny snapped as she drew her wand.

Harry caught Ginny's hand before she could do anything and shook his head. With a huff, Ginny slid her wand back into her pocket.

"Be aware Ron. If you _ever_ break anything on Harry again, or if you don't bring him back to school in perfect health, I am going to hex you so thoroughly that Mum and Dad will not recognize you!" With that she turned on her heel and marched out of the room.

Ron watched her go, bewildered. "Witches! There is no understanding them."

Mr. and Mrs. Weasley didn't want the two to leave, but in the end there wasn't anything that they could do to prevent it, shy of holding them against their will. Harry promised that they would be back in time to go to Hogwarts when the next term started. He just hadn't mentioned that the two of them might not be staying in school. It was difficult to say goodbye to Ginny, but with the thought of seeing her in five days, it was easier than it might be next time.

Mrs. Weasley packed them enough food supplies to keep them easily for the five days until term started.

This time was much different than the last time they had gone off. The two moved from place to place searching. Looking for any clue that a Death Eater might be near. They made camp late at night and were up and gone first thing the next morning.

Searching, always searching for any clue as to where Hermione and Taylor might be.

Taylor sat in the dark cell, her hands covering her ears as Hermione's screams echoed off the walls.

A Death Eater had come down and taken Hermione.

They always took Hermione first, leaving Taylor to listen to her friend being tortured above in the study. Almost inhuman screams tore at Taylor as she sat helpless, sometimes Petrified, though never stunned so that she couldn't hear, when she would attempt to try to stop them from taking Hermione.

Rocking back and forth Taylor cried. Her hands were raw from beating uselessly at the door and stonewall or digging just as uselessly at the rock floor, anything to try to get to Hermione and help her.

Time was meaningless. They could have been here for days, or weeks.

The only thing that they knew was that they would be taken upstairs to the study and tortured and then brought back down. Sometimes they would wake to find a little dirty water and some moldy bread lying on the floor.

Hermione had been able to make a tiny fire with wandless magic no bigger then a match, so that the two could see for short periods of time eating and drinking what was left for them. They found out that it was very draining to do wandless magic, and with the torture that they were forced to endure they hadn't made any more progress.

Hermione's screams finally stopped, and Taylor stood up, knowing that they would drag her friend back down here, and then they would take her. In a way she envied Hermione, for her friend was always unconscious when they brought her back and she didn't have to listen to the screams from above.

She could hear the thumps as they dragged Hermione down the steps and then the door was opening, flooding the small cell with light. The Death Eater dropped the witch onto the floor and turned towards her.

"Are you going to come along quietly this time Mudblood? Or do I get to have some fun too?" The gruff, nasally voice asked.

Taylor met his evil eyes, as anger coursed through her. She had received plenty of the fun that the Death Eater could dole out. She seldom went quietly. Every fiber in her being told her to fight. Fight them with everything she had.

She glanced down at Hermione lying on the ground and was relieved to see her chest was rising and falling. "You had better pray I never see you outside these walls!" Taylor hissed before she walked out of the cell as the Death Eater behind her laughed.

She never tried the same thing twice, and so this time when she was almost at the top of the stairs she jumped… backwards. Smashing into the startled Death Eater and causing him to fall back down the steps. Taylor landed on top of him and jumped to her feet instantly and raced back up the stairs as the Death Eater swore loudly.

She never made it past the top of the steps before she was frozen but still it was worth it.

"Dolohov how many times do I need to tell you not to mess around with this Mudblood? Bellatrix will be furious!" A slick sounding voice said from over where Taylor couldn't see frozen in place like she was.

Taylor was floated into the study and, as predicted, Bellatrix was furious.

"Why do I put up with such incompetent fools? Allowing a Mudblood to best you!" Bellatrix yelled at Dolohov as he came into the study. "You had better sharpen up before the Dark Lord gets here! He will not be as forgiving as I am!"

Taylor felt the charm holding her stiff released and knew what was coming. Taking a deep breath she forced her body to relax.

"_Crucio_!"

The spell caught Taylor as she was sinking to the floor. Pain enveloped her body and she fell, screaming onto the floor. But the pain was almost bearable, even though she still screamed and twisted on the floor in agony, it wasn't quite as intense. Also by relaxing just before the spell hit, when Bellatrix finally lifted the curse, Taylor didn't feel the debilitating effects quite as acutely, even after repeatedly enduring the Cruciatus Curse.

Taylor lay on her back breathing heavily. She heard a door open and then a voice she would recognize anywhere. A smooth, oily voice.

"I see you are playing again with the Dark Lord's prisoners. He will be most displeased if you fry their weak minds before he can question them, Bellatrix." Snape said.

"You don't worry about what I do. I can't wait to see what you are going to tell the Dark Lord about your long absence. I would be more worried about myself if I were you." Bellatrix said in a superior voice.

"Where I have been is between the Dark Lord and I."

Taylor rolled over onto her side so that she could see her old professor, extremely surprised to see him here. Knowing that he knew her secret. He looked over at her, his hard black eyes locking with hers for just a second before he looked away.

Bellatrix laughed and pointed her wand at Taylor again.

Barely conscious Taylor was dropped onto the floor of the cell. Even by relaxing as she did, the toll on her was high both mentally and physically.

It was silent for a long time, and Taylor wondered if she might have slept, or passed out. When she became aware again she could hear something moving in the dark, and a something touched her.

"Taylor? Are you there?" Hermione asked weakly.

"Yeah, do you think there is some water?" They had stopped asking if they were okay or all right, knowing that it was a senseless question.

A tiny flame pushed the blackness back some, enough to see a chipped cup sitting by the door.

Moving carefully Hermione crawled across to the cup, picked it up and brought it back to where Taylor was lying.

With an effort Taylor sat up, and carefully took the cup that Hermione passed to her. Her throat was parched, and she could have easily drunk the whole cup and still not been satisfied, but she couldn't do that to her friend. They never knew when they would get a little more water.

Slowly, cherishing every drop, Taylor took a mouth full of the stale, dirty water and held it in her mouth for a long second before swallowing. She then passed the cup back to Hermione who did the same thing.

There was enough water in the cup for each girl to have two mouthfuls of water.

The bread they hid in a corner under a loose stone, knowing that it would just make them thirstier. Maybe next time they would have a little more water and they could soak the bread before they ate it.

Hermione then let her tiny flame go out and the cell was once again pitch black. The two huddled together for comfort and warmth, wondering how long it would be before a Death Eater came for them again.

Taylor told Hermione about seeing Snape and what she had heard about Voldemort coming. With a detached sort of voice Taylor allowed her thoughts to take voice.

"I wonder how Snape escaped? He knows about me… I suppose he will make Voldemort happy when he tells him all about me." A pause. "Voldemort might actually ask us some questions. I think I would rather be asked questions then Crucioed for nothing more then to pleasure Bellatrix. I heard old Malfoy. He kindly froze me at the top of the stairs."

"Taylor, why do you keeping doing things like that? Keep antagonizing them?" Hermione asked sleepily.

"Because, maybe I'll get lucky and make them think twice about coming for us." Taylor growled as she wrapped her arms around the other witch protectively.

"You're just going to get yourself hurt or killed. Then where would I be? I wouldn't have a pillow or a warm body to lay beside."

Taylor didn't say any more, just let Hermione drift off to sleep.

Exhausted Harry still made his legs move. He had been on watch duty but the sun was now starting to lighten the eastern sky so it was time to head out. "Let's go Ron." He called and heard the other wizard groan before the bed creaked as he rolled out.

They had been searching for the two witches, non-stop for six days. They hadn't found anything. It was like the Death Eaters had all gone away. Or more likely were laying low before they did something big.

The Hogwart's Express had taken most of the students back to the school yesterday, but Harry and Ron had decided that they would use one more day to search. Not that they would have taken the train anyway. It was just too dangerous for them to be on the train in case the Death Eaters attacked it looking for them.

Harry had already contacted Moody and told him that they would meet the old auror at the gates of the school at seven that morning so he could let them in.

"I can't wait to get some good food! No offence Harry, but you're not the best cook… and I'm starving!"

Harry nodded suddenly feeling sorry for his complaints to his sister about the food she had prepared during the time they were away in the summer.

"With any luck, we'll be eating breakfast at Hogwarts." Harry said with a bit of a smile. He really wasn't sure why he was going back to the school. He should stay out here looking, but for some reason, he felt like he was betraying Hermione and his sister by not going back. He knew they wouldn't be at the school, but still, he had to go back.

It didn't take long to pack up the tent and pull the invisibility cloak over them both, then turning, Harry Apparated them back to the school gates. Their wands were out and they were ready for trouble.

Only Moody, Shacklebolt and Hagrid waited at the gates and after exchanging the code words, they went in.

Moody led them up to the Headmistress's office and after a quick word with Professor McGonagall, the two boys headed for their common room, a shower and changed into their school clothes. Their trunks were already waiting for them at the end of their beds.

The hardest part, by far, was walking into the Great Hall. Everyone turned to stare at them as they walked to the Gryffindor table and a buzz started soon after. The school, it seemed, had heard about Hermione and Taylor's disappearance and noticed that Harry and Ron had been absent the night before for the returning feast.

The Gryffindor table was relatively quiet, as Harry and Ron sat down beside Ginny and Neville. Their fellow Gryffindors left them alone as they ate.

Harry was glad to see Ginny again, and she talked to him and Ron while they ate. It was Neville though that told them about one other student that had gone missing during the holidays. The buzz though it seemed was about the Head Girl disappearing.

When they were finished, they all got up at the same time, the three boys heading out to the greenhouses and Ginny hooking up with a group of other sixth years to go to potions.

They were half way across the frozen grounds when a voice called to them from behind.

"Potter!" bellowed the angry voice.

Harry swung around, his wand sliding into his hand ready if there was trouble. He could see a small group of boys, obviously trying to hold someone back, over by a clump of bushes out of sight from the school or green houses. He could hear them arguing and then someone broke free.

"Potter! I want a word with you!" The Head Boy yelled as he shook off the last restraining hand and headed for Harry.

Harry glanced over at Ron and saw his eyebrow raise but he knew that his friend was ready. A quick look at Neville wasn't as reassuring. Still Harry wasn't worried about five, seventh year Hufflepuffs.

Greg Hunter's long legs carried him over the frozen lawn in long angry strides. He was seething! He had been at home when Moody had come to see if Taylor and Hermione were there. When his father had told the old auror that they weren't, Moody then told him about the two witches being taken by Death Eaters. Greg had asked the old auror a few questions but the only thing Moody would tell him was that there had been a fight and when help had gone looking the two witches were nowhere to be found. After Moody had left, Greg and his father had an awful row, about going and looking for Taylor himself. If his cousin Bruce hadn't been there, Greg didn't know what he would have done. The past eight days had been hell. His only consolation was seeing Potter in the Great Hall that morning and knowing he was going to confront the Chosen One! His friends had tried to talk him out of it.

By the time he stopped in front of Potter his blue eyes were hard and cold.

"What do you want Hunter?" Harry asked belligerently, he had a sneaking suspicion that he knew.

"Where is Taylor?" Greg snarled.

"What is it to you?" Ron challenged.

Greg barely spared the other wizard a glance. "Butt out Weasley. This is between Potter and me! Now I want to know what the hell happened to Taylor!"

"I believe Ron has it right. What is she to you?" Harry asked his voice going ice cold.

"You damn well know what she is to me! She is my girlfriend! Now tell me what the bloody hell happened!" Greg commanded, his voice going cold too.

"Taylor is no girlfriend of yours! Now if you know what is good for you, you will turn around and head back into the school and mind your own bloody business!" Harry ground out as anger ignited in his stomach and coursed through his veins. A fight was just what he needed to get rid of some of the frustration that had built up over the past week.

"I'm not scared of you Potter!" Greg growled before he quirked his mouth in a nasty grin. "Twenty points from Gryffindor."

Neville spoke for the first time. "What for?"

"For being a pigheaded fool!"

It was clear that Greg wanted to say more but one of the Hufflepuffs yelled a warning that someone was coming so he finished with. "And for dawdling between classes."

Ron let out a snort of disgust as Greg turned to head back towards the other Hufflepuffs, but he added over his shoulder. "This isn't over Potter!"

It was that night after supper when Greg found Harry again, this time in the boy's lavatory on the fourth floor. Harry and Ron where in there alone when the Head Boy entered, disarming them both before they had a chance to move.

"Now Potter you and I are going to finish our little chat! We don't need you as a witness Weasley." Greg stunned Ron where he stood.

Harry glared at the Hufflepuff as Ron fell to the floor. He was surprised at how fast he had been disarmed, and knew it was because he had let his guard down. A very dangerous thing for him to do.

"What do you want Hunter?"

With another flick of his wand the Head Boy sealed and silenced the washroom. "I want a _private_ word with you, Potter. I want to know what happened to Taylor!"

"And I told you it was none of your business!"

"Well I'm making it my business!" Greg snarled as he walked closer storing his wand safely in his back pocket, out of reach of Potter. "I suppose she told you about coming to my place the day before she disappeared?"

Harry nodded not sure just what the Hufflepuff was getting at.

"Did she tell you that she was unconscious when I found her? Lying outside my house in the snow? Along with Hermione? Did she tell you that she was so weak when she finally woke up that she couldn't even sit up? My dad checked them both over. Hermione was just hit with a stunner, but Taylor had her magical powers drained somehow!" A muscle jumped along the Head Boy's jaw, his eyes never leaving Harry's face. "I see that isn't a surprise to you. I suppose you know that she is underage also?"

"What do you want Hunter? I know all that! Taylor told me everything." Harry snapped.

"I want to know what happened to her when she left my place! I want to know why you allowed an underage witch to go roaming all over the countryside with you. I want to know how you allowed her to be taken by Death Eaters! Taylor and Hermione, but you and Ron are here! Safe at Hogwarts!" Greg snarled. He was furious by the end as he clenched his fists by his sides.

"None of your damn business! Taylor is my responsibility! I'll worry about her!" Harry snapped as anger heated his veins.

"You sure as hell aren't doing a very good job!" Hunter bellowed as Harry's fist made contact with his jaw.

"Go to hell! You don't know jack shit!" Harry yelled breathing hard as if he'd just run up a long flight of stairs.

Greg shoved Harry into the wall.

"I know Taylor is helping you! With whatever the hell you are doing! I know that she is scared. Scared of somehow _displeasing_ you. I suppose you know that she is willing to do what ever it takes to protect you? Including dying?" Greg asked coldly.

Harry stared at the Hufflepuff for a long time, shocked that his sister had told him so much.

"Look Potter. I'm not looking to find out what you are up to. I surmised that it has something to do with You-Know-Who. All I want to know is what happened to Taylor. I've been going crazy for eight days. I almost came to blows with my old man when he wouldn't let me go looking for her. I need to know… " Greg looked away from Harry for the first time as pain spread from his eyes to his whole face.

With a deep breath, Greg turned and walked away towards the other end of the washroom.

Harry watched him go, shocked by the agony in the other wizard's eyes. It was a while before he asked quietly "Why do you care? Two weeks before school let out you'd never even spoke to Taylor."

Greg turned around to face Harry once more. "It took me a lot longer than that to finally get her alone. You and Weasley are like bodyguards. You probably won't believe me, but I love her." Greg shrugged his shoulders indicating that he could care less if Harry believed him or not.

Harry stared at the other wizard for a long time. Remembering what Taylor had told him, about how she felt about the Hufflepuff, that she thought that she might love him. Harry looked up at the ceiling. This was the guy his sister more than likely loved. The one she had sneaked off to go see, and then returned to when she needed to go someplace safe.

"Look, I… I always wanted Taylor to be happy. She never showed any interest in a guy until you. I owe it to her to tell you what happened. I love Taylor too. Hermione and Taylor are the sisters I never had." Harry paused and swallowed the lump that had formed there. "We Apparated to a new campsite, but there was a group of Death Eaters there. In the ensuing fight, Ron was stunned and so was Hermione… I was going to Apparate Ron out of there and Taylor was going to go with Hermione… I was hit with a curse before I could go… Taylor… she put up her shield…" Harry drew in a ragged breath before he continued. "and told me to go, that she'd get Hermione..." Harry shook his head and looked away from the Hufflepuff as shame once again flooded his stomach causing it to roll violently.

Greg stood and stared at the Gryffindor as his anger warred with sorrow. He saw the agony on the Chosen One's face and could guess that it had taken a lot for Potter to tell him what had happened.

"There was no sign of her when you went back?"

Harry shook his head. "We've been searching ever since, but we haven't been able to find anything."

Greg looked away again. He'd wanted to know. Needed to know. Slowly he nodded his head. "Thank you Potter. I… just thank you."

Ron groaned then and Greg pulled his wand out and tossed the two Gryffindor wands to Harry. "He'll be fine in a few more minutes. I'll… I'll make sure that no one bothers you." He turned and, removing the wards, he left the bathroom pausing to wait outside. Making sure that no one went in until Weasley and Potter came out and could handle any trouble that they might find.

* * *

><p>AN Well there you have it another chapter! And what a chapter it was! Hopefully I was able to get the pain and anger and _utter **hell**_ that not only Taylor and Hermione are living through but Harry, Ron and Greg as well. This was meant to be a chapter filled with pain... both physically and mentally! Hopefully I made it believable!

I want to take a few minutes and address a couple of things that have come up in reviews so if anyone else is wondering about the answers then they know as well. First is the question about Taylor's age and when she will be of age... The way I look at it this Harry just turned 17 the last of July, and Taylor is at least 1 year younger then he is... so Taylor would of just turned 16(whenever her last birthday was-sometime in August or September)((that will come up later in the story!)) so she will not turn of age until **next** August or Septemebr. Hopefully this makes sense!

The other thing that was mentioned was that Taylor is a superwitch... and while I apperciate the idea and even struggled at times with it, I have TRIED NOT to make Taylor into a superwitch. I look at her as being equal to Harry, they both have strengths but in different areas... like Harry struggles in Potions and Taylor is a wiz. Taylor struggles to keep up with her brother in DADA and in their _research lessons _with Shacklebolt. Harry also has his struggles with Voldemort and his abilities and so does Taylor... maybe Taylor struggles a _bit_ more in this department in this story. I see them complimenting each other and I have tired to write them as such. Please let me know how I am doing with this!

Okay enough A/N rambling... I want to thank you for reading if you have gotten this far then... cyber cookies to you! :) and THANK YOU! Plus for those who Alert, Favorite and Review... You guys are the best! And last but not least barbc, my wonderful bata! Thanks girl! Well until next time(which will be soon!), cytpotter.


	43. Of Help Unforeseen

Nope not Jk Rowling just borrowing her wonderful charactors for a while and putting them through hell! :) I will return them... mostly intact. LOL!

Here is another chapter so you don't have to wait any longer... hope you enjoy.

* * *

><p>Chapter Forty-three<p>

**Of Help Unforeseen**

The screams tore through Taylor. Inhuman screams and they went on and on.

"Stop! Please just stop!" Taylor yelled as she beat on the door with her fists as a sob wracked her body. Hermione's screams became more and more feeble. Taylor knew her friend would pass out soon, but not before her screams inflicted more pain on Taylor's heart. She knew that if she ever made it out of here, those screams would haunt her forever. She had once envied Hermione for going first, now she was just glad that her friend didn't have to suffer through this torture as well.

Soon all was quiet above and Taylor listened for the sound of her friend being dragged back down here. Then she heard only footsteps and her heart clenched in agony, as fear unlike any she had felt yet gripped her. When the door opened her worst fears were confirmed. Hermione hadn't been brought back!

"Come on! I don't have much time!" a low oily voice hissed urgently.

Taylor shook her head, trying to clear it. Trying to think.

"Porter if you want Granger to live come here now! You need to listen. You will only get one chance!"

Taylor looked at her old potions professor as she tried to comprehend what he was saying.

"Come on! Move!" Snape hissed again as he grabbed her by the arm and forced her to move. "Now listen carefully. I will only have time to say this once! The Dark Lord is upstairs. He has come to question you. Guard your thoughts as best you can. Potter was abysmal at it. Let's hope you are better! Granger wasn't able to tell the Dark Lord much, most definitely not your secrets! Guard them well! When the Dark Lord finishes with you, we can only hope that he won't kill you outright. There will be a disturbance elsewhere that will draw everyone away. Are you listening?" Snape hissed as they started up the stairs. Taylor nodded numbly. "Your wands are over the fireplace on the mantel! Use the floo powder there and Apparate while you are in the Floo Network! Do you understand?" Snape hissed as he spoke very fast. "You will only have a few minutes in which to act."

As they neared the top of the stairs Snape put a full body-bind on Taylor and levitated her up the last few steps and out into the hall.

"Ah Snape. I thought I'd have to go give you a hand with that one! The Mudblood has tried every trick in the book!" A Death Eater grunted as Taylor was floated down the hall.

"I would hesitate to let the Dark Lord know that I allowed a _Mudblood_ to get the better of me, especially when you were one of the incompetent fools who let Potter slip away from them again, am I right?" Snape purred silkily as he walked away from the frowning man who started to swear bitterly.

When Taylor was floated into the study she saw Voldemort for the first time. There were two others besides the tall, thin man in the long black cloak, but Taylor's eyes never left him. Anger surged through her, white hot.

"Ahh, Severus I see you at least did not have any trouble with this _fierce_ Mudblood, that has most of my followers cowering in their boots." The cold voice said softly. "Let us have a look at this fierce creature!" With a flick of his wand, Taylor felt the binds release her and she staggered a bit sideways when her feet hit the floor. Taylor looked up at Voldemort as she squared her shoulders.

"Ahh another brave Gryffindor I see," the cold voice purred. With a flick of his wand Taylor heard the voice, this time in her head as it commanded. "Bow down to me!"

Taylor shook her head just slightly. "I said bow down to me!" Another voice asked softly, "Why? Why would I?" Taylor shook her head more forcefully and her eyes seemed to come back into focus.

"No! I don't think so." Taylor growled.

"Ahh, so brave… _Crucio_!"

Pain unlike anything she had ever experienced before pulsed through her, unbearable soul shattering pain. Taylor screamed.

Gasping for breath and shaking Taylor rolled over and pushed herself to her feet. As long as she was able she would not kneel or lay at Voldemort's feet.

"Ahh pitiful Gryffindor, you can not win against me. Now tell me, where is Harry Potter?"

Suddenly Taylor's necklace burned white hot against her skin as she gasped at an uncomfortable feeling in her mind, making her legs tremble.

"Ah so there _is_ a Gryffindor who has learned Occlumency. Impressive."

Shaking as badly as if she had just endured another Cruciatus Curse, Taylor looked up at Voldemort's red slit eyes. A calm spread over her and she wasn't afraid.

"Tell me _where_ Harry Potter is!" Voldemort ordered, as his eyes seemed to try to drill into Taylor's, her necklace burned once more but the calmness stayed and she didn't feel weak.

"I don't know where Harry is."

"Tell me what he is _searching_ for!" Voldemort's cold voice commanded.

"I don't know what Harry is searching for." Taylor said calmly, the heat from the necklace somehow reassuring.

"Where _are_ the Order of the Phoenix headquarters?"

"I don't know where the Order of the Phoenix Headquarters are."

"_Crucio_!"

Pain, endless, all consuming pain.

When it finally stopped, shaking she pushed herself up slowly until she was standing once more.

"Tell me what I want to know. I am a merciful Lord. I will end your pain quickly."

Taylor looked at Voldemort forcing her mind not to think and betray her. "You are… a mad man. Hell bent on destroying everything that is good in this world!" Taylor said as she squared her shoulders.

Again pain, that seemed to last forever.

"I am going to _kill_ you Mudblood. Like I am going to kill _all_ Mudbloods. Tell me what I want to know and I will make it quick, otherwise I will give you back to my loyal servant and she will torture you until you go mad." Voldemort's cold deadly voice said from right over Taylor.

Taylor rolled away and pushed up onto her feet swaying, but upright. "I do not know." Taylor fought to keep her voice even.

"Pity, such talents are wasted on you Mudblood. I could have made you very powerful, if _only_ you had been _deserving_. _Crucio_!"

Harry sat in his empty dorm room staring at the little wrapped box in his hand. His scar was hurting and he rubbed it absently but he never took his eyes off the little wrapped box. It was for his sister from Hunter. He had found it accidentally a few minutes ago, when he had been looking in Hermione's handbag for something. He wondered why his sister had never opened it. Was it because perhaps she didn't want it? He doubted it. It was more than likely that Hunter had given it to her the night that his sister had sneaked off to see the Hufflepuff and she hadn't had a chance to open it. Or didn't want to after he had all but accused her of choosing the Head Boy over him.

Harry could feel the lump forming in his throat as he thought about what his sister had said about wanting to be courageous enough to know what love was if she didn't make it through the war… With a shaking hand Harry carefully put the little wrapped box back where he got it.

Shaking and almost too weak to move, Taylor heard a noise like an explosion and yells coming from outside the study.

"Lucius! Go see what is causing all that commotion." Voldemort ordered.

Taylor opened her eyes slightly. She needed to look unconscious, if Snape's plan was going to work. She could see Hermione lying near the wall on the other side of the room, the opposite end from the fireplace.

A few minutes slowly crept by before a frightened Death Eater opened the door to the study. "My Lord! It's Nagini! There was an explosion in the potions room!"

Taylor heard Voldemort gasp then in a thunderous voice "I will kill the imbecile who allowed this to happen! They will beg me to die long before I end their suffering!"

Taylor lay still for a few seconds after the door slammed, then she cautiously looked up, but the room was empty. Shaking so hard that her limbs would barely support her she crawled to the fireplace as fast as she could. Snape's warning that she wouldn't have much time echoing in her head, driving her faster.

When she reached the fireplace she used the marble bricks to help pull herself up. On top of the mantel, were the wands and the floo powder. Picking up her wand Taylor pointed it at Hermione as her other hand dug into the floo powder.

"_Accio_ Hermione!" Taylor called and watched as her friend flew towards her.

Taylor threw the floo powder into the fire as she caught Hermione around the waist. She could hear footsteps fast approaching as she staggered into the green flames.

"Burgin and Burkes!" Taylor yelled as the door to the study burst open and in came two Death Eaters with wands drawn.

They were too late, as Taylor and Hermione spun away into the Floo Network

Taylor grit her teeth, and forced her mind to concentrate. _Destination_. _Determination_. _Deliberation_. Fixing the gates at Hogwarts firmly in her mind, Taylor twisted with all her might clutching Hermione against her.

The nauseating spinning stopped as she felt the familiar bands of Apparition squeezing her. The next second her feet slammed into the frozen snow covered ground beside the stone boars at Hogwarts.

Both witches hit the ground, and Taylor lay still as the snow soaked through the filthy rags that she wore.

Snow swirled around her. She was exhausted. Looking around she could see that there were no tracks in the snow. She knew the gates were sealed. As a cold wind blew ice pellets into her face, she realized that she might freeze to death out here. Escaping from Death Eater headquarters only to freeze to death outside the gates of the school.

Struggling to roll over she finally made it to her knees, swaying. A tiny voice asked, what if he isn't in there, but she couldn't afford that possibility and pushed the thought away.

Taylor closed her eyes and looked for what she needed, and then from the horrors that she had faced this past while she saw it. Her brother.

"_Expecto Patronum_!" a large silvery white doe burst from her wand.

Taylor watched as her Patronus disappeared through the gathering darkness and snow before she fell forwards into the snow too exhausted to care.

Harry was sitting in the common room watching the fire. The wind was rattling the windows as snow swirled past them, but by the fire it was warm and cozy.

"Man, I can't believe I have early patrol tonight with that git Hunter!" Ron growled as he flopped down beside Harry.

Harry just rolled his eyes. In the few days since Hunter had cornered them in the bathroom Ron had taken a great disliking for the Head Boy, probably because he had stupefied the red head. Harry however couldn't really find that much to fault the Hufflepuff for. Hunter had spoken to him when he met him in the halls but that was it.

The common room was only about half full as many students were still at the library, finishing eating in the Great Hall or out at this early hour.

Suddenly a bright white light filled the common room and Harry wheeled around to see what it was. His heart nearly stopped when the large white doe walked towards him lowering its head as a weak, broken voice spoke, "Harry. I'm…at… the gates. Please be here!"

Harry stood rooted to the spot for three whole heartbeats as the Patronus faded away.

"Taylor!" Harry breathed as he turned and bolted for the portrait hole, colliding with someone in his hurry to get out, making both fall in a heap.

"What's the hurry Potter?" Hunter asked as he untangled his legs from the Gryffindor, as Ron leaped over them to avoid falling too.

Harry barely registered the Head Boy before Ron was grabbing him and pulling him to his feet.

"Whoa! Where's the fire?" The Hufflepuff asked jumping to his feet and grabbing Potter's arm. If these two were in this much of a hurry, then something was up.

"It's Taylor!" Harry snarled as he yanked his arm free.

"What?" Greg asked stunned as his heart slammed against his ribs.

"Taylor! She's at the front gates!" Harry yelled as he started to sprint down the hallway after Ron.

Greg's long legs stretched out as he tore after Harry and he made it to the stairs about the same time Harry did. He caught Harry's arm again nearly yanking the Gryffindor off his feet this time. "What are you talking about? How can you be sure?" Greg demanded.

"She sent me her Patronus!" Harry snarled as he tried to yank his arm free again.

"We will need an auror or the Headmistress to get out through the gates!" Greg clipped as he thought about what they would have to do to get to Taylor.

Harry nodded as he started down the stairs. "They still might be in the Great Hall!"

Ron now had a good head start, but Harry and Greg raced down through the castle taking the stairs two and three at a time, nearly running into numerous people in their haste. Ron wiped out on the third floor as a stair way suddenly shifted and moved out of his reach. He was just getting to his feet as Greg and Harry raced by.

The great marble stairs that reached up from the Entrance Hall, echoed loudly as the three seventh years flew down them abreast. They hadn't made it off the last step when a voice called.

"Halt! Just where do you think you three are going in such a hurry?" Professor McGonagall's voice demanded.

Gasping for breath Harry panted. "Taylor, she's at the gates!"

"Taylor? Miss Porter? How do you know?"

Greg beat Harry to it this time. "Her Patronus! She sent her Patronus!"

"Please Professor! We need to get to the gates!" Ron added panting heavily.

Professor McGonagall nodded and she drew her wand out and with a wave she conjured a Patronus of her own, which she sent off before turning and saying. "Let's go."

Harry wished desperately that he could pick the Professor up and carry her to hasten her along, as she ordered them to stay with her as she walked out of the castle and towards the gates.

It was dark now and the snow was driven by the harsh wind, stinging their faces and hands. None had taken the time to go get a cloak or warmer clothing and by the time they were half way across the grounds they were shivering.

"Please Professor, hurry!" Harry muttered as he walked beside the Headmistress, fighting the urge to ignore her command and run ahead. The only thing that stopped him was thinking how hard it would be to wait inside the gates if his sister was laying just outside and he couldn't get to her.

Greg was muttering himself but he was praying that Potter was right and Taylor was just outside.

Ron wanted to ask if Harry thought that Hermione was there too but he was too afraid. Knowing that if his witch wasn't…

"Professor? What's going on?" Called the deep voice of Shacklebolt as he and another ran towards them out of the gloom.

"There is a student reportedly outside the castle gates!" McGonagall called over the wind.

"A student? But how?" Called Shacklebolt as he reached them taking note of Potter, Weasley and Hunter.

"Harry! What's going on?" Lupin demanded. He'd been in Kingsley's office when the urgent Patronus had arrived.

"It's Taylor! She sent me her Patronus!" Harry explained, as the gates loomed ahead of them out of the darkness.

"Headmistress, need I remind you that it will take a few minutes to get the wards back up. If this is a trick…" Kingsley pointed out solemnly.

McGonagall looked at Harry and could see the desperation in his face as they reached the stone boars that stood guard at the castle gates. "On my mark Kingsley. Now!"

There was a strange hiss and the gates swung open. Harry not waiting another second raced through, Ron and Greg right behind him as calls to stop went unheeded.

For a second Harry couldn't see anything and then he could just make out a form lying in the snow. Dropping to his knees beside the body he reached out to brush the snow away as someone ignited their wand. The wind shifted and blew long wild strands of hair about. "Hermione!" Harry breathed as he reached out and Ron who was suddenly beside him helped to turned her over.

"Dear Merlin above!" Ron gasped as he caught sight of her battered, thin face.

Kingsley quickly passed his wand over the witch. "She's alive but just barely. We need to get her to the Hospital Wing now!" Another flick of his wand and a stretcher lifted Hermione up off the ground. "Weasley head back to the castle."

Harry stood up, looking around frantically.

"Over here!" Greg shouted as he too saw a shape in the snow. Using his wand he cleared the snow off the still form and dropped to his knees beside it.

"Please Merlin, please," he whispered as he reached out and turned the body over. By his dim wand light the face that met his eyes was almost unrecognizable. The glasses were cracked so badly that he was amazed that anyone could see out of them. The face was bruised, swollen and bloody. The lips were cracked and dry. He felt someone beside him.

"Oh god Taylor…" Harry breathed as he tried to keep a sob from escaping.

"'Arry…"

Harry's heart skipped a beat. "Taylor?"

"'Arry. 'Myonee." The thin whisper of a voice said, almost lost in the wind.

"We found her Taylor, don't worry. We found you." Harry said as he picked up his sister's hand and squeezed it.

"Harry, ask her your code. We need to be sure!" Kingsley ordered.

Harry sent the auror a dirty look but he asked, "Taylor can you remember our code? The one you used at Briggs Cottage!" Harry prayed that maybe Taylor could remember that.

"Green firebolt" The voice was weak straining to say the words

"And Mrs. B said 'Yellow curds'."

Kingsley nodded as he conjured another stretcher for Taylor. "Potter, Hunter take Miss Porter up to the Hospital Wing and wait there for us!"

* * *

><p>AN So there you go... Taylor and Hermione finally escaped from Voldemort. They are not out of the woods yet but at least they made it back to Hogwarts. So what did you think? Beleivable? And what about Snape? I know some of you thought he was bad... ;) A couple of things I want to clear up, one is WHY Harry didn't see Voldemort torturing Hermione and Taylor(even though we didn't 'see' Hermione's torture session with Voldemort) well I fugured that Harry doesn't get visions about EVERYTHING Voldemort does just particularily strong emotions from the evil wizard and I figured that Voldemort torturing two lowly mudbloods wouldn't really elict any really strong emotion... other then his usual demented twisted normal emotions. If that makes sense.

The second thing was Apparating within the Floo Network... I don't ever recall ever seeing that it couldn't be done. Harry learned how to do it from a broomstick in Deathly Hallows. So I took a little writters liscense and made it possible. Hopefully it is belivable. So what do you think? Let me know if anything is confusing or not right and I will either explain why I did it and try to make it less confusing or try to fix it... unlike my rambling A/N :)

Thank you for reading and a HUGE Thank You to Riniko22 and Liza Cobbler who so kindly left me a review! This update is for you! :) Plus for those who Alerted and Favorited... this is for you too! ;) I will update again soon! Speacial thank you to barbc who keeps bataing these chapters very quickly! You are the best! Well until next time, cytpotter.


	44. To Fear The Dark

Nope don't own anything except the story and anything that you don't recognize! ;)

* * *

><p>Chapter Forty-four<p>

**To Fear The Dark**

Harry nodded and stood, using his wand to move the stretcher. He didn't let go of his sister's hand. The other he noticed was clutching her wand.

A cold blast of wind blew past them as they started back towards the castle. Shivering Greg pulled off his school robe, quickly transforming it into a thick warm blanket and laid it over the girl on the stretcher. His eyes met Harry's and he saw the gratitude in them before the Gryffindor looked back down at the still witch.

They trudged through the deepening snow, their previous tracks completely obscured by the driving wind.

They were almost to the castle doors when Harry felt his sister squeeze his hand and her eyelids flutter.

"'Arry!" her voice was weak as she struggled to open her eyes.

"I'm here Taylor. You're safe now. You're at Hogwarts." Harry said reassuringly as he squeezed her hand back.

"You're going to be okay. We're taking you to see Madame Pomfrey." Greg added.

"Gr…eg?"

"Yeah, I'm right here Taylor." Greg said softly as he brushed the matted dirty hair gently off of her forehead. He didn't want to touch her battered face for fear of hurting her.

Greg opened the large castle doors with a flick of his wand as the two wizards walked on either side of the stretcher.

"Harry!" Ginny called as she hurried across the Entrance Hall towards them, gasping when she drew close enough to see who was lying on the stretcher. "Taylor! Oh thank Merlin! But… how? Is Hermione…?"

"Hermione is ahead of us. We found Hermione first, and Ron took her to the Hospital Wing." Harry answered as he hurried across the Entrance Hall and up the stairs, past curious onlookers.

Ginny glanced at the tall Hufflepuff who walked on the other side of the stretcher but she didn't comment knowing Harry would tell her later. To break the silence she said, "When I got back to the common room everyone was saying that you and Ron had raced out of there as if a Manticore itself was chasing you. So I headed back out and kept meeting people asking what was going on. I just finished talking to Neville and Dean to see if they knew what had happened when I saw you come in from outside."

Greg listened as Ginny talked but he didn't say anything. He was far more interested in the girl that was laying on the stretcher. Now that they were inside, and there was better lighting than a lit wand, he could see how deathly pale her face was beneath the dirt, bruising and dried blood.

When they finally reached the hospital, the doors were open and they could hear voices inside.

Madame Pomfrey looked up when they entered. "Bring her over here Potter. I will be there in just a moment." The school nurse said briskly as she turned back to Hermione who was laying on one of the hospital beds already.

Ron stood off to the side so he would be out of the way of the nurse, but he never took his eyes off the witch lying in the bed.

Harry floated the stretcher over to the bed that the nurse had indicated, but he was watching also as the nurse passed her wand over Hermione, a frown on her lined face. Harry's gut clenched, he knew that look meant that Hermione wasn't good.

It wasn't two minutes before Madame Pomfrey hurried over, noting Hunter and Miss Weasley standing at the foot of the bed. Potter however was sitting on the bed holding her patient's hand. "Excuse me Potter." She said as she motioned for him to move away.

Reluctantly Harry let go of his sister's hand and stood. The next instant her eyes snapped open and she began to twist around on the bed.

"Harry!" the voice was full of fear.

"I'm right here Taylor. I'm right here." Harry said as he caught her hand in his again, glancing at the nurse.

With a frown Madame Pomfrey nodded to let Potter know it was ok, as she began moving her wand slowly over the witch. Sadly she shook her head as her wand revealed to her the torture that this young witch had been through. Physically both witches were severely dehydrated and malnourished. The bruises, and numerous cuts, she could heal with no difficulty… but the mental wounds were far more difficult.

As the nurse headed off towards her office Harry looked back down at his sister as she lay still, clutching his hand.

Greg quickly stepped up to the head of the bed, and gently lifted the broken glasses off the witch's face. "_Oculus Reparo_" he said quietly before he put them back on the still girl. He met Harry's eye, but he just shrugged before going back to the foot of the bed again.

The nurse was coming back towards them with a tray full of different potions when McGonagall, Shacklebolt, Lupin and Moody walked in and after a quick look around sealed the hospital doors.

"Poppy how are the two girls?" McGonagall asked with an uncharacteristic hitch in her voice.

Madame Pomfrey glanced at the four healthy students and shook her head slightly knowing that it wouldn't do any good to tell them to leave anyway. Though she did wonder a little what the Head Boy was doing here with this group.

"Well, it is about what one would expect to find in someone who has been cursed repeatedly. The mental damage far outweighs the physical wounds. They are both also extremely dehydrated and malnourished. I am going to give them some potion that will help heal their wounds. I hesitate to use my wand so soon after the Cruciatus Curse was used, it can sometimes cause a reaction. Then I'm going to give them each some Dreamless Sleep potion. I suspect it has been a long while since they have had a good night's sleep."

"Are either awake?" Moody asked in his gravelly voice.

The nurse looked up at the old auror in surprise. "Miss Porter was semi-conscious for a few moments, but Miss Granger hasn't stirred since she arrived."

"I'm afraid we are going to need you to revive Miss Porter then. We need to ask her some important questions." Shacklebolt said regretfully in his deep voice.

"Tonight? But surely it can wait! The poor girl has been through a terrible ordeal! She _needs_ to rest." Madame Pomfrey exclaimed. It always amazed her at how some people discounted the debilitating effect that one suffered when they were tortured like these two girls had been.

"I'm sorry Poppy, but it can't wait." McGonagall said quietly.

"What do you need to bother Taylor tonight for, anyway?" Ron growled.

Harry stood up and faced the Order members wondering the same thing.

"Weasley if you used your head you'd know why!" Moody growled.

"We need to know what happened. How Taylor and Hermione were able to escape. Is the school in imminent danger? It is very important that we find out as much as we can right now." Lupin cut in as he tried to make the four teenagers understand just what might be at stake.

Taylor lay there listening. She was tired, but she was scared to go to sleep. Scared that she was somehow dreaming and she was still in the dark cold cell. Harry's warm hand was like her lifeline she couldn't let it go.

"I think you should let her rest!" Greg growled speaking for the first time since he had entered the castle.

"I see no reason that you need to be here Hunter!" Moody growled as he pinned the Head Boy with both eyes.

"I'm not leaving!" Greg growled as he glared at the old auror, well aware that the wizard could easily make him go if he chose.

Taylor's heart warmed just hearing the Hufflepuff's deep voice. She was suddenly scared that someone would make him leave. Struggling to force the words from her parched throat all she could do was make an unintelligible sound.

"Taylor!" two voices coursed, one slightly deeper then the other.

"…'ader" Taylor croaked and tried again. "wa…ter"

"Here." Harry said as he conjured a glass and filled it with water.

"Don't you think a straw might help?" growled Greg softly as he conjured one and put it in the glass.

Taylor couldn't find the energy to open her eyes, but she felt something touch her cracked lips as her brother said softly "Here's some water." The first drops of water were heavenly. She didn't think she had ever drunk water so good. So she drank slowly savoring every bit of the cool, clean liquid. She knew she wasn't dreaming when Greg quietly refilled the glass and she drank that down too.

Taylor let her head fall back on the pillow and relished the feeling of the water soothing her parched throat as it reached her stomach it seemed to spread. It helped revive her better then anything else, and helped convince her that she truly couldn't be dreaming. She could hear hushed voices in the background but she squeezed her brother's hand as a smile played at her lips. "Thank you, both. That's the best water I think I've ever had."

"Don't thank me. I'm just so glad that you're here." Greg said softly.

Harry echoed Greg's sentiment.

"Miss Porter, I'm afraid that we need to ask you some questions. I think that maybe the others should leave." Moody said firmly in his gravelly voice.

Taylor opened her eyes for the first time since her drink. As she slowly shook her head, her eyes fell on who all was there. "No. Whatever you want to ask me can be said in front of them. They will just find out later anyway." Her voice still sounded tired but it was stronger and clearer now.

"Miss Porter need I remind you," Moody began but Taylor's snort cut him off.

"Moody what do you think you can threaten me with that's worse than being cursed by Voldemort? I don't want my friends to go."

There was a collective gasp at this revelation but Taylor was too tired to care.

"Voldemort was at the place where you were being held?" Moody asked sharply.

"No, just today. He got back from someplace. He wanted to question Hermione and me."

"What did he ask you?" Shacklebolt asked worriedly.

"He wanted to know where Harry was, what he was searching for and where the Order's headquarters are." Taylor answered tiredly.

"What all did he _learn_?" Asked Lupin in a frightened voice.

Taylor looked over at her parents' friend knowing his fear wasn't about those questions. Taylor closed her eyes to gather her strength. Opening them she looked Lupin in the eye. "I told him that I didn't know any of that. He wasn't none too happy." Taylor paused. She wasn't really sure how to explain the next part. She'd never experienced anything like it before.

"He probably put you under the Imperio Curse and you just don't remember." Moody growled.

"No, he tried to but it didn't work." Taylor looked up at her brother whose green eyes were wide. "I've always been able to shake off an Imperio Curse." She said simply.

"Voldemort has other ways of finding out information." Moody pressed.

"Yeah, he can read people's minds." Taylor said quietly. She looked back at Lupin, as she said slowly, "But he couldn't read mine."

"Miss Porter I wasn't aware that you knew Occlumency," Shacklebolt said curiously.

Taylor found her brother staring at her, and she said slowly. "I don't. He just couldn't read my mind. He tried…" her heart started to pound as the memories came back fresh and vivid, "numerous times… every time he…" Taylor squeezed her brother's hand as she began to tremble, "couldn't he… he would… Crucio me." She whispered.

"It's okay Taylor. It's over. You're safe now." Harry said softly as he sat down on the bed beside his sister's trembling body.

"Don't you think you've asked her enough for tonight? She told you she didn't tell You-Know-Who anything!" Greg growled angrily as he glared at Moody in particular, wishing they would leave Taylor alone. His heart broke to see her hurting like she was.

"Hunter, I will decide when we are done here!" Moody growled really starting to lose his patience with the upstart whelp.

"Moody and Mr. Hunter! Enough both of you! Honestly I thought I'd be dealing with Potter not you two!" McGonagall snapped as she glared at the two of them. "Now what else do you need to know tonight?" the Headmistress' voice making it clear that she wasn't going to allow much more.

"So Voldemort couldn't read your mind, so he didn't get the answers to his questions from you. What about Miss Granger?" Moody asked growling a little more then usual.

Taylor took a deep breath as she met Moody's eyes. "Hermione… Hermione and I were always separated for our… sessions. They always took her first. This last time was no different. Except they didn't drag Hermione back down to the cell."

Ron swore bitterly and Ginny gasped. Greg shook his head and put a comforting arm around Ginny's shoulders. Harry felt his stomach revolt and thought he might be sick. The adults were less shocked but no less upset.

"When they came for me…" Taylor paused swallowed and continued. "The Death Eater told me that Voldemort was there and he was taking me to him. The Death Eater said that if I wanted to save Hermione and get out I had to listen. They also said that Hermione hadn't told Voldemort anything. Just what they meant I never had time to ask, so I took it that they somehow fixed things so that Hermione didn't answer any of Voldemort's questions either." Taylor told them what Snape told her, and how she had eventually gotten away, only leaving out Snape's name. When she was finished they all stared at her dumbfounded.

"Who helped you escape?" Harry asked shocked.

Taylor shook her head. She couldn't tell her brother, not now, not here. And she definitely didn't plan on ever telling anyone else. "I can't tell you. Their name isn't important. Their courage is all that matters. That and the fact they saved Hermione's and my life."

After a few more questions about where she had been held, Moody, Shacklebolt and McGonagall turned to leave having a quiet word with the nurse before they did.

Lupin stepped closer to the bed as he smiled down at James' and Lily's lost daughter, his voice was gentle and his words heartfelt. "You are a truly courageous young lady. I can't tell you how happy it makes me feel to see you again. Get some rest. I'll be by to see you again sometime."

Taylor could feel tears prick at her eyes and blinked to keep them away. "Thanks Lupin. It's good to see so many friendly faces again. I'll look forward to seeing you soon."

Lupin smiled easier as he nodded, spoke to Harry and the others then excused himself to follow the Headmistress out of the Hospital Wing.

Taylor closed her eyes and listened to Ginny's low voice as she said something to Greg. A few seconds later three thumps sounded as Greg spoke quietly.

"Well we can sit here comfortably. Harry do you want a chair too?"

Taylor felt the bed shift slightly but he brother's voice was soft, as if trying not to disturb her. "No, I'm good for now. Thanks." He gave her hand a gentle squeeze and she squeezed back.

She could hear Madame Pomfrey walking across the floor towards them.

"I am going to need a few minutes to look after these two and get them settled more comfortably. You may wait outside if you wish. When I am done you can come back in." The nurse's voice was firm and professional but understanding.

"Madame Pomfrey," Ron's voice asked cautiously. "Can you tell me how… uhm… is Hermione going to be all right?"

A soft sigh, "Like I told the Headmistress, Miss Granger has suffered a great deal and it is impossible to say what lasting emotional scars her ordeal will leave. However, she is young and healthy, and she has good friends that are going to be there for her. I say she, as well as Miss Porter, will be fine, given time."

A chorus of 'thank you's sounded from the three Gryffindors and one Hufflepuff.

Taylor heard the others getting up and felt her brother get up off the bed. Her eyes flew open as her fingers gripped his hand.

"I'll be right back. I'm only going over there." Harry said softly as he pointed with his other hand to indicate the doors. He could feel the tremble in his sister's body and the sudden fear in her eyes.

Taylor didn't want to let go of Harry. He was still her lifeline. His warm hand told her that she had done the impossible and escaped from Voldemort.

"Dear, it will be alright. If you want he can stay a bit longer and I'll clean up Miss Granger first." The nurse said kindly, and Taylor nodded.

The nurse put up a screen around Hermione's bed as she removed the filthy clothes and vanished the dirt and dried blood then dressed her in clean pajamas, humming quietly while she worked.

Harry sat quietly. He seemed to know that was all his sister needed. It was a tiny thing considering all he had to make up to her.

"Alright dear, it's your turn. Potter can come back as soon as I am through." The nurse said firmly.

Reluctantly Taylor let go of Harry's hand. "I'll be right back. I promise." Harry whispered.

Taylor watched her brother until the nurse moved the screen in the way. She repeated what she had done to Hermione and soon Taylor was clean, warm and wearing a pair of the schools pajamas.

When Madame Pomfrey was done she pushed the screen back, so that there was room for the three chairs but it provided some privacy. She then moved Hermione into the next bed so that they would be closer, knowing somehow that it would help to comfort both girls. True to her word the nurse called around the screen to the waiting teens as she started to measure the potions on the tray into glasses.

Taylor watched as the nurse used her wand to open Hermione's mouth and administer the three potions. Harry and the others walked around the screen as the nurse turned to Taylor with the potion for her.

"Here, drink this. In the morning I will get you something from the kitchens. Tonight this potion will be all you need." The nurse said as she passed one of the glasses to Taylor who took it suddenly wary.

"What does it do?" Taylor asked.

"That is just a simple healing potion. It will heal any cuts and fade the bruising. This one will start your body healing inside, and help you recover from the malnourishment your body has endured. And the last one is just a Dreamless Sleep potion, which will help you rest better through the night."

Taylor felt her blood run cold as she started to shake her head.

"Dear none of these will harm you in any way." The nurse added but Taylor continued to shake her head no.

"No. I don't want it…" Taylor didn't know how to make the nurse understand. Sleep without dreams was total darkness. She couldn't go where she couldn't see anything.

"Which one don't you want dear?" the nurse asked patiently.

"Not the Dreamless Sleep. I'll take the others but not that one!" Taylor said as she shook her head.

The nurse sighed, "That will be fine. Now here take the healing potions."

Harry watched, worried once more about the fear he saw in his sister's eyes, wondering how much more she was going to have to suffer because of him.

After Taylor took the two potions the nurse checked on Hermione once more then retired to her office saying to call her if they needed anything.

Harry conjured a chair and sat down between Taylor and Hermione. Once again taking his sister's hand in his. Ron took his chair over to the other side of Hermione so he could hold her hand more easily. Ginny sat on the end of Hermione's bed and Greg pulled his chair over to Taylor's other side. He didn't try to touch her, he just seemed content that he was close by.

Taylor settled back into her pillow and soft bed. A true luxury, after all the time she had lain on a cold stone floor without even the benefit of a blanket. A thought occurred to her.

"What day is it? How long have we been gone?"

"It's January seventh." Ginny answered with a smile.

Taylor thought for a while, she'd been gone for only nine days. It had felt like a month.

"Taylor," Ron asked tentatively "When did you think it was?"

Taylor looked over at him for a few moments before she answered. "I have no idea. It felt more like a month. There were no windows. We didn't know if it was day or night."

Taylor knew her friends were brimming with questions. She wasn't sure if she could answer them, but if she kept talking she wouldn't close her eyes, and now that she was feeling better from the potions, she had no desire to be in the dark again.

"Did you recognize any of the Death Eaters?" Greg asked quietly, curiosity getting the better of him.

"I only saw four or five different ones. Malfoy senior was there. Dolohov, McNair and of course my favorite, Bellatrix Lestrange!" Taylor growled as her fists clenched crushing Harry's fingers.

"Ow," Harry cringed, as his sister muttered her sorry. "What was she doing there?"

Taylor couldn't help but snort a bit at the ridiculous question. "Harry I was at Death Eater headquarters, or something like it! Bellatrix acted like she ran the place. Maybe she does. She took special interest in Hermione and me." Taylor ground her teeth as anger coursed through her.

"What do you mean, a _special interest_?" Ron ground out, clearly trying to keep his voice low so Madame Pomfrey wouldn't hear.

Taylor looked away from him, taking several deep breaths, trying to get a hold on her anger. She might never be able to be comfortable in the dark again, or sleep without hearing Hermione's screams, as she was tortured, but Bellatrix Lestrange didn't scare her. The sadistic Death Eater made Taylor furious! When Taylor once again had calmed down enough to speak, knowing this was in the realm of things her friends didn't need to know, she said slowly. "She made us glad that we didn't have to worry about being asked to join Voldemort!"

It was a long while before anyone spoke again.

"Maybe you should try to get some rest. If Madame Pomfrey comes out and sees that you're still awake she's likely to kick us out." Harry said quietly. He had noticed that his sister, though exhausted as she must be, hadn't yet closed her eyes for very long nor had she relinquished his hand. He was starting to think that maybe the Dreamless Sleep potion was a good idea. "Why don't I put a few of the lamps out, it might be…"

"No!" Taylor jerked up in bed as she looked up at him wide eyed.

Harry glanced at Ginny in surprise as Taylor slowly lay back down.

"The lights are fine, they're good just the way they are." Taylor rattled off nervously.

Ginny shifted on Hermione's bed a little before asking gently. "What's the matter with putting a few lamps out?"

Taylor looked over at the redheaded witch for a long time before she answered. "It was dark in the cell." Taylor knew from the look on the other witch's face that she didn't get it. "There were no windows. The walls were made of rock." Slowly Taylor slipped back into that cell. "The door was made of wood, and there was no handle on the inside. It was cold. The floor was stone and damp. We would sit for eternity in the black. We always needed to touch. It was the only way we could be sure that we were together." She looked down at her brother's hand grasped in hers. "We… Hermione learned how to make a small flame, no bigger then a match, with wandless magic. It was precious to be able to see. It was tiring though, so she could only make light for a little while. We hid our bread if there wasn't enough water… Then they would come and take her away upstairs… always her first." Taylor's voice trembled, no more then a whisper. "And I was left in the dark, alone to… lis-…" Taylor couldn't tell them about Hermione's screams. "…to wait for them to bring her back. She was always unconscious. That at least was a blessing. Then it was my turn…"

Harry and Ron swore long and bitterly. Greg dropped his head into his hands and looked at the floor too appalled to speak. Ginny, tears leaking from her eyes came and hugged Taylor.

"You're here now. We will keep the lights on for as long as you want. You're safe." Ginny whispered as a sob tore out of Taylor. Ginny held her friend for a long time until finally the sobs died down.

The school clock struck ten, curfew.

Madame Pomfrey came out of her office.

Taylor wiggled down in her bed so that she could pretend that she was sleeping. She felt someone taking off her glasses and looked up at Ginny who gave her a wink.

"I believe it is time for you lot to be heading off to your dormitories. These two need their rest. You can come by in the morning." The nurse said briskly.

"I'm not leaving Hermione!" Ron stated firmly.

"I'm not leaving Taylor or Hermione either!" Harry said his voice leaving no doubt that he was staying.

"I'm Head Boy so I can be out after curfew, but I'm not leaving here either." Greg stated.

"Well I can't very well go back all the way to Gryffindor tower by myself. It's not safe, plus I don't want to leave anyway!" Ginny said with finality as if that settled it.

The nurse shook her head, as she checked over her patients. It wasn't the first group of friends that had refused to leave the Hospital Wing.

"Miss Porter, if you are not asleep the next time I check on you, then you will be taking some of that potion. So I suggest you try harder. Or I could kick your friends out. That might help!" the nurse warned briskly.

"No, Madame Pomfrey. I'll try to go to sleep. I want them to stay if they want to." Taylor said quickly.

"Very well." The nurse said as she waved her wand at the nearby beds, rolling back the covers to let them know they were welcome to use them, before she headed back to her office.

"You'd think she's had some experience with stubborn students before." Ron remarked dryly.

Harry leaned over and kissed his sister on the forehead as he smoothed her hair back off her forehead. "You'd better try to get to sleep. I won't go anywhere. And I won't let her put out all the lamps, okay."

Taylor nodded, without her glasses her brother was blurry when he straightened up away from her. She looked over at the blur that she knew was Greg.

"I'm not going anywhere either. Try to close your eyes and get some sleep." Greg's voice was gentle and he reached out and patted the blanket that lay over Taylor's lower leg trying to reassure her.

Taylor let her eyes drift closed. She had Harry's hand, her lifeline. She'd be okay.

The clock chimed two in the silent castle.

Greg opened his eyes and rubbed a tired hand over his face, sitting up straighter in his chair. He glanced at the bed to his right and saw Ginny sleeping there. He knew she had lain down around twelve thirty. He could see Ron had taken the bed on the other side of Hermione and was softly snoring. Harry was slumped in his chair, his hand still resting on the bed where Taylor held it even in sleep

Movement in the bed made him look up to see Taylor's eyes open staring up at the lamp that was still burning low on the wall near her bed.

Getting up quietly, so as not to wake any of the others he moved his chair up by her head. "Hey," he whispered, "You're supposed to be asleep."

"I keep waking up, afraid I was dreaming. It's dark when I close my eyes." Taylor whispered back.

"All you have to do is open your beautiful eyes to see the light," Greg whispered as he tentatively reached out to smooth the hair off the witch's forehead.

"Thank you for staying."

Greg leaned in close as he gently brushed his fingers against Taylor's cheek. "I have no desire to be anywhere but here."

A slight creak caused the two to look over at where Harry sat slumped in the chair.

"He looks so uncomfortable." Taylor whispered. "I shouldn't have asked him to…" her voice started to tremble.

"Shh, hey, he is right where he wants to be. He'll hold your hand as long as you need him to." Greg whispered, though it hurt a little. He wished that he could offer her that kind of comfort.

"I'm sorry Greg."

"What do you have to be sorry about?"

"I wish I could be like other girls. Ones who go to restaurants on dates. And have a normal supper at a boy's place. Who don't show up unexpectedly laying in the snow. Who…" Taylor felt a tear slide down her face.

"Hey, shh." Greg whispered as he leaned in closer then ever and wiped the tear away. "I don't want _other girls_. I want _you_. I don't care if we ever go to a restaurant, or you never make it over to my place for a _normal_ supper. I'll take you unexpectedly any day! Though I pray I never have to pick you up out of the snow again, but I will. I love you Taylor. I don't expect you to love me, though I hope you might some day. I will wait. So never wish you were some other girl. I sure don't." he kissed her tenderly on the forehead before he leaned back a little.

Taylor searched his face but she couldn't see anything but tenderness. Her heart swelled with emotion and she reached her hand up to touch his face and he leaned his cheek into her hand. Neither moved for a few moments.

"I'd love for you to touch me like this forever, but I think you had better try to go back to sleep. If you want you can hold my hand." Greg whispered as he reached up and took her hand in his.

"Thank you." Taylor whispered as she squeezed his hand.

Greg smiled his crooked grin. "Any time you wish to hold my hand it is yours. I'm not going anywhere."

Taylor smiled but she could feel her eyelids starting to droop. "If Harry wakes up, tell him to get some sleep." Taylor mumbled, knowing that it really didn't make sense but too sleepy to care.

The clock chimed three.

Harry woke up with a start, and it took him a second to remember where he was and why. He glanced over to see his sister twisting restlessly in her sleep still holding his hand. Then he noticed that Hunter had moved his chair and was now sitting directly across from him, as Taylor held the Hufflepuff's hand with her other one.

The Hufflepuff stared back at him, before he spoke quietly. "She only sleeps for ten or fifteen minutes quietly before she starts to twist and turn."

Harry nodded but didn't say anything.

"I can't sleep. Why don't you go get some rest. I'll stay with her."

Harry shook his head. "No, if she's this restless… I promised her I'd stay."

The Head Boy just shrugged his shoulders.

All was quiet for a long time and Harry's eyes drooped and finally closed, only to have them snap open again as his sister moaned. "No, please leave her alone. Please."

Harry looked up and his eyes met the blue ones of the Hufflepuff.

"No leave her alone. Please… Hermione."

Taylor twisted in the bed again and then sat up gasping looking wildly around.

"Taylor, it's all right. You're safe." Harry said soothingly.

"Harry?"

"I'm here, now go back to sleep." Harry said as he put his hand on her shoulder gently pushing her back onto the bed.

"Greg?"

"Shh, I'm right here too. Try to go back to sleep. We aren't going anywhere."

The clock had chimed four long ago when Harry was instantly awake again.

Taylor was twisting again, as she moaned. "Hermione she's stopped. Here they come. Poor Hermione, lucky Hermione. Please god, don't let her wake up. Don't make her listen to my screams. Please god, please."

Harry's hand shook as he lifted it up to rub over his face, his eyes meeting Greg's wide-eyed stare.

"I won't tell you. I won't tell you. I won't!" Taylor sat up in the bed trembling.

"You're all right. It was just a dream. You're okay now." Harry said gently as he put his hand on her shoulder.

Taylor shook her head slowly, as she looked at her brother, seeing only him for a moment.

"It was Voldemort, he was in my mind. He wanted to know about you, but… I didn't tell him. I didn't tell him anything."

"I know." Harry whispered.

The sound of Madame Pomfrey's footsteps approaching made Taylor lay back down.

"I see you are awake again. Maybe you should have some potion. It will help you sleep." The nurse suggested as she quickly checked her two patients.

"No, I'll go back to sleep. It's just hard to get used to this soft, warm bed." Taylor said as she smiled weakly.

The nurse raised her eyebrow but didn't say anything more and in a moment she went back into her office.

Taylor looked up at her brother, and then over at Greg as she released their hands. "You two should get some sleep too. I'll… I'll be okay."

"I'm not tired. Hufflepuffs are made of sterner stuff." Greg proclaimed but he ruined the effect by yawning at the end.

"I'm not going anywhere." Harry said as he picked up his sister's hand in his and gave it a gentle squeeze.

Greg didn't try to reclaim the witch's hand as she rolled over onto her side away from him. He sat for a long time, thinking about what he had heard. How, somehow, this young girl had stood up to the most evil wizard in the world. He already had a long list of things he loved about her, but now he could add another, raw nerve. He wasn't sure if he could have stood half what she had suffered through.

Though Taylor slept fitfully at times, she didn't say anymore in her sleep, and she slept through until dawn.

* * *

><p>AN Well that was a nice long chapter... even though I know I am once again leaving the chapter rather open... although I wouldn't call it a cliff-hanger :) So what did you think? There are a few more chapters to go in this roll-a-coaster sequence of events(not that they are all related... exactly but they happen in quick secession) so that means I will be updating again in the next day or so.

WOW I have over 50 reviews! That is just amazing! I love you guys so much! I want to thank you all for not only reading but for Alerting and Favoriting this story! And THANK YOU to _Riniko22, Liza Cobbler _and_ Meegles _for taking the time to leave a review, again!;) You guys just made my day! I answer all my reviews so if you have a question or observation please let me know! Thank you to my wonderful bata, barbc, without her tireless effort and timely bataing these chapters wouldn't be being posted at this rate! Well until next time, cytpotter.


	45. To Escape The Snake

Nope not JK and don't own anything you recognize.

Happy Groung Hog Day! :)

* * *

><p>Chapter Forty-five<p>

**To Escape The Snake**

Taylor could feel the hand holding hers long before she became aware of anything else. Warm and comfortable she resisted opening her eyes. It was all wrong!

With a gasp, Taylor's eyes flew open as she sat up in bed. Light was showing through the windows in the Hospital Wing, as the sky turned pink. Taylor looked down at her hand, and then over at her brother as he sat forward stiffly.

"You're okay. See, you're at Hogwarts." Harry said as he yawned.

Even though this was all blurry without the aid of her glasses, it was still light. She was no longer in that dark cell.

"You're safe now." A deep voice said gently on her other side and she turned to see the blurry form of the Hufflepuff.

Taylor didn't say anything. She just nodded and looked out at the morning sky.

"Here these will help." The Head Boy said quietly as he passed her glasses to her.

Taylor stared out the windows, with her glasses on for a long while. "I always loved sunrise." She whispered.

A few minutes later the noise of a bed creaking seemed to break the spell and Taylor looked over to see Ron getting up, her eyes then traveled to Hermione lying in the bed beside her. Her friend looked so pale and thin, without the mask of dirt and vivid bruises.

"Hey, how are you feeling this morning?" Ginny asked as she got up too.

Taylor looked over at the witch and smiled a little. "Better than yesterday morning! I expect breakfast will be better too." Taylor didn't bother mentioning that breakfast had been non-existent the previous morning.

Greg was a little surprised to hear Taylor refer so easily to the terrible ordeal that she had just been through, but maybe as he thought about it, that was how she was coping, by talking about it.

A few minutes later Madame Pomfrey came to check on her patients. She was pleased to see that Taylor was alert and talking with her friends, and was pleased to hear that she had already mentioned breakfast. Her other patient hadn't made as much progress, but Miss Granger's physical wounds were healed. Now they had to wait for her mind to heal as well.

"Miss Porter, is there anything special you would like from the kitchen for breakfast?" The nurse asked when she was through.

"Some porridge and toast please."

The nurse nodded before turning to the others "I suggest you head back to your dorms so that you have time to retrieve your books and have something to eat before classes take in. You can come back and check on these two during lunch break."

Taylor could see them start to protest. "Madame Pomfrey is right. You guys need to get to class. I'll be all right now. It's light out and I'll be here if Hermione wakes up so she won't be alone. You can come see me later."

Harry was torn. He needed to go get something to eat and he knew if he wasn't in class McGonagall would give him a hard time, but he didn't want to leave his sister and Hermione, in case they needed him.

Taylor seemed to sense her brother's turmoil. "Harry, go. I'm fine." She met his eyes and saw his reluctance. "I'm not sharing my breakfast if that's what you think!" Taylor grinned as her brother rolled his eyes.

Ron was reluctant to go too, but Taylor reassured him that if Hermione woke up that she would let him know. Ginny promised that she'd be back at lunch, and she took Harry's hand and led him out of the hospital wing.

"I'm not sharing my breakfast with you either Hunter!"

Greg couldn't help but smile. "T`was never my intention, milady"

Taylor snorted. "Man, have you ever got that one wrong!"

Greg sobered. "I happen to think that you are an incredibly beautiful lady." His blue eyes never leaving hers, he bent and kissed her on the forehead. "I'll be back at lunchtime."

Taylor watched him as he turned and started to walk towards the doors. He was almost there when she called, "I'm not sharing my lunch either!" She heard his laugh as he went out the door and out of sight.

Taylor ate all the breakfast that the nurse brought her. She was just finishing when Harry hurried in with his school bag slung over his shoulder.

"Here, I thought you could use this if you need me," and he handed her one of the two-way mirrors.

Taylor smiled at her brother, "Thank you."

"No problem. See you at lunch. I'll be sure to bring you some homework too!" he called as he hurried back out.

Taylor smiled as she looked at the mirror, before she put it under her pillow. Feeling very tired she lay back down and looked at Hermione lying on the bed beside her. After a few seconds Taylor took out her wand and levitated the bed so that it was against hers. Snuggling down under the warm covers she reached out and took a hold of Hermione's hand, as she closed her eyes and drifted off to sleep.

Madame Pomfrey was quite surprised to see the two beds together. Then she noticed the two girls' hands and smiled. Walking quietly she closed the hospital doors, before going back into her office hoping that the one girl could finally get some much-needed sleep.

Madame Pomfrey met the Hufflepuff and three Gryffindors at the door at lunch and told them that both girls were sleeping.

It was mid afternoon before Taylor woke up, feeling much better.

Madame Pomfrey brought her some lunch, but she made no comment on the position of Hermione's bed.

After she was done eating Taylor wondered what she was going to do for the rest of the afternoon. She contented herself for a long time looking out the windows at the sun glittering on the snow. She told Hermione about it, talking to her friend like she had when they were in the dark cell.

Taylor remembered the mirror as the sun began to set, and she knew classes would be over soon. Pulling the mirror out from under her pillow she looked towards the nurse's office to make sure that she wasn't watching. "Hey Harry." Taylor said softly, and waited a few minutes before saying it again.

"Hey Taylor, what's up?" Harry's face appeared in the mirror.

"What class you in?"

"Charms. How are you feeling?" Harry asked as his face disappeared for a second and then came back.

"Better, I sure pulled some zz's today!" Taylor heard a bit of a commotion then…

"Hey Taylor!" Ron said as his face appeared in the mirror. "How's Hermione?"

Taylor looked over at her friend before she answered. "Still sleeping, but she is looking better. She's not as pale or as drawn looking."

"Well that's something at least. So what have you been doing? Lying around all day?" Ron joked.

"Sure, pick on the sick person!" Taylor teased back, then she heard Professor Flitwick's voice in the background and a quick "gotta go" before the mirror showed just her reflection again.

Greg was the first one to get there when the bell rang to end classes.

"Hey, how are you feeling?"

"Better, I slept most of the day. Did you happen to see Harry or Ron or Ginny?" Taylor asked as she sat up with a grin.

Greg noted that Hermione's bed was pulled alongside the other witch's but he didn't say anything about it. "Just this morning in the halls. I'm glad to hear that you got some sleep."

Harry, Ginny and Ron came in then.

"Hey, you're looking better! Course it wouldn't a took much!" Ron said as a greeting.

"Watch it Weasley, I might be in bed but I can still jinx you." Taylor growled mockingly.

"Man, you give a girl a compliment and look what it gets a bloke!" Ron said faking hurt.

Ginny laughed and gave Taylor a hug.

"It's good to see you are feeling better, and looking better too." Harry said sincerely.

They talked for a few minutes joking around easily.

"I'm sorry but I've got to run. I've got early patrol duty tonight so I gotta go eat. But I'll drop by later okay?" Greg said with a smile, and he gave Taylor's hand a squeeze before he left.

"I've got patrol later tonight, but I'm starving." Ron said after a few more minutes.

"You guys go get your supper. I'm sure Madame Pomfrey will be bringing me some soon anyway."

"I can stay for a while if you want. I'll just grab something later." Harry offered, but Taylor shook her head.

"No, go. Get something to eat before you fade away."

After a little more persuading Taylor watched her three friends go to supper and it was quiet in the hospital once more.

"Well, Hermione it's just you and me again."

It wasn't long after Taylor finished her supper that Harry, Ron and Ginny came back and stayed with her all evening. When Ron left for patrol, Greg joined them. Taylor had moved Hermione's bed back over in its place before her friends came, and they spent the evening talking and doing their homework.

It was almost curfew when Taylor said. "I think you guys should go get a good night's sleep tonight. You look worse than me."

"Well we wouldn't want that." Ron joked as he walked towards her having just finishing his patrol.

Taylor shook her head.

She had been thinking about it all evening, as the sky grew dark outside, and the lamps were lit. It wouldn't be easy, but she decided Hermione was here. Plus she didn't want Harry and Greg to think they had to stay with her, sleeping in a chair, just to hold her hand.

Harry shifted in his chair and studied his sister. If he hadn't been watching her as closely all evening as he had, he would have missed the moments that she looked at the dark windows fearfully before she turned away. He also couldn't forget how fitfully she had slept the night before, holding on to his hand the whole time.

"I have an idea," Harry said. "Why don't we take turns. I'll stay tonight, and Ron can stay the next night. Then Hunter and Ginny."

Ron yawned as he said "Yeah I think I can live with that. As long as if Hermione wakes up you let me know."

"You can count on it mate." Harry nodded.

Greg met Potter's eyes for a long second, before the Gryffindor looked away, but Greg had seen the worry in them. So Potter wasn't convinced that Taylor was quite as good as she was putting on either, Greg thought, but he kept that to himself as the others agreed to Potter's plan.

As the clock chimed ten o'clock, Ron and Ginny got up to go. Ginny gave Taylor a hug as Ron made sure Harry would let him know if Hermione woke up.

Greg stood up too and gathered his books and things together, dawdling until Ron and Ginny left.

Madame Pomfrey came out then with her potions and to check her two patients over, shooing the two wizards out for a few minutes.

Greg waited until he was outside the hospital doors before he turned to Harry.

"I think we both know that Taylor isn't quite as _better_ as she was putting on tonight."

Harry looked at the Hufflepuff, "So you noticed too did you? What do you think we should do?"

Greg thought for a moment. "We'll both go back in and if she protests, we'll tell her that we are going to take shifts. That way one of us will be there if she needs us."

Harry looked at the Hufflepuff in surprise.

"Look Potter, I might not like it, but that witch in there needs you. I can see that, but I can't leave her knowing that she is still hurting. I want to be there for her. I _will_ be there for her."

Inwardly Harry smiled. It couldn't be easy on the Head Boy watching the girl he loved clinging to another guy, especially not knowing that guy was the girl's brother. The Hufflepuff might just be all right for his sister yet.

The two wizards walked back in when the nurse called to them.

Harry just happened to notice the pink hue of one of the potions as the nurse walked by and followed her into her office.

"Yes Potter what can I do for you?"

"You gave Taylor some Dreamless Sleep potion? I didn't think she wanted any." Harry asked quietly.

The nurse sighed, "Miss Porter needs to heal, and the only way she is going to do that is by getting the rest that she needs. I am aware of her fear. I even consulted another Healer to get their opinion and they agreed with me. The potion will not keep her in the dark as she fears. It will keep her from dreaming so she can sleep."

Harry nodded thanking the nurse before he headed over to his sister's bed. He could see Greg already had his chair beside her bed and was holding her hand talking quietly as Taylor's eyes were starting to droop.

Harry took the other chair, as she smiled at him.

"I thought you guys were going to take turns? So you could get some sleep?" Taylor's voice was slow and sleepy.

"Yeah, but some Hufflepuff didn't want to listen" Harry said sarcastically.

"Hey, play nice. He got here first." Taylor's voice was getting even slower. "Don't let it get dark…"

"I won't. Now go to sleep. Harry and I will be here all night, I promise." Greg said softly as he brushed the hair off her forehead.

"Thaa…nks."

The two wizards were quiet for a long while, as Taylor's face relaxed and her breathing was deep and even.

"I'll take first shift. I'll wake you around three." Greg whispered and watched the Gryffindor nod as he got up from the chair and lay down in the bed Ginny had used the night before. "Potter?" Greg waited for the other wizard to look over at him, "Pomfrey gave her the sleeping potion didn't she."

Harry just nodded before taking his glasses off and closing his eyes.

Greg had heard the school clock strike two am a long time ago. His eyes were starting to droop and he had to keep shaking his head to keep awake. Though his rear end was getting sore from sitting for so long and his arm was getting stiff from holding Taylor's hand as she slept. He wasn't complaining though, and he was glad that she was sleeping so peacefully, even though it was potion induced.

At first Greg didn't notice anything, the weak light from the low burning lamp made seeing clearly difficult. He wasn't even sure at first what had changed. He sat up straighter and looked around, his eyes at last coming to rest on the witch asleep in the bed beside him. He noticed how still she was, almost unnaturally still. He reached up to brush her hair off her forehead and noticed that it was wet at the same time he noticed the hand he was holding was sweating.

"Taylor?" Greg whispered anxiously, as he stood up and put his hand on her shoulder going to shake her a little but it was as stiff as if she had been petrified. Then he heard her breathing in short fast gasps.

"Taylor?" Greg said a little louder starting to get scared.

He was just about to call to Potter when Taylor opened her mouth and started to scream. A blood-curdling scream that lifted the hairs on the back of Greg's neck.

"Taylor!" Harry cried as he came up off his bed. He knew that scream.

"Taylor!" Harry cried again when he was beside her as she screamed.

"What's wrong?" Greg demanded in a scared voice.

Harry shook his sister and then pulled his wand out igniting the tip and touching her neck with it. "Taylor, wake up!" Harry was suddenly unsure what to do. Last time slapping her had brought her out of it, had stopped her screams. Burning her neck should have done the same thing…

"Get Pomfrey!" Harry bellowed as fear gripped him.

Greg sprinted for the office and almost collided with the nurse as she ran out the door tying her dressing gown.

Harry tried shaking Taylor again, but he couldn't even get her to open her eyes. She just kept screaming.

"What happened?" Demanded the nurse as she rushed up.

"It must be the sleep potion! I can't wake her!" Harry yelled as his sister's eyes opened for a second and he glimpsed the sheer terror there, but then they rolled back into her head as her back arched off the bed still screaming.

Madame Pomfrey was waving her wand over the screaming girl but nothing she tried made a difference.

Then he remembered what his sister had told him about the snake about to swallow her soul just before she woke.

"We've got to wake her up!" Harry bellowed as he again tried his wand against his sister neck, ignoring the startled cry from the nurse, but it didn't work.

"It's the sleep potion!" Harry yelled again as the screams became weaker. "Do you have the counter potion?"

"In my office!" the nurse cried as she ran to get it.

"What's wrong? What's happening to her?" Greg demanded from beside Harry.

Harry couldn't take his eyes off his sister. He heard the gurgle and saw the blood start to trickle out of her mouth. "Hurry!" his voice was desperate.

The nurse raced back pouring the potion as she came and poured it into Taylor's open mouth as the screaming and blood continued to come out of it.

"How long?" Harry cried. He could see his sister was weakening.

"Two or three minutes…"

"She might not have that long!" Harry cried desperately as he tried shaking her again. "Come on Taylor wake up! Wake Up!"

He never thought he'd be happy to see that terror in his sister's eyes but when her eyes finally stared straight ahead, as unseeing and terror-filled as they were, he was relieved. She was still screaming and he ignited his wand, once more touching it to the side of her neck for the third time.

The screaming stopped, but the terror remained in her eyes as her body relaxed onto the bed. Harry gathered his sister to him and held her tight. "I've got you. I've got you." He whispered in the silent hospital.

Shocked by the events they had just witnessed, Hunter and Pomfrey just stared for a few minutes at the wizard holding the now silent witch tightly in his arms.

Pomfrey recovered first and stepped forward and began running her wand over the witch to see what she could find out. The results shocked her. If she didn't know better, hadn't been here to witness it herself, she would have sworn the witch had just been tortured for hours by the Cruciatus curse.

The sound of pounding feet could be heard moments before several wizards burst in through the doors of the hospital wands drawn.

"What's going on here!" demanded the tallest of the three. They were aurors who had been on patrol and came to investigate the screaming.

"It was my patient Mr. Kent. I'm sorry. She had a bad reaction to a potion, but I think I've got it sorted out now." Madame Pomfrey said briskly, as the aurors looked around quickly for trouble.

"All right Madame Pomfrey, sorry to disturb you. We'll let you get back to your patients now." Kent said as he led the others back out of the hospital, closing the doors behind them.

Greg had sat down numbly when the aurors came, staring at Potter as he held Taylor rocking her slightly. He wondered distractedly if he was in shock, everything seemed so surreal. He couldn't seem to grasp what had just happened. The look in Taylor's eyes… he shivered, he had never seen such terror.

"Harry, I need you to let me look at Taylor. I'm afraid that she might go into shock." Pomfrey said gently as she returned.

Harry looked up at the nurse. He'd been watching his sister's eyes, the terror had yet to leave them, as her body trembled. Carefully he laid his sister on the bed, but he held her hand in both of his.

Pomfrey worked quickly assessing the damage and then hurried to her office to get some potion. When she returned she was deeply troubled to see the terror still in the witch's eyes. "Harry, I need you to tell me what happened. Before I dare give her anything else."

Harry looked up and swallowing hard he began. "I don't know exactly. It's happened twice before, but never to this extent. It must have been the sleeping potion. It wouldn't let her wake up, or let me wake her up."

Greg's heart continued to pound as he listened disbelieving.

"Do you know what causes it? Is it a Dark curse of some kind?" the nurse asked fearfully not knowing what else could ever cause such a horrific reaction in someone.

Harry looked down at his sister, as the terror slowly receded from her eyes, knowing that she had not yet even recognized him. "Yes I believe it is, though I couldn't tell you what it is or how she was cursed."

"You say it has happened before? When?" Greg asked finding his voice.

Harry took a deep breath there was so much he couldn't tell and so much he didn't understand. Frustrated, he ran his hand back through his hair. He knew when he answered that it was going to throw more suspicion on his sister, but maybe Pomfrey would be able to somehow help…

"It was during the summer…" Harry started hesitantly.

"When you and Taylor run off after the Weasley wedding? Are you telling me that you allowed her to be cursed way back then and never tried to get help for her?" Greg demanded, suddenly irrationally angry with the Gryffindor.

* * *

><p>AN Dum Dum Da! Another cliff-hanger! Let's see if I have better luck this time! What you ask? Well I did my final re-read and corrected everything wrote a great A/N and pushed save... and the login in screen came up! AHHHHHHHHHHHHHH! SO please tell me if there are any mistakes in this chapter! I re-read it again but because I am running out of time I might of missed something! And trust me my A/N from last time were much better! And wittier! ;) Let me know what you think of the chapter though please!

Thank you to those who reviewed! Love you guys! And for Alerting and Favoriting! Love ya too! Plus just for reading... that makes me happy to! I'll try to update again tomorrow if not I will on Monday... of course if I get lot's of reviews I will try even harder! Yes I know shameless begging! Thanks to barbc my wonderful bata who makes these updates possible! Until next time, cytpotter.


	46. Deep is the Hurt

Nope not JK Rowling and I am not making any money from this story.

* * *

><p>Chapter Forty-six<p>

**Deep is the Hurt**

Harry slowly came to his feet as anger heated his veins and his voice turned cold "I'd be very careful what you say Hunter. Your mouth is going to get you in one hell of a lot of trouble very soon!"

"Enough!" Madame Pomfrey snapped. "Mr. Hunter, not another word or I will escort you out! Mr. Potter, sit down!" Madame Pomfrey glared at the two young wizards letting them know she meant business. "Now, tell me what happened in the summer. Did Miss Porter come in contact with a cursed object do you think?"

Harry glared at the Hufflepuff for a moment before he sat down picking up his sister's cold hand again, then with an effort to calm down he explained about going to Godric's Hollow and to his parent's house. It was there that Taylor had her first nightmare after all. Only he knew how much of what had actually happened he left out.

"So it is very likely that she was cursed there. I suppose something could have been cursed and left there hoping that you would find it…" Madame Pomfrey pondered aloud. "What happened? Did Miss Porter succumb to the curse immediately?"

Harry shook his head, telling about how she had just started to scream in the middle of the night, and how he had slapped her to bring her out of it. He then told them some of what Taylor had said about the snake curling up inside of her.

When he finished he looked from his sister, where he had been staring, to the nurse who had her hand over her mouth and a horrified look on her face.

"Dear Merlin above. I… I've never heard of such a curse. This is very dark, dark magic… "

Harry glanced back down at his sister as his stomach knotted. He knew in his heart that this thing with Taylor had to be Dark Magic, but hearing it said aloud… He could feel Taylor start to tremble and knew she was slowly coming back to herself. Looking down into her eyes he saw that she at least recognized him now.

"You're going to be alright now…" Harry whispered as he brushed her soaked hair off her forehead with one hand, as he continued to hold her hand with his other.

"There was another episode? When was this?" Madame Pomfrey asked after a few minutes.

"The night the two Gryffindor girls fought, Jeanie and Clare. Hermione found her… in the night…" Harry answered, as a lump formed in his throat, wondering fearfully what would have happened if his best friend hadn't found his sister.

"Miss Granger? She was able to wake Taylor? Using the method you used?" The nurse asked, as her voice returned to her normal professional briskness.

"Yeah, once she touched her lit wand to… Taylor stopped… She started to come around."

"I see, and why wasn't this reported to me? I believe I had just released Miss Porter from a lengthy hospital stay earlier that day?" Pomfrey asked with a disapproving glare.

"Taylor wouldn't let Hermione go get anyone. She… she didn't tell me about it for several weeks." Harry said as he met the nurse's glare.

"I see… on both these occasions, Miss Porter recovered from these episodes without any medical intervention?"

"Yeah, she was okay by the next day." Harry said despondently as he looked down at his trembling sister again.

Madame Pomfrey was silent for a minute while she thought before saying slowly, "I must admit I hesitate to use anything on Miss Porter for fear of having a relapse. I am going to have to consult someone much better acquainted with dark curses before I can even hope to try to break this curse. However in the meantime…" Madame Pomfrey said as she raised her wand and performed a quick drying spell. "I will allow Miss Porter's body to repair itself, while I monitor her closely."

Taylor became aware of the voices around her slowly, as her body shook. It was a struggle at first to recognize who was speaking, though she knew instinctively her brother was holding her hand. All was quiet for a long while. She could make out a lamp and the blurry outlines of Greg and the nurse but without her glasses she couldn't see much of anything else.

She wasn't even truly sure what had happened to her. Everything was very fuzzy. She felt like she had just had one of her nightmares but she couldn't really seem to remember it, not like the other times anyway. It was a long while before she was able to put her thoughts into words and her voice trembled as she spoke.

"W-what happened?"

"Hey, you scared me." Harry said softly. "Don't you remember?"

Taylor shook her head and she saw her brother frown.

"I… I think you had another…" Harry hesitated. He couldn't understand why his sister didn't remember unless… the Dreamless Sleep potion, it must have saved his sister from remembering. "You're going to be okay now. How do you feel?"

"Like I… I had another one of my nightmares but I can't remember… why can't I remember?" Taylor's voice was confused.

"Miss Porter, I believe that would be my fault." Madame Pomfrey said gently and she explained to Taylor about giving her the Dreamless Sleep potion, not knowing what kind of effect it could have.

The clock chimed four.

Taylor wasn't sad that she couldn't remember the nightmare. She could remember the two previous ones well enough. However she did notice that she felt incredibly weak, as well as the trembling that didn't seem to want to stop. Taylor wasn't sure how she felt about Harry telling Pomfrey about her… nightmare, but when she realized that Greg was still there and had heard the whole thing, well she would be having a word with her brother about that when she was feeling better!

The rest of the night crept slowly by. Taylor knew that she wouldn't be able to go to sleep, whether she could remember the details of that nightmare or not, her body was still suffering from the aftereffects and refusing to let her sleep.

She glanced over to where Greg sat silently a few different times, but he was never looking at her, and she couldn't make out any of his features very well, let alone read his expression without her glasses. Taylor felt her heart constrict painfully as she wondered if this was what would finally drive the Hufflepuff away from her. She couldn't expect him to like someone as obviously broken as she was. She supposed that he didn't leave because he thought that she was watching him, or maybe he felt he had to stay because he had promised to stay with her all night. Once Taylor wished she were brave enough to tell him that it was okay if he left, but she knew deep inside that it would hurt terribly if he did.

It was a relief to see the sky finally start to lighten. Though Taylor felt bad for the two wizards who had stayed awake with her, knowing that they must be exhausted.

"Alright you two, off you go. It's time for you to get ready for your morning classes." Madame Pomfrey said briskly as she came out of her office a short time later.

Taylor knew her brother was going to protest. He'd been very quiet and she knew he was beating himself up inside. "Harry, I am fine." Even without her glasses she could read his look of disbelief, "Well, I will be and you know it. There is nothing you can do here. Go. Get something to eat and go to class. I'll be here at lunch break."

She smiled as her brother searched her eyes before he nodded reluctantly. "Okay, I'll go, but if you need me…"

"Go, before Ginny thinks that you don't care about her anymore!" Taylor teased gently and her brother bent down and kissed her on the forehead before he said "I'll see you at lunch." And left.

Greg's goodbye was stiff as he stood and followed Harry out of the hospital doors. Taylor was glad that Madame Pomfrey had returned to her office so there wasn't anyone left to see the tear as it escaped from her eye and slid down the side of her face.

Greg followed the Gryffindor as he went up through the empty castle, probably on his way to the Gryffindor tower. He was starting to think that he was going to have to alter his plans a bit when the Gryffindor headed into one of the boy's lavatories. Hurrying he caught the door before it closed all the way and shoved it open barreling into the bathroom. Catching the Gryffindor by the front of the robes, he almost lifted the shorter wizard off his feet as he pinned him against the wall.

"You bloody bastard!" Greg snarled, "How could you let her live with that? You knew she was cursed in the summer and you did nothing!"

Harry struggled and almost had his hand free when the Hufflepuff caught it and pinned it to the wall too. "What do you think I could have done? You think you have all the answers!"

"You should have got her help! She could have died in there this morning!"

"Don't you think I know that!" Harry yelled as his heart constricted with pain. He knew, probably better than the Head Boy, just how close his sister had come. "I did try you bloody git!" For a moment Harry thought the Head Boy was going to hit him. A part of him would have welcomed the physical confrontation.

Greg shoved away from the Gryffindor in frustration as he ran a hand through his hair. "You knew! You knew that she…"

"Of course I know! I know Taylor better than probably anybody! But there wasn't anything that could help. If there was don't you think I would have made sure she got it?" Harry demanded as he pushed away from the wall glaring at the Hufflepuff.

"No, because you are _using_ her! Using her in your cracked up plan to get You-Know-Who!" Greg yelled.

"It's Voldemort! You can't even say his name and yet you accuse me of using Taylor! You know NOTHING! You just see what you want to see! Do you think I want to see my two best friends lying in the Hospital Wing? That if I could, I wouldn't switch places with them? Voldemort did that to them! Voldemort is who is hurting Taylor! Yet you accuse me of using her to get rid of him! Do you think she would stand idly by and watch me? Heaven knows I've tried to protect her! Tried to keep her away!" Harry wheeled away from the Head Boy breathing hard.

Hunter watched the Gryffindor as he leaned on the sink for a few seconds before he asked quietly, "So she does have a dark magic curse from Vol…Voldemort?"

Harry didn't look at the Hufflepuff as he answered. "I should never have said anything. It was a mistake."

"No, Potter, it wasn't." Greg said more calmly. "I think Pomfrey had to know, and I… need to also. I'm not turning tail and running. She's going to need all the help she can get."

Harry turned slowly to look at the taller wizard, taking note of the set of his jaw and the steely expression in the blue eyes. "I am not going to tell you any more if that is what you are hoping for." The Hufflepuff just shook his head. "She's likely going to jinx me for saying what I have. Her secrets are not mine to tell."

"I can understand that, but I am glad to know what little I do. Someday I hope to earn her trust and yours. Until then I will try to understand and be there for her." The Head Boy said quietly as he turned to leave.

Harry had seen the confusion and hurt still in the other wizard's eyes. Just before the Hufflepuff opened the door he called. "Taylor… she is going to need you, but if you ever hurt her… nothing on this earth will stop me from finding you!"

Hunter paused and turned to look at the Gryffindor, the warning clearly written in the shorter wizard's eyes. With a nod the Head Boy pushed the door open and left.

Deep in thought, Greg made his way down through the castle using hidden staircases and little used corridors. It wasn't until he entered his Common Room that he saw another. With just a nod to the second year, he headed for his room still unable to get the look of absolute terror that he had seen in his witch's eye out of his head. Opening the door to his seventh year dorm, he nearly ran into one of his roommates.

"Greg! Hey man, you look like shit! You spend another night at the hospital with Porter?" Asked Justin as he took in the crumpled robe and generally disheveled appearance of the Head Boy.

Greg just pushed by on his way to his trunk.

"Hey, you know there are easier skirts to chase! I always thought Porter was one of Potter's anyway! Guy keeps a couple close…" Another seventh year catcalled until he got a look at the murderous look on the Head Boy's face and clammed up.

"Greg, you know Derek doesn't mean anything. Words just run out of his mouth before they pass by his brain!" Justin said in a placating tone.

Greg didn't answer. He just grabbed his things and headed for the showers, hoping that a good hot shower would help calm his worries and rid him of the foul mood he could feel settling in.

As the door started to swing closed, the Hufflepuff seventh year boys' dorm room erupted in talk.

"You git! What did you go and say that for?"

"Man, you had better watch yourself! I thought Greg was going to hex you right in your bed!"

"Boys, our Head Boy is in a foul mood. I think it best if we lay off of him for today…"

Greg rolled his eyes as the door closed cutting off anything else Ernie McMillan was going to say. The guy could be a pompous ass at times, but right then he was glad to have Ernie telling the other guys to back off. He didn't need to go and lose his temper with one of them.

By the time Greg was back from his shower, the room had emptied as the Hufflepuffs headed for the Great Hall for breakfast.

With a sigh Greg sat down on his bed. His fellow roommates thought he was crazy to go after Porter, not that they didn't think she was pretty, but because of her close relationship with Potter and Weasley. Some of the speculation about that ran on the vulgar side and that had caused more than one argument in their dorm. The guys were a lot more careful what they said about the Gryffindor witch ever since it was discovered that he liked her.

Still, though some of the talk, usually whispers, always had the words Dark Magic and Taylor's name in them, he had always adamantly denied it. Shooting down any such talk by pointing out the witch's close relationship to Potter and the fact that he was the Chosen One, even before he really realized that he liked her. However after last night…?

His father had always grilled into him the dangers of the Dark Arts. How they led to a life of misery. The Dark Arts were something to be feared and mistrusted and anyone who dealt in them was also to be feared and mistrusted.

Angrily Greg ran his hands through his damp hair. His mind told him that what had happened to the witch last night was more then a Dark Magic curse. He knew Potter had left out much of the truth, telling only the bare minimum of facts. Again he remembered the fight in the corridor with the Slytherins. Just before he had been hit in the back with that stunner, he knew that they were using darker and darker spells. Over the holidays, once his memory fully returned, he had thought long and hard about how the lone Gryffindor witch had been able to best the three remaining Slytherins. Loyally he had chalked it up to skill, but what if she too had used Dark Magic?

Questions he didn't have the answers to assailed him.

He knew his father would be very disappointed if he ever found out that Taylor was indeed a dark witch and he didn't stay away from her. The lessons against the Dark Arts that his father taught him resounded loudly in his ears.

Greg leaned forward and dropped his head into his hands, as his heart pounded.

Could the girl he loved be a dark witch?

In his heart he knew the answer. Felt it every time he was with her. Saw it in her compassion for her friends. His heart though didn't have the proof that his mind was stacking up.

In the end he knew which one he would follow. Right now he just wasn't sure if it was the correct one.

After she ate some breakfast Taylor levitated Hermione's bed over to hers again. She could feel the exhaustion catching up to her and with the sun pouring in through the windows, she thought she might try to get some sleep.

With a sigh Taylor picked up her friend's hand, looking closely at the other witch, noting that her face wasn't nearly as drawn and looked better, almost like she was just sleeping.

"Hermione, I really need you to come back. Ron misses you something terrible. Harry is worrying himself sick, and Ginny misses you too!" Taylor wasn't sure if her friend could hear her but… It couldn't hurt.

A little while later Taylor joined Hermione in the dream world.

Madame Pomfrey was keeping a close eye on the two witches. She had reported to the Headmistress what had happened during the night with Miss Porter and with McGonagall's permission had been in contact with one of the top Curse Healers at St. Mungo's. The Healer wasn't able to tell her anything very useful, but had been incredibly interested in helping Miss Porter and asked about bringing the young witch to see her at St. Mungo's.

Madame Pomfrey knew that Porter had no family, and as she was of age, the young witch would be left to decide whether she would go see the other healer or not. The school nurse doubted that Porter would. The Gryffindor was too proud and too committed to Potter to take the time it would require to cure her of the dark curse, until it was too late. With a sigh Madame Pomfrey went back to her charts.

It was late afternoon when Taylor woke up still holding Hermione's hand, but when Taylor shifted in the bed she noticed her friend's brown eyes watching her.

"Hey, Hermione." Taylor said softly as she smiled. "I'm glad that you finally decided to join me!"

"Hey," Hermione said, her voice scratchy. "How long have we been back?"

"Two days, well almost." Taylor said as her grin grew.

"Oh,"

"How are you feeling?" Taylor asked gently as she met her friend's eyes and saw the fear flicker in them. "We're going to be alright Hermione. If we can live through that hell then we sure as hell can recover from it!"

Hermione smiled a little and Taylor squeezed her hand reassuringly.

"Hey, Taylor? You awake yet?" a muffled voice called from under Taylor's pillow.

With a grin Taylor reached under and pulled the mirror out. Ron's face was grinning back at her.

"Hey Ron, what's up?" Taylor asked as she glanced over at Hermione.

"Just checking to see if you are awake yet! Man you sure have turned into a bed hog!" Ron teased.

"Just catching up on all those times when you kept me up with your snoring!" Taylor quipped in a saucy voice. She could see Hermione's eyes shining brightly as she looked eagerly at the mirror. With a wink Taylor passed her friend the mirror.

Hermione's hand trembled a little as she took the mirror and turned it so that she was looking into it. "Hi Ron," she whispered.

"Hermione! Oh wow! You're awake!" Ron said excitedly. "Harry! Oi! Harry!"

The two witches could see the redhead turn away from the mirror to yell, and the grumbling from the background, then Harry's voice asking what was up. Harry wasn't long getting to the mirror though, when he heard Hermione was awake.

"Hey Hermione! Merlin it's so good to see you awake!" Harry's voice was a little thick as he grinned from ear to ear.

"Hey when did you wake up? Taylor was supposed to let me know right away!" Ron asked as he glared at Taylor.

"I just woke up a few minutes ago." Hermione said as her voice wavered a little and Taylor squeezed her hand again as she took the mirror back

"So you guys have a study period now? Well you better get back to studying. Hermione and I want all your neat, carefully kept notes to copy so that we can catch up in a hurry!" Taylor said in a serious tone but the grin at the end ruined the effect.

"We'll be down as soon as the bell rings. See you in a bit." Harry said with a smile at his sister, as Ron tried to get the mirror back from him. Taylor could hear them arguing as she put the mirror back under her pillow.

"The boys have really missed you." Taylor said with a smile. "Wanna take bets on who will be down here first?"

Taylor could see that her friend was trying hard to act normal, so she softened her voice and smiled gently. "Hey it's okay. We are safe now. No one expects anything from us. We'll get through this together." A sob shook Hermione's shoulders as Taylor pulled her friend towards her and held her tight, fighting the pain that Hermione's sobs were causing.

Taylor held Hermione until she cried herself out, crying herself as she kept repeating that they would get through this together.

Madame Pomfrey watched unobtrusively from her office, knowing that sometimes the best medicine was a shoulder to cry on.

Outside the Hospital Wing doors, Greg paused as he heard crying coming from inside the hospital. As he listened, he knew that it was two people crying, two girls… He peeked into the hospital and saw Pomfrey peering out of her office and he took the hint. The two witches needed sometime alone to try to come to grips with what had happened to them.

Turning he walked back down the empty hallway.

* * *

><p>AN Wow... another emotion packed chapter! One thing I do want to say is to remember that while Harry and Taylor use the term Dark Magic and Dark Arts so that they are different that most others don't... like Greg when he was thinking in his dorm room... I am sorry if this causes some confusion... in a way it is supposed to as the wizarding world on the whole clumps the two terms together so the charactors that don't know the difference intermingle the two words. Hopefully it isn't too confusing! As for the fight, or slmost fight between Harry and Greg... well I could see two teenage guys getting a little physical in those circumstances... hopefully it is believable! And now that Hermione is finaly awake the two can start to heal.

I want to say a HUGE THANK YOU to _Son of Whitebeard, Liza Cobbler, Miss R.E. Mulvey_ and _emmiebunnie_ for reviewing! Your reviews made this chapter be posted today! Though I can't do that every time the more reviews I get the faster I will post! Though I am sad to say I won't get the time to post another chapter this weekend but I will try for Monday! Thank you to those who Alerted or Favorited this story! And Thank You to those who are reading! I want to also say thank you to my beta;) barbc! Without her help these chapters wouldn't be ready to be posted! So until next time, cytpotter.


	47. Dark Heart Revealed

No not the wonderful, talented JK Rowling and I own nothing but the charactors you don't recognize and the story line.

Sorry for the delay in getting this chapter posted... life has been busy!

* * *

><p>Chapter Forty-seven<p>

**Dark Heart Revealed**

When Harry, Ron and Ginny arrived at the hospital after supper they could hear voices coming from inside. As the sound of Madame Pomfrey's stern voice reached them, they paused unsure whether to go in or not.

"In my opinion Miss Porter, you need to go see Healer Grimsby. I talked to her for quite some time and she agreed with me that the Dark curse that you have is way beyond what I can do here at the school. She said that she had never heard of a curse quite like yours, and that it was most definitely something very dark."

"I'm not going to St Mungo's." Taylor's voice said angrily. "I'd have been just fine if you hadn't have given me that sleeping potion!"

"Taylor!" Hermione's voice cried.

"Miss Porter, _I_ told you that if I had have known about the curse I wouldn't have given you the potion. That has nothing to do with trying to get a cure for it." Madame Pomfrey's voice was curt.

"A cure?" Taylor's snort could easily be heard out in the hall.

"Yes, a cure! If Mr. Potter hadn't have been here then…"

"If Potter had kept his big yap shut, you wouldn't have contacted some healer at St Mungo's." Taylor growled.

"If Potter hadn't known what to do, we wouldn't be having this conversation young lady!"

Taylor's voice was contrite when she continued. "I'm sorry, Madame Pomfrey. I do appreciate everything that you tried to do for me but I'm not going to St Mungo's. I will just deal with this _curse_ myself."

"As you are of age I can not force you to go. I will just pray to Merlin that you are lucky enough to have a friend with you the next time you do."

Ron and Ginny were staring wide-eyed at Harry as they heard the nurse walking briskly across the floor to her office.

Harry quickly beckoned to the two of them to follow him and he led them to a small deserted room not far away. Quickly putting up a silencing charm he turned to them.

"Harry, what's going on? What happened to Taylor that Pomfrey wants to send her to a Curse Healer for?" Ginny asked concerned.

Harry told them briefly what had happened to his sister last night.

"Pomfrey thinks she has some sort of Dark curse?" Ron asked when Harry was done.

Ginny watched her boyfriend closely and saw a muscle twitch on his jaw.

"You know more then you are telling us, and Pomfrey."

"I'm sorry Ginny, but it isn't my secret to tell you. If Taylor doesn't want it known, then I have to respect that." Harry said in a tight voice not mentioning that the painting of Dumbledore also said not to tell anyone.

"Does Hermione know?" Ron asked quietly.

Harry nodded. "Yeah, but I don't think she knows everything."

The three friends were silent for a moment.

Ginny knew that there were things about Harry that he couldn't tell her. She didn't like it but she had accepted it, for now. A thought occurred to her. "Was Hunter there when this happened? I overheard a couple of seventh year Hufflepuffs on the way to charms talking about Hunter being away all last night again. Does he know?"

Harry met his witch's eyes as he nodded slowly, "Yeah, he was there the whole time."

"Bloody Hell, Harry! What did you let that git stay for? What if he blabs this all over the school? If Taylor doesn't want us to know I'm sure she doesn't want that git to know!" Ron growled.

"I didn't have any choice. When Taylor… started to… there wasn't time to tell him to go, and then I couldn't leave her…" Harry tried to explain without giving too much away as he looked at Ron.

"Does he believe that it was a Dark curse?" Ginny asked quietly.

With a sigh he told them about Hunter following him into the boy's lavatory.

"That bloody git!" Ron growled as he rubbed his knuckles, "He's stuck his nose where it doesn't belong one time to many!"

Shaking his head Harry said, "Ron you can't beat him up. Merlin knows I'd like to. The fact is Taylor likes the git, so we can't do anything to him." His eyes met Ron's as he saw understanding come into them. They were going to have to tolerate his sister's boyfriend.

"What if he talks…" Ginny started to say.

"If he talks we hex him until he is unrecognizable and stuff him in that cupboard that vanished that Slytherin Montague for a month!" Harry growled menacingly.

The other two nodded in agreement.

When the three of them walked into the Hospital Wing a few minutes later Taylor and Hermione were sitting up in their beds each reading a schoolbook.

"Hey, how are you feeling?" Ron asked as he went over and kissed Hermione on the cheek.

"Hey! What am I, chopped liver?" Taylor asked with a raised eyebrow as Hermione smiled.

"Nah, I think of you more as stink sap, a royal pain in the butt to get rid of, but comes in handy sometimes." Ron joked as he grinned at the shorthaired witch.

"Yeah right back at yah Weasley." Taylor grumbled good-naturedly.

"I can see you are feeling better." Ginny cut in, as she sat on the end of Taylor's bed.

Taylor smiled at the other red-haired witch then looked up at her brother.

"I see your humor has returned." Harry said dryly.

Taylor rolled her eyes but her brother's next statement had her eyeing him.

"So Madame Pomfrey thinks you should see a Curse Healer at St Mungo's?"

"Eavesdropping again are we, Potter?" Taylor growled. Then she told them about what Pomfrey had said.

The evening passed easily, the dark and the fear kept at bay by the conversations and laughter. Ron had to go on patrol again, but Harry and Ginny stayed.

It was almost curfew

Greg looked at his watch and groaned. He was out on patrol with a Ravenclaw sixth year witch who talked nonstop. For about the thousandth time he wondered how Taylor was doing as he walked thru the dimly lit corridors. He hoped that Potter was with her so that she wouldn't be alone, though he was fairly sure that Hermione had finally woken up.

Irritated with the slow pace, Greg tried once again to hurry the Ravenclaw along.

He was starving and would have to make a quick run to the kitchens before going up to the hospital to see his witch.

He had missed supper.

After he left the hospital earlier that afternoon, when he had heard the girls crying, he had gone right to his own room. The pull on his heart to go comfort his witch had been strong, but he thought that she probably needed Hermione right then as much as Hermione had needed her. Feeling both physically and emotionally exhausted he had lain down on his own bed, intending only to rest for the half hour or so, until it was suppertime in the Great Hall.

Justin had shaken him awake almost three hours later telling him that the Ravenclaw prefect was waiting out in the hall for him to go on patrol.

Running a hand anxiously through his hair, he wondered what Taylor was thinking of him. He hadn't been to see her since he had left that morning and he remembered all too clearly how short his goodbye had been. He'd been angry at the time and intent on speaking to Potter. Still that didn't excuse him. He had returned at lunch but Pomfrey had told him that Taylor was sleeping and not to disturb her.

Being a gentleman, something his mother had always drilled into him, and given the dangerous times they lived in, Greg felt obligated to escort the Ravenclaw right to her common room before he could hurry off. Hurrying as fast as he could, and not flat out running, he made his way down through the castle to the kitchens where the house elves were only to happy to give him several sandwiches and a jug of pumpkin juice.

With another groan for all the homework that he needed to do, he turned away from his common room and his book bag and headed for the hospital as fast as he could.

The curfew bell rang as Harry stood looking at his sister, uncomfortable with leaving her.

"Harry, look, Ron is going to stay. We decided this last night. You need to get some sleep. I will be fine. The mirror is here if anything happens. Pomfrey isn't slipping me any sleep potion and I… I will be fine." Taylor said as she looked into his eyes, willing him to see that she would be all right. Taylor would have liked for her brother to stay, sure, but she saw how exhausted he was. He needed a good night's sleep.

"Taylor's right, Harry. You do need to get some sleep." Ron said as he stood up and met his best friend's green eyes. He could see the worry in them but also how exhausted his friend was. "I'll be here mate, I promise."

Harry smiled wanly at his red haired best mate. He'd already told Ron how he had woken his sister up, and he could tell that his mate's promise was sincere. It was just that…

"Harry you know I'd hate to have to petrify you and force Ginny to levitate you all the way to the common room," Taylor said in a mock menacing voice.

Ginny grinned mischievously at Taylor as she winked, catching her boyfriend's hand and giving it a squeeze. "C'mon Harry. I'd hate to hex someone who is already in the hospital."

Harry glanced at his witch then back at his sister before nodding slowly. "All right, but if anything happens…"

"I'll keep the mirror handy and let you know right away." Ron said reassuringly.

"Goodnight Harry. Get some sleep! I'll see you in the morning." Taylor said in a firm voice.

"All right. You get some sleep to." Harry said as he looked at his sister and then turned to his other best friend. "Goodnight Hermione. Don't let Ron keep you up half the night."

Ron and the two witches in the beds waved and called their goodbyes as the other two left hand in hand.

Taylor settled back into her bed. She was glad that Harry had gone. He needed his sleep. With a concentrated effort she tried not to notice how dark it was in the hospital now.

The clicking of Madame Pomfrey shoes distracted Taylor again for a moment.

"So you are going to stay tonight are you Mr. Weasley?" The nurse asked as she came around the screen.

If Taylor didn't know better she'd have almost sworn that the nurse was relieved.

Pomfrey however didn't make any more comment and proceeded to check her patients over before giving Hermione her potion. The nurse had asked earlier if Hermione wanted some Dreamless Sleep potion and after a brief discussion, Taylor had convinced Hermione to take advantage of the potion at least for a night or two.

Madame Pomfrey was just about finished when the Head Boy walked around the screen.

Greg was a little surprised to see Weasley sitting between the two Gryffindor witches, but then he remembered the arrangement Potter had come up with last night. Though after what had happened early that morning he'd kind of figured that Potter wouldn't have left. He didn't miss the scowl on Weasley's face as the nurse spoke.

"Well hello Mr. Hunter, I didn't think you were coming this evening." Pomfrey sent Ron a stern look before she gave the same look to Hunter before continuing. "I don't mind if you stay, but these two need their rest." With that she gathered her potion tray and left, leaving the four alone.

"What are you doing here Hunter?" Ron growled low so the nurse wouldn't hear.

"Ron!" Hermione admonished in a hushed voice also.

"I came to see Taylor. I thought that would be obvious." Greg said in a tight voice, as he met Ron's aggressive look.

"Visiting hours are over!"

Taylor was a little shocked to see the Head Boy suddenly appear and was slow to get a grip on her suddenly racing heart enough to speak. "Ron, it's okay. He can stay if he wants."

Greg heard the hesitancy in the shorthaired witch's voice and it pricked his heart to know that she was unsure if he would come or if he would want to stay.

"Where's the bloody git been all evening then? Why'd he wait until after Harry left to show his sorry ass?" Ron growled not taking his eyes off the Hufflepuff.

Greg didn't miss the way Weasley had spoken, as if he weren't there.

"Ron! I'm sure Greg has a reason. If Taylor doesn't want him here then she will tell him!" Hermione snapped as she glared up at her boyfriend. She would never truly understand the way Ron or Harry acted towards Hunter.

Greg looked away from the wizard to look at his witch as she watched him almost warily, like she had when he had first asked her out. "I'm sorry Taylor. I didn't mean to be gone all day. I was by at noon but you were sleeping, then after class this afternoon… I fell asleep in my room. I didn't wake up until I had to go out on patrol. It's no excuse, but I am sorry."

Taylor heard the sincerity in the Hufflepuff's voice and the sorrow in his eyes. It had been a long day. She had wondered often if Greg would come back or not. She had even told Hermione about it during supper. With a shaky breath she said, "You don't need to apologize." She wanted to say that she was glad that he was here, that she had been afraid that he wouldn't come back at all, but she couldn't force any more words past the lump in her throat.

Greg could see the emotions in the witch's eyes; relief, uncertainty, and fear. It hurt him to know that he had made this witch question his feelings for her. He stepped up to the head of the bed and crouched down so that his head was almost level with Taylor's. "Sure I do. If I made you uncertain if I'd be back." The Head Boy said softly as he smiled gently at his witch.

"I think I'm going to puke!" Ron grumbled from across the bed but he had sat back down in the chair between the two beds.

Hermione smacked Ron on the arm and glared at him. "What?" Asked Ron innocently before looking away from Hermione's accusing stare.

Taylor glanced over at Ron, but Hermione smiled at her encouragingly, as her friend said, "I think I need you to hold my hand Ron. I can feel that potion starting to take hold." Taylor mouthed, "thank you" as Hermione tugged Ron's hand and made him turn more towards her, giving Taylor a bit of privacy.

A silencing charm from the Head Boy ensured they wouldn't be overheard even if they could be seen.

"Taylor, I am sorry. I know that when I left this morning I was…" Greg began but Taylor put her hand on his arm.

"Scared, hurt, angry, appalled, repulsed…" Taylor whispered.

"What? No! Taylor I admit I was angry, and most definitely a little scared, but…" Greg started to explain.

"That's the way I felt when I found out…" Taylor didn't say she was referring to when she found out that she had _a dark curse_, or whatever it was that caused her to have her _nightmare_.

Greg rubbed his hand up over his face and back through his hair. "Taylor, please let me explain."

"Greg, you don't have to. I am sorry that you had to find out like that, that I am…broken." Greg went to interrupt her again but she put her fingers over his lips. "I have something… wrong with me. For lack of a better term I'll call it a _dark curse._ I tried to tell you before that I wasn't a normal witch… but you wouldn't listen."

"Taylor, I…" Greg tried again but Taylor pushed her fingers harder against his lips to stop him.

"Greg, I," Taylor looked up at the ceiling wishing there was an easier way to tell him. There had to be a better place but… she couldn't put off the inevitable any longer. If he left now it would tear her in two, but if he stayed longer and then found out and left then…

"I need to tell you some things. You need to know some facts before you decide if you want to stay. As I said I am… broken. The _dark curse_ that causes my… _nightmare_. It isn't the only thing. I tried to tell you... before Christmas, but you refused to listen." Taylor spoke slowly as she watched Greg's face as apprehension appeared there. Taylor reached out and lifted Greg's hand that was still holding his wand and moved it in a slow s-like motion. "Now maybe if I show you, you will know. The incantation is '_Rivilo dey Magic'_"

Greg's eyebrows rose, "That's a revealing spell… why?"

Taylor slipped her wand into her hand and with a slight wave produced a tiny bird that flew around twittering, a simple cheering charm. Nodding Taylor prompted, "Use the revealing charm."

With a look of foreboding Greg performed the revealing spell on the witch on the bed. He could see a tiny array of pastel colors around her.

Heart starting to pound, as a tiny voice in her mind cried for her to stop, that she couldn't drive him away like this, Taylor closed her eyes. It was much easier now to reach for that calm, a spell already forming in her mind as her pendant turned hot. Opening her eyes she spoke, not English but the ancient language. A delicate beautiful butterfly took flight from the end of her wand.

Taylor looked up from the butterfly to see Greg's eyes wide with shock and fear as he looked from her to the butterfly. Forcing her voice to remain calm as the butterfly disappeared she said, "Now try it again."

Greg couldn't believe what he had just seen. The look in Taylor's eyes as she performed the spell… Words he had never heard before had whispered off her lips… He knew he had just witnessed… something, but he didn't know quite what.

Knowing before he even performed the spell that he wasn't going to like what it told him, he waved his slightly shaking wand hand as he said the incantation. This time instead of a tiny array of pale pastel colors, the colors were deep reds and violent purples.

With a startled gasp he came to his feet and backed into the bed behind him, staring disbelievingly at the witch on the bed. Even though he had never seen it before he knew what it meant. How often had his father told him about the dark colors of Dark Magic that he had seen on different objects? How these objects were always dangerous and should never be touched.

Taylor waited for several long heartbeats for the Hufflepuff to recover some from the shock that showed clearly on his face. Forgotten were her two friends that watched shocked and disbelieving behind her.

"The rumors are true. I _can_ use Dark Magic. But _I am not_ into the Dark Arts!"

Greg swallowed audibly as his knees gave out and he sat down heavily on the bed behind him, never taking his eyes off the witch in front of him. It was a moment or two before he found his voice. "You can use… so the Slytherins were right? That night in the corridor did you…?"

"Yeah, I used Dark Magic. Their spells were getting darker and darker, Dark Art spells. It's no excuse but when you went down… I feared what would happen if I was stunned too."

Greg shook his head. His mind was whirling. How could he have been _so wrong_? His father… Greg dropped his head in his hands and closed his eyes. Taylor's voice from the Hufflepuff study came to him_, "You have a family. If the wrong people found out…"_ Dear Merlin he'd never thought that she had meant her!

Taylor left him alone for several minutes as her heart broke.

"Greg, I never chose this. No one is sure even _how_ I use Dark Magic. I just can."

Wading through the whirl in his mind he latched onto something to ask, not sure if it would make any difference. His voice was harsh and demanding. "You keep saying _Dark Magic_ and _Dark Arts_, as if they are something different!"

The look in his eyes made her chest constrict. "They are different."

"How do you know!" The deep voice demanded.

"Moody told me. He explained the difference to me." Taylor said and she told Greg everything the ex-auror had told her. Even explaining some of the details about Snape attacking Harry, and how she had used a Dark Magic spell on the ex-teacher, also how she had needed to go and release him from her Dark spell. When she was done Greg was staring at her dumbfounded.

"Why… why are you telling me all this?" Greg asked finally.

Taylor smiled but it was a sad one. "You trusted me. On that first day, in the Hufflepuff study, you trusted me with the knowledge about your family. At the time I couldn't and didn't trust you. Then you invited me to your house, another act of unbelievable trust." Taking a deep breath she continued. "Greg, I am different, broken in some ways… my nightmare… _You need to understand and know what I am_. There are still some things I can't tell you, but my ability to use Dark Magic is not exactly a well-kept secret. Though I pray Voldemort never finds out. My _dark curse_ as Pomfrey put it or, nightmare is much more of a secret. Only you, Harry, Hermione, Pomfrey and one other know. It is another thing that I hope Voldemort never finds out about." Greg's why? Made Taylor tremble slightly as she explained, "The snake, as Harry told you, that is trying to… consume my soul, is a symbol of Voldemort's" She shuddered, but knew as sure as she was sitting there that it was the truth.

Greg was silent. He was shocked that Taylor had told him so much, to tell him something that could be so _dangerous_… She had admitted to being able to use Dark Magic, that Moody knew, and had explained the difference between Dark Magic and the Dark Arts. A distinction he had never heard before. Could there be a difference? Was it possible to use Dark Magic and not be into the Dark Arts? Surely if Moody knew, and McGonagall, as Taylor had led him to believe, there had to be a difference.

"Why did Professor McGonagall give you detention after the fight with the Slytherins if she knows you can use Dark Magic and were just defending yourself?"

Taylor looked up at the ceiling again then answered, "Because Professor McGonagall and Moody told me not to use Dark Magic again after Snape. She knew that the Slytherins had used Dark Arts spells, but as they claimed to be _cursed_ when they did there wasn't anything she could do to them. The Slytherins couldn't prove that I had used Dark Magic, so as long as she appeared to come down on me hard for doing something, then the Ministry didn't look any closer. Plus if I was in detention all week the Slytherins couldn't try something else, and I suppose she was hoping that by the time break was over the gossip mongers would have moved on."

Greg mulled that over for a few minutes. Though his mind was still reeling, he needed to know more. "So the wonky spell, the one that drained your magic?"

Taylor paused, but an old saying that her uncle had used so long ago, a life time ago, came back to her, _in for a pinch, in for a pound_. "Yeah it was Dark Magic. Though it did go wonky, that part was true enough." At Greg's questioning expression she shook her head. "There are still things that I can't tell you. Things that I may never be able to tell you. I'm sorry. Some things are just too dangerous."

"More dangerous then telling me that you can use Dark Magic and about your nightmare? What could possibly be more dangerous then that?" Fear for the first time tinted the Hufflepuff's voice.

"Because those things are just dangerous for me." Taylor said it simply.

Greg's blue eyes narrowed and when he spoke his voice was hard. "The other things would be dangerous for… Potter! You are protecting him!"

Taylor smiled sadly. "Greg, I told you on that first day that I was committed to helping Harry. I will do whatever it takes to protect him."

"Including being caught by Death Eaters." It was a statement.

"Including being caught by Death Eater, facing Voldemort, or dying." Taylor whispered but her voice became stronger as she continued, "I will fight until my last breath, using Dark Magic and everything else I can get my hands on. Because if Harry should die… then everyone I love… every chance that I possibly could have had for happiness… will die with him. He is our _only_ hope." Taylor knew she shouldn't have said so much, that it was dangerous, but she needed to make this wizard understand.

Greg stared at the conviction in the witch's eyes. "And where do I fit in? Is this goodbye?"

* * *

><p>AN ... I know this is the most evil cliff-hanger in the whole story! Sorry about that! (evil little grin) SO what do you think? Will Greg leave? Will Taylor tell him to go? What will Ron and Hermione say? And Harry? I know the reveling spell I used is another I just made up... sorry but life has been busy the past few days and I never got around to looking up the Latin words before then! Please let me know what you think! Wow 60 reviews! That makes me so happy!

Thank you for reading... if you have gotten this far then you deserve some cyber cookies, just drop me a review and I will give you one! LOL ;) Thanks for all those who have added this story to your Alerts and Favorites and those who have taken the time to leave a review! Thank you to barbc for beta'ing for me! Until next time, which will be soon I promise... I don't want you to make you suffer too long! ;) cytpotter.


	48. Of Hushed Discussions

No I don't own Harry.

This isn't exactly a romantic chapter but Happy Valentine's Day anyway! ;) Hope you enjoy!

* * *

><p>Chapter Forty-eight<p>

**Of Hushed Discussions**

Taylor took a shaky breathe. She knew this was the hardest part of all. "I leave that decision up to you. You know now just how _different_ I am, how broken, and probably unfixable."

His mind was still reeling, and he wasn't yet sure what he thought about all that he had learned, but his heart still pounded true, he loved this witch, and right or wrong he wanted to be with her.

"I need to know…" Greg's voice wobbled slightly and he paused to swallow and try to get control. "I need to know if you love…me." Even as he said it his heart rebelled. He didn't know what he would do if the beautiful, red haired, bespectacled witch on the bed said she didn't. His troubled heart didn't have long to wait at least.

No more than a whisper, Taylor's voice trembled. "As wrong, and as dangerous as I know it is. Even though I tried not to, my heart betrayed my mind, and I fell in love. Merlin forgive me but yes, I love you."

Greg's heart swelled. Suddenly everything that he had just heard didn't matter. The witch, that caused his heart to pound, loved him.

He was off the bed he'd been sitting on and kneeling beside hers in a heartbeat. Taking her hand in his he smiled as he looked into her uncertain hazel ones. "I love you Taylor. I have for some time now. Right now that is all that matters." With his other hand he put it on her face and leaned his head in, his lips gently brushing against the witch's.

Smack!

A pillow slammed into Greg's back knocking him away from Taylor. The Hufflepuff was on his feet instantly, his wand out glaring across at the furious looking Gryffindor wizard. A few seconds went by before with an angry slice the Head Boy vanished the silencing charm.

"What the _Bloody Hell_ do you think you're doing?" Ron snarled, just managing to keep his voice down so the nurse wouldn't hear.

Taylor looked up at Ron as her face turned bright red. She had forgotten all about her two friends, focused as she had been on the Head Boy.

"None of your damn business, Weasley!" Greg growled.

"Yeah well, I'm making it my business!" Ron snarled aggressively.

"Ron! Enough!" Taylor snapped as she found her voice, even if her face was still very red. "Greg, just ignore the git!"

Ron dropped his glare to the red-haired witch. "You told that Hufflepuff without telling Harry!" he accused.

"It's my right to tell him if…" Taylor growled back as her temper started to rise.

Ron cut her off. "Not without first running it past Harry, it isn't!"

"He's not my boss!"

"No! He's… He's your best friend. I'd have thought that meant more to you!"

Taylor stared at the red-haired wizard for a long moment. His actions were somehow different… he was treating her different…

"I think what Ron is trying to say, is that we were just surprised," Hermione's voice was slow and sleepy as the sleeping potion worked on her.

Taylor looked at her friend as she ran a hand back through her short hair. "Greg, could you give me a few minutes please. I need to tell these two a few things before Hermione goes off to dreamless land." She hated to ask that of the Hufflepuff but she had to talk to her friends now.

Greg had watched the argument, keeping out of it with an effort. Giving a curt nod he stepped to the end of the bed and moved over by the screen, but he didn't go around it. He wasn't about to let his witch out of his sight.

Taylor couldn't help the quirk in her lips as she turned back to her friends and with a quick flick of her wand put up a silencing charm, her eyes narrowing on Weasley.

"What is your problem Ron? And if you say something about Greg, about to… I'll make sure you can't sit for a month!" Taylor growled.

"What were you thinking? Telling that Hufflepuff git everything? Wasn't it bad enough that he was here this morning? That he knows about… that!" Ron yelled knowing that he wouldn't be overheard, but gesturing at the Head Boy so that he would know it was all about him.

"That? So Harry told you about _that_! And that is all right, but if I want to tell someone _it isn't_!" Taylor snapped angrily.

Ron opened his mouth to yell back but with a flick of the bushy haired witch's wand she silenced him, and Taylor too.

"I'm too tired to yell, and too sleepy to wait." Hermione said as she struggled to keep her eyes open. "Ron, leave Taylor alone. She's going to tell Harry in the morning about telling Hunter. It was her decision. Taylor…" Hermione looked sleepily at her friend "tomorrow you and I are going to talk. I'm too sleepy right now, so you be good! No more Dark Magic!"

Taylor was up off her bed and hugged the other witch. A flick and the silencing spell on the witch and wizard was lifted.

"I'm sorry Hermione. I am always doing the wrong thing at the wrong time." Taylor whispered.

"It will be fine." Hermione said sleepily as her eyes closed.

"I'll be good. Sleep well. I'll see you in the morning 'Mione." Taylor hugged her friend once more before she sat up and got up to go back to her bed. Ron put his hand on her arm to stop her.

"I'm sorry. I just don't want you to get hurt is all." Ron said sincerely as he looked Taylor in the eye.

Taylor's smile was tremulous, "I know. But I love him. It hurt _not_ telling him."

Ron pulled his best friend's sister into a hug, trying to tell her without words that he was here for her.

Shocked, it was a second before she hugged him back. Hermione's sleepy voice ended their unusual impromptu hug.

"If you are done with my boyfriend's hand I'd like to hold it."

"Oh, yeah, here, sorry 'Mione." Ron said as he stepped around Taylor to sit and pick up Hermione's hand tenderly, placing a kiss on it as he leaned his head close and whispered, "Go to sleep. I'll be here. You're safe… I love you."

Hermione sighed softly, but Taylor could have sworn she heard, "I love you too." As she sat back down on her bed, her heart warmed by her friends' love for each other.

It was a few seconds before Taylor looked up and saw the Hufflepuff waiting patiently by the screen, his blue eyes regarding her softly, a half smile on his face.

Greg had watched warily at first not sure if Weasley was going to do something that he'd have to intervene or not but he had seen the mood change. Oh he hadn't been able to hear what was being said, it had been the postures. When Hermione had stepped in… The dynamic of these friends never ceased to amaze him. The more he got to know them the more like a family unit they were. Taylor's family.

When his red haired witch beckoned him, he conjured a chair and sat on it beside her.

"Hey, is everything okay?" Greg asked softly knowing that Weasley was able to hear him from the other side of the bed.

Taylor smiled a little as she searched his eyes, but all that she could see there was concern, and tenderness. Her heart seemed to swell.

"Yeah everything is good."

Greg quirked an eyebrow.

"I have to tell Harry in the morning, and not use anymore Dark Magic, but I think I can handle that." Taylor whispered with a quick grin.

The Hufflepuff just nodded his head. That didn't really surprise him.

They were silent for a while. Taylor had found the Head Boy's hand and held it. Now that she wasn't distracted, the dark was pressing in on her again.

The school clock chimed midnight and Madame Pomfrey came out to check on her patients. One of course was sleeping soundly. "Miss Porter, you need to go to sleep." The nurse admonished in a firm voice, as she checked the worrisome patient over.

"I will." Taylor replied.

Madame Pomfrey gave her a stern look before turning it on the Head Boy sitting in the chair beside her. "Be sure that you do."

It was a while after the nurse had returned to her office when the Hufflepuff leaned his head in close to the witch's ear and said softly. "You need to go to sleep. You have my hand, and my heart. I'm not going anywhere."

Taylor looked up into his blue eyes, thinking if she could stare into them all night the darkness wouldn't have any hold over her. "I know." Was all she said before, with an effort, she closed her eyes.

Greg watched as his witch's eyes closed. He felt the slight increase in pressure on his hand and gave a reassuring squeeze. It was a long time though before her breathing deepened and he knew she had finally fallen asleep.

Tonight though he had no problem staying awake, even without the soft snores of Weasley sprawled out in the other chair across the bed from him, as he thought about all that he had learned about the sleeping witch holding his hand.

The sun was lightening the eastern sky when the witch began to stir. The Head Boy still hadn't been able to reconcile his new found knowledge with what his heart felt. A lifetime of teaching was hard to ignore completely.

Taylor's eyes popped open to see the dim lamp on the wall and the windows starting to lighten, even if they were a little fuzzy. A soft snore made her turn her head and she could make out the form of Ron sitting beside her. She noted how uncomfortable he looked with his head tipped back and his mouth open. A squeeze on her hand caused her to look in the other direction. The wizard sitting there wasn't asleep and she could see the slight smile on his face.

"Hey," Whispered the Hufflepuff.

"Hey." Taylor whispered back.

"You slept better."

Taylor nodded. She had slept a lot better. Then she wrinkled her brow, "Were you awake all night?"

"What can I say. I like to watch you sleep." Greg said with a gentle smile.

Taylor rolled her eyes, but she took her glasses that he passed her and put them on.

"You look very sexy in the morning!" the Head Boy whispered right by her ear as he leaned in.

"Yeah I'm sure I do! Hair sticking up! Still half asleep. I look _sexy_ alright!" Taylor snorted as she rolled her eyes again.

A creak from beside them, as the snoring stopped, warned them that Ron was waking up.

"I got to get going. I've got a few things I have to do before breakfast. I'll see you later." Greg could see the worry spring into the hazel eyes. "Hey, are you going to be alright if I go?"

Taylor nodded. The dark was receding, and Ron and Hermione would be awake shortly. Still it was a long time until lunch, and she knew that they still had a lot to talk over. "Yeah, I'll be okay."

Greg brought the witch's hand to his lips and kissed it. He'd have liked nothing better than to give his witch a proper kiss but he had no desire to do it in front of Weasley.

"Taylor, I promise I will be back. I love you." He leaned forward and kissed her on the forehead. There wasn't any fear in her eyes, just worry.

"I love you too. See you later."

Hermione woke up a short time later and after Ron talked to Harry quickly on the mirror, he left to go have a shower and have breakfast before class.

Taylor and Hermione talked the morning through, about what had happened the night before and what they had escaped. It wasn't an easy thing but they felt better for it.

At noon Harry, Ron and Ginny came in to see them for a moment to drop off some school work and say hello before they rushed off for something to eat.

Greg was just hurrying in as the three Gryffindors were leaving and after a quick greeting he rushed off again explaining that he'd been at Care of Magical Creatures out on the grounds and been needed after class to help, so he couldn't get away. He promised to drop by for last period as he had a study.

The two witches were able to get a couple of assignments done and were just discussing a new charm that they had to perform for their next charms class when Greg walked in. The Hufflepuff was only too happy to demonstrate the new charm, as he had just learned it earlier that day.

It wasn't until after supper, after Ron and Greg left for patrol, that Taylor was finally able to tell her brother about telling the Head Boy. There was a silencing charm in place so that they wouldn't be overheard when Taylor broached the subject, after an 'I'll tell him if you don't' look from Hermione.

"Harry, I need to tell you something." Harry turned so that he was facing his sister as he raised an eyebrow. Taylor took a deep breath. "Last night I told Greg that I can use Dark Magic." The fact that Ginny could hear didn't matter, she knew about everything that she had told Greg anyway, well maybe not the part about the snake but most of it.

Harry stared at his sister for a few seconds, noting that she was chewing on her lip nervously and her eyes were wary. He had figured that she would probably tell the Hufflepuff, especially after what the Head Boy had witnessed the previous night. "I see… so how did he take it?"

Taylor was a little surprised when she met her brother's eyes. "He took it fairly well actually." Hermione coughed, sounding suspiciously like "tell him". Taylor rolled her eyes as she sent a disgruntled look at the bushy haired witch. "Well, I showed him I could use Dark Magic, but it amounts to the same difference."

Harry was both annoyed and impressed. "I hope you didn't put some curse on him…"

"No! Dark Magic can be beautiful too! I just produced a butterfly and told him to use the revealing charm."

"I bet that sure shocked his socks off!" Ginny said with a grin.

"He was all the usual, shocked, angry, afraid…" Taylor gave a brief explanation of what had been said and what she told the Head Boy.

"You know that the fewer people who know about these things the better, but I suppose Hunter was going to find out sooner or later… just be careful Taylor. You know as well as I do what a burden knowledge can be at times." Harry said it casually enough but his eyes bore into his sister's, the intensity in the green eyes making the witch very aware what he was referring to.

The rest of the evening passed easily as the four friends worked on homework or just talked at times. Taylor was impressed with how well Harry had taken it. It was a big relief to Taylor to know that her brother was okay with Greg knowing.

Greg and Ron returned at the same time from patrol, after a brief debate it was decided that Harry and Greg would spend the night, much to the displeasure of both Gryffindor wizards.

The nights were getting better. The darkness wasn't able to produce the fear it once had with the two wizards there willing to offer their hands.

The next day was Saturday.

Ron was the one who mentioned that the Hufflepuffs had the quidditch pitch booked for a practice. With some persuading Taylor had talked the Head Boy into going.

Taylor would have loved to go too. Anything to get out of the hospital. She was getting extremely restless. She wasn't used to all this laying around. It was the fact that Hermione wasn't yet ready to leave the hospital that kept her there. She couldn't leave her friend. They had been through too much. Also the thought of returning to the dorm room, alone… she didn't think she could do that.

The Hufflepuff returned after lunch having showered and wearing a pair of faded jeans and an old sweat shirt. Taylor thought he looked really good, and couldn't wipe the grin from her lips all afternoon as they all worked on their homework.

It was Ginny and Greg who stayed that night. Ginny threatened to hex the two Gryffindor wizards if they gave her a hard time. Taylor had tried to talk the Hufflepuff into going too but he had refused. Though Taylor woke up when Pomfrey came to check on them and found the exhausted Head Boy tipped back in his chair sleeping. She conjured a blanket and floated it on top of him before seeing Ginny smiling at her from her other side. Taylor snuggled back down in her bed and was soon fast asleep, holding the sleeping Hufflepuff's hand.

Madame Pomfrey finally released the two witches late Sunday afternoon. Taylor was relieved to be getting out of the hospital, hoping that she wouldn't be going back, ever!

Taylor and Hermione returned to Gryffindor tower and their room to drop their schoolbooks off and have a shower before heading to the Great Hall for supper. The five Gryffindors met up with the Hufflepuff in the Entrance Hall and walked into the Great Hall together. The Hufflepuff joined them at the Gryffindor table.

The whole school took notice of the Head Girl returning from her stay in the hospital. Also it was noted that the Head Boy sat at the Gryffindor table, as news spread about his scarce whereabouts the past few days.

They were almost done eating when Professor Shacklebolt paused as he passed.

"Miss Porter, it is good to see you up and about again. I trust you are feeling better? As are you Miss Granger."

"Yes Professor. I'm good!" Taylor said with a grin.

"Yes sir." Hermione answered with a little less enthusiasm.

"Well I am glad to hear it. I am in need of your help with my research this evening, if you are feeling up to it Miss Porter." Shacklebolt's deep voice sounded pleased.

"Yes sir! No problem." Taylor grinned as she caught her brother's eye. He gave her an exasperated look.

"Mr. Potter I trust that you will be coming also." It wasn't a question. "I shall expect you both in forty-five minutes."

"Yes sir." Harry answered as the tall Professor continued on his way out of the Great Hall.

The Hufflepuff was curious. What kind of research did Taylor do, that it needed to start again a few hours after she was released from the hospital? He hadn't missed the look his witch had when she looked at Potter. She was eager to do whatever it was they were doing. He kept quiet, knowing he'd never get an answer in the crowded hall.

A short time later, when they had finished their supper, Taylor looked over at her brother. "So Potter you ready?"

It was Hermione though that asked in a worried voice. "Taylor are you sure you are up to… researching with Professor Shacklebolt?"

Taylor's grin just spread. After three days of laying around, she was more than ready to do something. Plus it had been _way_ to long since she had practiced her dueling. "Oh yeah! Don't worry Hermione. I won't over do it!"

Hermione eyes widened as she saw the excitement dancing in her friend's eyes but it was Ginny who remarked dryly.

"No fear of that. Nothing _ever_ happens during research."

Harry shot a warning look at his girlfriend as Taylor laughed. Deciding that maybe it would be better to get going before any more could be said in front of the Hufflepuff. Harry stood up as he said. "Come on Porter. Let's get going."

Taylor stood also, but so did the Head Boy.

"I'll walk you to Professor Shacklebolt's office." He put his hand on Taylor's back and guided her out of the Great Hall as Harry, glowering, followed.

Once safely outside the prying ears in the Great Hall, Taylor turned to Greg. "I can go with Harry. There is no need for you to escort me." She said it as gently as possible. She didn't want to hurt his feelings.

"I don't mind. I…" The Hufflepuff started but Harry cut him off.

"Well I mind." Harry growled as he glared at the Hufflepuff, who was far too nosy in Harry's opinion.

Taylor decided to intervene. "Potter!" She warned before she turned to the Head Boy. "Greg, this is… a thing I have to do with Harry. Professor Shacklebolt made us swear we wouldn't say anything to anyone. Please understand." While it was true Ron, Hermione and Ginny had figured out what the two did in their research sessions, they had been asked to keep it a secret.

The Head Boy's blue eyes hardened. "Alright Taylor. But I am on patrol tonight in that section… I'll make sure you get back to your Common Room safely."

"Like last time?" Harry demanded as Taylor pinned her brother with a glare.

"Potter stow it! Hunter, I'd love nothing better than for you to escort me back to Gryffindor tower afterwards!" Taylor wheeled and marched off, muttering about boys and pissing contests.

When Harry caught up to his sister she didn't even glance sideways at him. "You need to give him a break! Stop picking at him all the time! Sheesh, you'd think you two were trying to prove who's the best!"

Harry was silent for a little while before he replied. "Sorry, it's just that he rubs me the wrong way! It's _my_ job to protect you!"

Taylor put her hand on her brother's arm to stop him. A quick silencing charm made sure she wasn't overheard. "You do protect me." Taylor saw the pain flash across her brother's face. "Harry what happened is _not_ your fault. I don't blame you and neither does Hermione. Brother, you did the right thing. The _only_ right thing. If you had been caught, it would have been ten times… no a hundred times worse." Taylor reached up and put her hand on her brother's face. "Because we would have lost our only hope. Harry I love you. I will always love you. You are my big brother. Something I am _so_ proud of. But Greg… well look at him this way. Now you don't have to try to protect me all by yourself!"

Harry could see the shadow of the pain that she had endured, but nowhere was there any sign of blame and then there was love and fierce pride. "So what's Ron chopped liver?" Harry asked with a weak smile.

Taylor grinned, "Nah, I like to think of him as stink sap!"

Harry rolled his eyes. He'd have to tell his sister about telling Ron, but not right now as Moody and Lupin turned the corner and started towards them. Taylor caught sight of them too and stepped away vanishing the silencing spell.

"I thought you two were supposed to be on your way to Professor Shacklebolt?" Lupin asked.

Moody took the more direct approach. "Kissing Potter again are we Porter? I thought you had the Head Boy on your leash already?"

Taylor felt her face heat up but she snapped. "Not tonight. I was just giving Potter some pointers for Ginny. The Head Boy I plan on snogging silly later!"

Harry almost choked on his tongue as Lupin struggled to keep a straight face. Moody just grunted to get moving along.

Lupin had felt bad about interrupting what was obviously a private moment between brother and sister. Taylor's quick comeback was so reminiscent of something James would have said that he was surprised that Moody didn't put the dots together.

When they reached the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom, Shacklebolt was waiting for them. Moody had a few more questions for Taylor about the Death Eaters, but she wasn't able to tell him much. They did a quick review and then started off where they had left off, with Moody attacking and first Taylor defending and then Harry. Soon though, they moved on to teaching them how to fight together more effectively. These were advanced dueling techniques and usually only taught to top aurors. Before the night was out both siblings managed to stun the other numerous times.

Greg was out on patrol with a sixth year Hufflepuff prefect tonight. His patrol route took him by Professor Shacklebolt's office and after the second time the Head Boy was sure no one was in there, let alone doing some sort of research. Going on a hunch, Greg went off his patrol route a little to go by the Defense classroom. The flash of a spell through the frosted glass on the door caught his attention but before he could investigate a voice from behind the pair caused them to turn.

"That's just Shacklebolt teaching some kid remedial Defense. Don't worry about it." The auror said. Hunter recognized him right away as one of the aurors who had come into the Hospital Wing that night.

The Head Boy just nodded and after a brief report that everything was quiet, he continued on with the prefect beside him. The only tell-tale sign that the Head Boy showed that he knew it wasn't some remedial Defense lesson, was the hardness in his blue eyes.

* * *

><p>AN Well there, Taylor finally told Greg about her Dark Magic! It wasn't really a very romantic chapter, not for Valentine's Day but it was rather sweet in a few places. Taylor will have a Valentine's Day... thing(I couldn't resist!) but it won't be for a few more chapters yet. ;) I am a hopeless romantic! Maybe you can't tell by this story but it will sneak in here and there for those of you who like that sort of thing too! ;) I know Harry and Greg sort of don't get along... and well I thought Harry needed to feel the over-protective big brother... so that will come up from time to time... though usually in a rather humours form.. or so I think anyway!

I want to say a huge THANK YOU to those who reviewed or PM'd me! Your thoughts and praise mean so much! AS well those who Added this story to their Alerts and Favorites! Thank you! Thank you to my wonderful beta, barbc! And thank you all for just reading! Hope you have a great Valentine's Day! My husband and I ALWAYS do something for Valentine's day even if it is just having a special supper and a rented movie! It's the little things in life that make it special! ;) Yeah and I cry at sappy movies too! LOL So here's hoping cupid's arrow finds you, and I'll try not to be such a sap next time! Until then, cytpotter.


	49. Everything

Not JK Rowling not making any money!

Sorry for the long delay... real life has been a bit busy!

* * *

><p>Chapter Forty-nine<p>

**Everything**

By the time the curfew bell rang, both Taylor and Harry were sweating and sporting their fair share of welts and bruises. As they walked up through the castle they were enthusiastically discussing their lesson, under a muffling charm.

Taylor was very glad to be back to doing something normal. Even the dimly lit corridors weren't bothering her as she excitedly talked to her brother.

A spell hitting the wall to the left of them had both Gryffindors spinning, wands out.

The Head Boy held up his hands from the far end of the corridor.

Vanishing the muffling charm Taylor demanded. "Are you crazy? We could have just hexed you into next week!"

Panting the Hufflepuff jogged toward them. "Sorry, but I've been trying to catch up with you. I was in the Entrance Hall when I saw you on the swinging staircase to floor four."

"That's still not a good way to get someone's attention. Taylor's right. You're lucky we didn't hex you. It would have been a _real_ shame too." Harry remarked dryly.

The Head Boy stopped in front of them. He'd taken the prefect back to his common room before heading in search of Taylor, like he said he'd do. He didn't miss their sweating faces, or the welt on Potter's neck, or the one on Taylor's left hand. Remedial Defense lessons my ass! Greg thought.

"Well, I did promise Taylor that I'd walk her back to her common room. A gentleman never goes back on his word. Especially to such a pretty girl." The Head Boy said with a smile as he caught his breath.

Harry started to walk again and the other two fell in beside him.

"That must be some research paper." The Hufflepuff said after just a few seconds, noting Potter's thinning lips and clamped jaw.

"Oh it is," Taylor replied as her eyes danced mischievously. "It's about the intricate relationships between astronomically incidental incidents in a magical world. Or Ir-Baiiiam-W for short."

The two wizards stared at the witch completely dumfounded for a couple of seconds, before Harry turned to look where he was going fighting a smile. He had no idea where his sister ever came up with such off the wall stuff, though he was glad she hadn't said it was about snogging at least.

The Hufflepuff took a bit longer to recover but he asked casually enough. "So Moody and Lupin help out with that do they? The incidental part must be their strong point." He had seen the two wizards heading towards the Defense classroom just after the two Gryffindors had left him in the Entrance Hall after supper. At the time he hadn't thought much of it, but now…

Taylor's grin just grew though. "Oh yeah they help in the incidental department as well as the relationship department."

Harry groaned inwardly, if his sister said anything about snogging he was going to hex her himself!

"Must be quite interesting." Was all the Hufflepuff said.

A few minutes later they reached the seventh floor, and were almost to the portrait of the Fat Lady when the Head Boy asked.

"Can I have a quick word with you Taylor? In here?" The Hufflepuff pointed to an old broom cupboard.

Taylor glanced at her brother quickly before answering, "Ah, yeah sure. I'll be right in."

Harry gave his sister a hard look before scowling at the Hufflepuff. "Be sure you are. Don't make me come looking for you, Hunter." Harry growled before he continued on.

The Head Boy opened the door of the broom cupboard and after a half a second hesitation, Taylor went in. She had never been in very many broom cupboards and never with a wizard that she liked. Her heart started to race. She was inside with the door shut before she even noticed how dark it was. The Hufflepuff seemed to sense it as he conjured a small flame that hung in the air like a torch, casting the tiny cupboard in a warm light.

Greg had mulled over where to talk to the witch the whole way, so when he remembered the broom cupboard, he'd acted. Now though as he looked at the apprehension that had leapt into the witch's eyes he could have kicked himself. He'd forgotten about her fear of the dark in his bid to talk to her alone.

Stepping closer to the witch he put his arms around her and pulled her close as he leaned his head down close to his witch's ear. He could feel the tension in her body as well as her pounding heart. "No one is going to hurt you. You're safe with me." He murmured as he filled his senses with the unique smell of his witch. Sweat, but there was a hint of raspberries and something earthy and warm. Moving his head he grazed his lips along her jaw until he found her slightly parted lips. Tenderly, gently he moved his lips over his witch's as thought fled his mind. It only took his tongue running along her bottom lip for her to sigh and allow him entrance. It was an effort not to pull her hard against him and wildly plunder her sweet lips.

Taylor's mind ceased to work as Greg kissed her, sensations assailed her. The feeling of his strong arms around her, holding her tight, his lips and tongue doing things she had never imagined as his scent filled her. Spicy, strong and distinctly male.

Slowly the Head Boy eased out of the kiss until his forehead rested against his witch's, breathing raggedly. Thought returned and he started to worry, as he felt a slight trembling in the witch, that he had made a big mistake. Her shaky voice soothed that worry.

"Wow. I never knew a kiss could be so… No wonder broom cupboards get so much use!"

A cocky grin spread over the Hufflepuff's face. "I take that as a compliment, Miss Porter. I take it you've never occupied a broom cupboard before?"

"Not for this extra-curricular activity, no. No wonder Ron thinks…" Taylor let the thought go unfinished as her face turned red.

"And what does Weasley think?" The Head Boy questioned with a grin.

"Well he seems to think… he thinks that… guys can't be alone with a girl without snogging."

The Hufflepuff's expression turned mischievous. "What do you think, Miss Porter?"

Taylor's face was still red as she said with a little grin, "I think that if all kisses are as good as that one, then maybe he's right. Who wouldn't want to snog if it curls ones toes like that!"

"So your toes curled did they, Miss Porter?" Greg asked with a self-satisfied grin.

Taylor's face turned red again but her eyes danced excitedly. Taylor was thoroughly enjoying the way the Hufflepuff made her feel, his arms still holding her as he looked down into her face. She wondered if he was going to kiss her again and her pulse quickened.

"I don't suppose I have you so befuddled that you will tell me what you were really doing in Shacklebolt's classroom?" The Head Boy asked in a deep persuasive voice.

"Why sir, are you trying to assail my senses to gain information from me?" Taylor giggled.

"I thought it might be worth a try." Greg grinned.

Taylor's smile faded a little as her eyes turned serious. "I can't tell you. I promised."

"I see. Well I know that neither you nor Potter need remedial Defense lessons," At the witch's questioning glance, he explained about meeting the auror. "I also know that you weren't in Professor Shacklebolt's office. Plus you two were obviously doing some major activities to be sweating and covered in welts… You and Potter are getting advanced Defense and dueling lessons aren't you." It wasn't a question.

Taylor eyed the Head Boy for a long moment before answering. "You know Hufflepuff, you are just a mite too curious and smart for your own good."

Greg gave the witch his cocky grin again. "I take that as a yes. Though I'm sure I'm not the only one to work it out."

Taylor rolled her eyes and shook her head. This wizard was going to be very hard to keep things from.

Greg caught his witch's chin in his hand and stilled it as he tipped his head down again brushing his lips over hers. He watched closely as the hazel eyes darkened and a soft sigh whispered out before claiming the sweet lips in a more demanding kiss, deepening it when they parted.

It was some time before, breathing raggedly again, they broke apart.

"I guess I'd better get you to your common room. It might not be a good idea for Potter to find us like this." Greg said as his heart slowed its wild tempo and rational thought returned. "I don't think he'd be very… understanding."

Taylor grinned as she let her forehead rest against the wizard's solid chest, feeling his heart beating there. "No… he might not. Maybe we'd better go." She didn't want to. She could have stayed in the broom cupboard for… ever. Warmth suffused her whole body and she felt like she was floating.

"Taylor?" Greg asked suddenly, his voice deep and gentle. "Tonight, maybe, where I won't be there… if you think of this… well maybe it might help."

Taylor looked up into the Head Boy's concerned blue eyes. "Yeah, I think that might help a lot."

Greg dropped his forehead down to rest against his witch's for a moment, fighting the urge to kiss her again. The sound of footsteps approaching made him straighten up and step protectively in front of his witch, wand out.

The next second the door was pulled open and Ron's large frame filled it.

"What the Bloody Hell do you think you are doing Hunter?" Ron growled menacingly his wand also out.

Taylor's heart skipped a beat but then she pushed past the Hufflepuff and met the Gryffindor's glare. "Well it's nice to see you too Ron! Greg and I were just checking this cupboard out for any pink-winged broom-hoppers. I'm sad to say we didn't find any but I will need to let Luna know that we did find several Nargles, a rare find indeed. If you will excuse us." Reaching behind her she grabbed the shocked Hufflepuff's hand and led him out past an open-mouthed Ron.

They made it several steps before they heard the Gryffindor wizard swear and slam the cupboard door behind them.

Taylor looked up at the tall Head Boy and could see a grin starting on his face. He was a fast learner and just went along with the witch. They'd just made it to the Fat Lady when Ron caught up to them.

"Hunter I'm warning you!" Ron got out before Taylor spun around and poked him in the chest with her finger.

"Look Weasley. Stop glaring at my wizard before you find yourself picking slugs out of all your orifices for the next month! You enjoy snogging Hermione senseless and I never say a thing, so back off!"

Ron looked down at the irate witch glaring daggers up at him. He was a little surprised at her vehemence, but rightly decided not to push it. He sent the Hufflepuff a glare though before he turned and went in through the portal.

Taylor was breathing hard as she glared at Ron's retreating back, his over protectiveness driving her crazy.

"Hey, it's okay Taylor. I'm glad to see you have friends that want to protect you. I'm not scared of Weasley, and none of them can make me go away." The deep voice was slightly amused but gentle.

"He just drives me nuts! It's okay for him to do it but not me? The hypocrite!"

"Hey, he is just watching out for you, you know."

"I can take care of myself!" Taylor vented in her frustration.

Greg put his arms around the fuming witch and pulled her into a hug. "I know you can, but you know what? It makes me feel better knowing that you have friends who love you and look out for you. It makes leaving you here easier." His voice was soft as he spoke, dissolving Taylor's anger like a puff of smoke.

"I'm the one who is going to worry. You have to go all the way down to your common room by yourself." Taylor whispered.

"I'm Head Boy! What do I have to fear?" Greg asked with a sure grin, but it turned gentle as he added. "Don't worry Taylor. I know this castle very well. I can get down through it quickly and safely."

Taylor nodded. She knew she'd be checking the Marauders Map to make sure he did. "If you say so. I'll see you at breakfast tomorrow, okay?"

"I'll be waiting in the Entrance Hall." With that, he kissed the witch on the forehead and watched her go through the portal before he turned and hurried off towards his common room.

Taylor was just straightening up when Ginny called. "So there you are all safe and sound." Taylor rolled her eyes at the other witch. "See Harry, I told you Taylor would be fine. You know I had a devilish time keeping Potter from going to look for you. I had to seal his lips and everything!"

Taylor caught sight of her brother across the empty common room and saw his face turn red and he looked away. She had a very good idea how Ginny had sealed her brother's lips. Ron was over in the corner talking to Hermione but he didn't look her way. She was fairly sure that Hermione was calming his ruffled feathers too.

"Harry is our stuff still up in your room? I need something from Hermione's bag."

Harry jumped up off the sofa as he answered his sister. "Yeah, I'll go get it. Just a minute." And he dashed up the stairs.

Taylor went over and sat down on one of the chairs, and she saw Ginny wink at her before Ron and Hermione joined the two witches by the fire. Harry was back a few minutes later carrying Hermione's hand bag that contained all their stuff.

It was a few minutes before Taylor had her backpack and the Marauders Map that she wanted. Though she didn't get to look at it right away, as her brother brought out the portrait of Dumbledore as well as several of the Dark Magic books that they had gotten from Briggs Cottage.

"Well, it is good to finally be able to talk to you all again. I am very pleased to see you are up and around again, Miss Granger and Miss Porter." Taylor opened the map as she half listened to the portrait speak. She found the tiny dot labeled Greg Hunter almost to the Hufflepuff common room, and watched until he was safely inside before she returned her attention to the others. They were all looking at her expectantly.

"Ah… what did I miss?"

Ron and Harry growled a bit but the blue eyes in the painting twinkled as Dumbledore said. "I was just asking how you are feeling, but I see your attention was elsewhere. Perhaps near the kitchens?"

Taylor's face turned bright red as she muttered, "Sorry sir."

"Not at all. I trust Mr. Hunter has made it safely to his common room?" Taylor only nodded, "Good, he will be safe there. Now, I believe that we have a lot to discuss…"

It was after twelve before the five-some headed off to bed. They had briefly talked about Taylor and Hermione's time with the Death Eaters but had discussed more thoroughly the Horcruxes they had and how they were going to destroy them. Dumbledore said that he thought that there was a book somewhere in the library that might have a spell that would work. They also talked some more about the Dark Magic books that they had and on Dumbledore's suggestion they were going to study them some more.

Taylor was exhausted as she made her way up the dimly lit stairway behind Hermione. The dark started to press in and she was glad when Hermione lit a lamp by her bed. The two witches got ready for bed in silence, seeming to know that they each had to try to get through this within themselves.

When she was finally lying in bed looking up at her bed hangings was the hardest part for Taylor, knowing that when she closed her eyes the darkness would be complete. A deep voice spoke gently from her memory, and a smile played tentatively at her lips, the Hufflepuff's face filling the black void.

Sometime in the night Taylor woke with a start to find Hermione's bed beside hers and her friend's hand holding hers. Though she wasn't sure who had moved the beds together and didn't care.

The first couple of days back were difficult for the two seventh year Gryffindor witches but slowly they adjusted to being back in school and dealing with what they had survived. Both threw themselves into their schoolwork and worked hard to catch up on the week of classes that they had missed. Hermione returned to all her Head Girl duties, including patrol, though she was only patrolling with either Ron or the Head Boy. Taylor had _research lessons_ every other night with Harry, and when she wasn't doing schoolwork she was in the library searching with the others.

The Hufflepuff joined them at every meal and every night when he didn't have quidditch practice. Although he had no idea what the Gryffindor's were searching for he wasn't about to stay away from his short haired, redheaded witch.

The only bump in the plan happened Saturday morning when Taylor returned to the Gryffindor common room to grab her books to head to the library with Hermione and Greg.

"What's going on?" Taylor asked as she saw the Gryffindor quidditch players. All but Ron and her brother all standing around.

"Potter just resigned as quidditch captain!" Growled a fifth year on the team.

"Now we are going to have to wait for McGonagall to appoint a new one!" Another cried angrily.

"How are we going to find a new seeker? Potter's the best there is!" Someone else called out.

Taylor stopped to stare at the players as molten lava flooded her stomach. "Where is he?" Taylor demanded in a cold voice.

Ginny's eyes grew wide as she saw the fury on Taylor's face.

"Upstairs!" called several players.

Taylor took the stairs two at a time, her wand in her hand she blew the door to the seventh year boys dormitory open without stopping.

"Potter!" Taylor snarled.

"Bloody Hell Taylor!" Ron yelled as he scrambled to pull on a pair of pants.

"Hey you can't come barging in here like that! This is a boy's room!" Yelled Seamus as he pulled his bedcovers up to his nose.

Taylor only had eyes for her brother who stood by his bed wearing only pants, no shirt, and a surprised look on his face.

"Taylor what…" He began before Taylor's cold voice cut him off.

"You _quit_! How could _you_? You have no right to do that!" Taylor was trembling, she was so mad, causing red sparks to shoot out of the end of her wand.

"Calm down! I can explain…" Harry started, as Dean yelled.

"Hey! Why don't you get out! Harry can do as he wants!"

Neville nodded his agreement.

Taylor turned so that she could see Dean and pinned him with her eyes as she said in a deadly quiet voice. "I suggest you go! All of you, before I transfigure you into a pebble and toss you out that window."

"Taylor! Just what…" Ron started when Taylor turned to glare at him and he backed up a step.

"Taylor…" Harry started again as his temper ignited.

"Out!" Taylor bellowed and spinning quickly she blasted the blankets off Dean, Seamus and Neville, causing the three boys to race for the door dressed only in their pajamas as their pillows beat them over the head.

Ron glanced from his best friend, to his irate sister standing in the middle of the boy's dorm room. Seeing her wand raise in his direction made him decided that he'd leave her to Harry.

Taylor shut, sealed and silenced the room, almost hitting Ron as he raced out too.

"Porter, you had better have one hell of a good reason for coming up here like this!" Harry growled as he yanked his shirt on over his head.

"What the hell is all the talk downstairs about you quitting the quidditch team?"

"It's not just talk. I did quit. I can't look for a way to destroy the Horcruxes with all the time quidditch takes up."

"_You Are Not Quitting_!" Taylor yelled.

"I've already made up my mind!" Harry yelled back. "Destroying those Horcruxes is more important!"

"Mom and Dad wouldn't want you to quit! I won't let you!" Taylor screamed. "You can't!"

Harry looked at his sister in surprise, as his anger quickly fled.

"Don't you see? He takes everything! I won't let you quit!" Taylor knew she was losing control, but she couldn't stop. "He took everything from me! EVERYTHING! I could have had a normal life! I could have had a mother, a father and a brother! I could have played quidditch! He took that away from me! Because of him I have to lie. I have to pretend I am a muggle-born! That I don't have a brother!" Taylor was still screaming but tears were pouring down her face. "I won't let him take quidditch from you! I won't! I don't care what he did to me! I won't let you quit!" Sobbing Taylor knees gave out and she sank to the floor shaking her head.

Harry was shocked. He'd never heard his sister so distraught. Going over to her he sat on the floor beside her and hugged her, and she sobbed into his chest.

"You can't quit!" Taylor cried. "I'll do anything, anything you ask. Just please don't quit."

Harry knew, as his sister sobbed the words out, that this wasn't about quidditch. This was about a little girl who had lost everything, even her name, on the night Voldemort killed their parents. For a moment he tried to envision the life he might have had and his arms tightened around his sister.

"Shh Taylor." Harry whispered as he held his sister. "Shh, I know you are my sister. You still have me."

"Harry please! Don't let him take quidditch away from you too! I'll go to the library. I'll read every book if I have to. I'll…" Taylor cried.

"Why is it so important that I play quidditch? Did you want to play? I'll still be your big brother no matter what you know." Harry said gently.

Taylor struggled to get the words past the lump in her throat. "Mom and Dad would have wanted you to play. Dad would be so proud! They both would. _You're the best seeker there is_! I know you love to play. You've had to go through _so much_! You _deserve_ to play quidditch. You've lost so much! I won't let you give up quidditch too!" Fresh tears poured down her face.

How could he ignore the plea in her voice? When she had willingly followed him everywhere he went, and it had landed her in a hell he could only imagine. When all she asked of him was to play quidditch, to keep doing normal things. To give her life some semblance of normalcy. When everything she deserved had been taken away.

"Okay Taylor. If it means that much to you, I'll play."

* * *

><p>AN So there you have another chapter! I really am sorry that this chapter has taken so long to be posted... all I can say is that my life has been very busy. Darn real life! ;) Anyway hope you enjoyed this chapter... and Taylor's first kiss! ;) amd her toes even curled! As for Taylor's breakdown at the end... in her defense she has just been through a lot... and I could see her reacting to thinking that Harry was going to quit quidditch in a BIG way. Hopefully it was believeable and you enjoyed the chapter!

As always thank you to those who left a review(sorry I haven't answered those yet but I am going to as soon as I get done here!) Thanks for those who Alerted or Favorited and thank you for just reading! Thank you to my wonderful beta, barbc! Until next time, which I hope will be much quicker! cherrios, cytpotter.


	50. Quidditch and a Warning

A disclaimer... if I was really JK Rowling don't you think I would of admitted it by now? So I'm just a poor novice writer having fun with Harry and Co.!

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter Fifty<strong>

**Quidditch and a Warning**

True to his word, Harry didn't quit the quidditch team. Instead he threw himself into training the team. They practiced three nights a week and once on the weekend on Saturday morning, unless there was a game in which case practice was on Sunday. The third Saturday in January, during a sleet storm, the Slytherins beat the Ravenclaws. Most that were there to watch said the Slytherin seeker didn't so much as catch the snitch, as run blindly into it. However the end result was the same.

Taylor also kept her word and practically moved into the library, getting up early and going there before classes and staying until it closed at night, missing only the nights she had research sessions with Harry in the Defense classroom. Hermione was almost constantly with her, unless she was on patrol, and the two witches searched the library like none had before. Harry, Ron and Ginny were there as much as possible, as was the Hufflepuff, though he really didn't know what the Gryffindors were searching for.

When the main part of the library had been thoroughly searched, Taylor and Hermione asked the Headmistress for permission to search the restricted section.

The first of February, the five-some plus the Hufflepuff started their search of the restricted section.

Late the second Friday night of February, not long before curfew, Taylor sat at the back table with the four other Gryffindors and the Hufflepuff and she was barricaded behind a mound of books as usual. Also, as was usual, she wasn't paying attention to the hushed talk that was going on between the rest of the table occupants. The book she was reading was very dark, and full of Dark Art magic. It made her skin crawl just to read it. It talked of death and ways of killing…

"Hey Taylor!" Ron said as he reached over and gave her a poke to get her attention, only to find a wand pointing in his face and angry hazel eyes glaring at him. "Sorry. I didn't mean to startle you, but we've been trying to get your attention."

Taylor looked up over the pile of books to see the others looking at her. "Did you find something?'

"No, we were just talking about the game tomorrow." Harry said as he looked at the bloodshot eyes of his sister before they dropped away and he knew she was going back to reading. "Oi! Porter!" Harry growled as he flicked his wand and a few drops of water flew out to splatter on her head.

"Potter, what do you want?" Taylor growled, not bothering to look up this time as she quickly jotted a bit of information down. Hermione had suggested that they keep track of anything that even hinted toward a Horcrux, so they could go find the reference again and possibly piece together something from the different books.

"We are going to the game tomorrow."

"Yeah, okay." Taylor's eyes flew as she read the passage over and then added some to her parchment.

"We are all going, you too!" Harry said firmly.

"What?" Taylor asked after a few seconds as she ran the information through her head before looking up.

"What did you find? Is it something we can use?" Hermione asked as she took in the distracted look on the other witches face.

Taylor beckoned her friend over and the two witches put their heads together talking fast.

Ron shook his head. "You're fighting a losing battle there mate."

Harry shot his friend a look but he hadn't missed the hurt look that passed over the Hufflepuff's face. While Harry still wasn't sure if the Head Boy was right for his sister he couldn't fault the guy for not trying. The Gryffindors had just told the Hufflepuff that they were looking for some Dark Art stuff that had to do with death, and he had helped to look. When he found anything that he thought might be useful, he always showed it to one of them. Over the past weeks Harry had even grown to grudgingly like the Head Boy and his straightforward manner.

The curfew bell rang and they all got up, hurriedly putting the books back. Taylor and Hermione hadn't stopped talking yet and followed the others out of the library.

When they reached the stairs that the Hufflepuff usually took Taylor looked up and gave the Head Boy an apologetic look as she said a hurried goodbye.

They were almost to their common room when Harry dropped back with the two witches as they continued to rapidly discuss something.

"Okay spill you two. What is going on? Taylor you barely even looked at Hunter before he left."

Taylor glanced up at her brother and smiled tiredly. She'd never admit it to anyone but she was sick of going to the library, but it would soon be over… "Hermione and I just realized something."

Hermione broke in saying. "I didn't think it was possible but it's true. Another day or so and we will have searched the whole library."

Harry stared at the two witches and slowly shook his head. "Really? That's good, but tomorrow we are going to the game."

"But Harry, if we look tomorrow we can finish! We'll know for sure!" Taylor cried excitedly as she crawled through the portal and into the common room behind Ron and Ginny.

"Taylor, don't you remember what tomorrow is?" Harry asked arching his eyebrow.

Taylor stopped and looked at her brother for a long time as she tried to remember anything but the books she'd been searching through… Her face dropped and her mouth fell open, "Oh no… Greg's game. It's tomorrow! I completely forgot!"

Harry shook his head again.

"What do you mean you forgot? We've been talking about it all week!" Ron asked as he sat down by the fire. "If Hufflepuff wins, it will put them in the lead with us."

Taylor looked at him for a long moment. She didn't remember hearing anything like that.

"Porter, you have to get your head out of that library!" Ginny remarked as she walked by.

Taylor sighed. She hated it too but she had promised that she'd search. She sat down on the chair as the others sat on the sofas.

"So I hear that there is going to be a Valentine's party for fifth year and up in the Charms classroom Sunday night. What do you think, should we go?" Ginny asked as she looked at Harry and then Ron and Hermione finally glancing at Taylor.

"Sunday is Valentine's day?" Taylor asked surprised.

"Hermione are you sure those books aren't sucking her brains out?" Ginny asked dryly.

"Oh stow it Ginny," Taylor grumbled as Ron and Harry grinned.

"Well, we ah… won't be going." Harry said as his face turned red. "Unless you really want to." He added as he looked at his girlfriend.

"Oh! Did you have something else planned?" Ginny asked innocently.

Taylor knew she had been out of the loop for a while but she recognized when Ginny was trying to make her brother reveal his plans for their date.

"Well…" Harry was bright red by now and very flustered.

"Of course!" Taylor piped up. She so missed these times when they were just together, not reading, not searching. "I'm sure he has the whole evening planned." An impish grin pulling at her face.

"Taylor!" Harry growled at his sister. She wasn't helping.

"There'll be candles, and music and…"

"…your hexed butt if you don't quit it!" Harry growled more seriously.

The others talked for a while about going to the Valentine's party. Taylor didn't bother to say anything either way. She didn't know if Greg wanted to go or not. He hadn't mentioned Valentine's day at all… well not that she could remember… Taylor sighed again. She'd be so glad to finally be through searching the library.

The darkness had slowly lost its hold on the two witches, and they were once again fine in the dark. One or the other would sometimes have a nightmare, but when they did, they were there for one another. They were just bad dreams after all. Nothing that waking and having a friend to hold you couldn't solve.

Early the next morning Taylor rolled out of her bed dressing silently and quickly. Taking her cloak and mittens, she stole out of the dorm room and down to the empty common room. Some time ago McGonagall had let it slip that Madame Pince liked to be in the library early on Saturday mornings, _to work in peace_, is what the Headmistress had said. Taylor had taken advantage of that knowledge and was often at the library when the librarian got there at six.

Today was no exception and Taylor immediately headed for her back table and started her search. By nine fifteen Taylor had made her way through a large stack of books from the restricted section, but at nine twenty she put them away and headed for the Great Hall and breakfast. She wasn't going to miss this game, no matter how distracted she had been of late. It would be the first time she would get to see Greg play.

She didn't worry about walking through the castle by herself. She knew how to avoid a Slytherin ambush, and that was by staying in the main halls and using the central stairs. Ten minutes later she walked into the Great Hall to see Harry, Ron, Hermione and Ginny all sitting at the Gryffindor table. She paused though and looked over towards the Hufflepuff table where the quidditch team in their bright yellow quidditch robes was sitting. She spied the tall dark-haired Head Boy right away and headed in that direction.

"Hey!" Taylor said as she stopped behind Greg.

"Oh. Hey! I wasn't sure if you were going to make it."

Taylor didn't miss the bit of hurt that colored his voice and reached his blue eyes for just a moment. "Nope! A wild stack of books couldn't keep me away from this game!" She joked lightly.

"Hey Porter! Now don't be jinxing our beater!" Called a seventh year Hufflepuff.

Taylor laughed, but decided that she should leave so that she wasn't intruding on their game talk. "Well good luck! I'll see you out on the pitch."

The Head Boy caught Taylor's hand as she turned to go, an intensity burning in their blue depths that caused her to suck in her breath and her heart to pound wildly.

"Will you wear my scarf so I can pick you out among all the Gryffindor's?"

Taylor knew it was something that many other girls did if they were supporting their boyfriend from another house. A smile played on her lips. "Of course Hunter, I wouldn't want to get lost in the crowd."

Pulling his scarf out he stood up and put it around her neck. Taylor could feel her face turning red, as the whole hall seemed to watch.

Leaning in close so that he wouldn't be overheard he whispered. "Wait for me on the pitch, after the game."

Taylor smiled up at him. The intensity was back in his eyes. "Of course I will. Good luck. Be careful."

A reckless grin crossed his handsome face. "I have all the luck I need right here." His fingers brushed against her hand slowly. "The rest I'll leave to skill. I'll see you after the game."

Taylor grinned as she turned and walk over to the Gryffindor table to sit down, the long yellow and black scarf trailing nearly to the floor.

It was a cloudy cold winter day, but there wasn't a lot of wind, making it not a bad day for quidditch.

High in the stands Taylor was cheering the Hufflepuffs on in a sea of Gryffindors who were cheering the Ravenclaws on. The Gryffindors all knew that if Ravenclaw won, that their house would still be in the lead for the House Cup. Taylor didn't care, not about who was in the lead or not anyway, as she cheered another goal by one of the Hufflepuff chasers.

Greg, she could see, was a good flyer, and a good beater too. Handling the bat with ease, he repeatedly smashed the bludger at the Ravenclaws.

As the game progressed it was clear that the two teams were quite closely matched as the score inched up, 60 to 70 and then a little later 90 to 80 for Hufflepuff.

Taylor saw the Ravenclaw seeker dive suddenly and watched with fingers crossed that she wouldn't catch the snitch. A bludger cutting just in front caused the seeker to veer and Taylor looked up to see Hunter grinning as he swung his broom around to go after the bludger again.

A little later Taylor felt her heart come up in her throat as she grabbed Hermione's arm tightly. A near collision in mid air caused the two opposing players to swerve abruptly. One hit Greg, almost unseating him. By the time he had righted himself he didn't have time to swing his bat properly and a bludger glanced off his face, splitting his lip and putting a deep cut across his cheek.

Swallowing hard Taylor watched as the Head Boy played on, his bright yellow robes turning red with blood. Once, some time after, when the play was right in front of the Gryffindors, she got a close look at the Head Boy and saw that his one eye was almost swollen shut as blood covered his entire face.

When the Hufflepuff seeker finally caught the snitch, Taylor thought she would cheer herself hoarse. Hufflepuff had won, but only by a hundred and fifty points. They were now tied with the Gryffindors. Taylor didn't care though as she made her way down through the crowd and onto the quidditch pitch. She waved goodbye to her brother and friends when they headed back to the castle for some hot chocolate and a warm fire.

The Head Boy didn't keep her waiting long as he walked towards her, blood still seeping from the gash on his cheek and swollen lips making his grin a little grotesque. It even affected his voice when he spoke, making it sound slurred. "Hey, quite a game?"

Taylor looked at his face and bloody robes and shook her head. "You're a mess Hufflepuff! I think we had better get you up to see Madame Pomfrey!"

"Ahh, if a bloke can't take a little beating a' quidditch, 'den he ain't much of a bloke is 'ee?"

Taylor rolled her eyes, but she took Greg's hand in her mitten covered one and led him up towards the castle. "It was a very good game, by the way! I thought you played very well." A number of Hufflepuffs joined them and they talked about the game all the way up to the school. Some even accompanied them up to the Hospital Wing where Madame Pomfrey healed the cuts and gave Greg a potion to take the swelling down around his eye and his lip.

They were on their way back down towards the Entrance Hall when Greg asked. "So are you going to come to the party? I have heard that Hufflepuffs have great parties!"

Taylor grinned as she looked over at the tall Hufflepuff. His face was almost back to normal, only a wicked red line below his left eye and a thin one up from his lip showed where the bludger had split his face open. The rest of him though was still sweaty and dirty from the game. She wrinkled her nose as she replied. "That may be so, but do they have showers?"

The Hufflepuff laughed as he tried to pull Taylor into a hug, "That depends on if you are coming or not!"

Giggling Taylor avoided him and backed away. "Whoa! You stink Hufflepuff!"

Greg laughed and rolled his eyes. "You've just been spending way too much time with books lately! You forget what a sweating man smells like!"

Eyes dancing, "Huh! I still don't see no sweating _man_!" Taylor taunted before running down the hall away from the Head Boy.

He caught her easily and backed her against the wall, his arms on either side, caging her in. "So you don't see a man? Do you see a wizard, witch?" His voice had dropped to a low grumble as he stared into her eyes. A couple of passing Hufflepuffs wolf whistled and gave a couple of cat calls but he ignored them, waiting for his answer.

"I see a wizard." Taylor whispered as the blue eyes staring into hers darkened, her heart seemed to answer the intense look and started to race.

"I liked you wearing my scarf today, witch." His deep voice had turned husky.

"So you could see me easily." Taylor's voice was slightly breathy.

"No, so everyone knew you were mine!" The possessiveness in his deep voice caused her stomach to flutter and heat to spread throughout her body.

Taylor suddenly wondered if he was going to kiss her, right there in the middle of the corridor. He hadn't kissed her like he had that night in the broom cupboard since. Just a quick kiss on the forehead before he hurried off was all. True they hadn't had barely a minute alone since then, with their schedules and the constant searching in the library. But now would he kiss her right here, in broad daylight?

With an effort Greg reeled in his desire to kiss his witch. The fact that it was in the middle of one of the corridors and easily seen by someone passing made it a little easier.

That morning, as he sat at the Hufflepuff table, he hadn't been sure if Taylor would come or not. Ever since she had sealed herself in the Gryffindor boy's dorm room with Potter, it was like she was possessed. Every waking moment she was in the library, searching… for exactly what he didn't know. He had seen the strain she was under, the constantly blood shot eyes from reading continually. She had become so absorbed in what she was doing, she often didn't listen to even what her friends were saying. When Potter had said last night that they were all going to the game today, he had felt his heart soar, but then at the blank look on Taylor's face he knew she had forgotten. That morning when the other four Gryffindors had come in without Taylor, he knew she was at the library again. He'd made up his mind that he wasn't going to go look for her, and that she would come, but his heart had been heavy with worry that his witch would get caught up in those books again and forget. When he saw her walking towards him across the Great Hall well… he'd played the hardest game of quidditch he'd ever played! His teammates had even noticed and razzed him about it right afterwards.

"So if I shower, will you come to the party?" He asked stepping away from the redheaded witch.

Inside Taylor was having a major argument with herself. On the one hand she would love to go to the party and be with the Head Boy but on the other was the desire to finish searching the library. Some of her inner debate must have shown on her face.

"You need to go to the library." The voice was flat, but when it continued there was a ray of hope. "Why don't you come for just a little while, then I'll go with you to the library and help you search."

Taylor looked up at the handsome wizard as she chewed on her bottom lip. She knew she could never make him understand why searching the library was so important to her. She was beginning to wonder why herself. When she saw the hope fading from his eyes she reached out and touched his yellow robed arm. "I… I will come for a little while, but then I'll have to go, okay? You don't need to come with me, you should…"

The Head Boy picked her up and spun her around before setting her back on her feet, a big grin on his face. "Come on! You can wait for me in the common room while I shower." Grabbing her hand he led the way down to the Hufflepuff common room, which was packed with people all talking and laughing, as music was already blaring out of a wireless. "You stay here, I'll be back in a few minutes!" Greg called over the noise and pushed his way through the crowd.

Taylor sighed and made her way over to the wall where it was less crowded. She had only been standing there for a minute or so when a seventh year she recognized as Justin Finch-Fletchley joined her.

"Quite a party, right Porter?" He called over the noise.

Taylor just nodded. In all the time she had been dating, if you could call what she and Greg were doing was dating, she hadn't really had a chance to talk with his friends.

Justin watched her for a few moments before leaning down close to her ear so he wouldn't have to yell. "You know Greg really likes you, don't you?"

Startled Taylor looked up at the wizard as she nodded her head.

"He's a good guy, Porter. He defends you something fierce. Some of the guys… well, guys talk and sometimes not very nicely, but he always defends you."

Taylor didn't know just what to say, so she just nodded again.

"I just wanted you to know." Justin's eyes narrowed and turned hard as a muscle twitched along his jaw. "I just hope you aren't using him for something. The guys in his dorm wouldn't take it very nicely if you are. Hufflepuffs are nothing if not loyal friends! Get my drift Porter?"

A little shocked, she watched Justin walk away and stand by a couple of other seventh years, all eyeing her suspiciously.

Taylor knew she could take exception to what the Hufflepuff had just said to her, threatening her really, but she took a deep breath and tried to look at it from their perspective. Since they had started seeing one another, Greg had been in the hospital. After she had come back to school, she had been in the hospital, and he had spent even his nights with her. Then for the last six weeks much of his free time had been spent with her, and she had never hung around any of his friends or even been over to their table at lunch. Finch-Fletchley had reason to suspect her and warn her. Even if she wasn't trying to use the Head Boy, she knew it could look like it. Something she was going to have to change.

Taylor was eyeing the group of seventh years as she thought and didn't notice the Head Boy until he stepped into her line of vision.

"Hey, beautiful would you like a drink?" Greg asked as he grinned down at her.

Taylor glanced up at him as she tried to smile and push her irritation out of the way. Despite her best effort she knew that Finch-Fletchley's words had bothered her.

"Hey what's wrong?" Greg asked as his grin fell and his eyes narrowed.

Fixing a smile on her face she looked up at him. "Nothing, I… just didn't expect you back so soon. You clean up nice for a beater."

Greg's eyes turned calculating as he glanced over his shoulder in the direction she had been looking and then back at his witch. "You are a lousy liar Gryffindor. What happened? Did those blokes over there give you a hard time or something?"

Taylor tried to grin and make it look real. "Those guys? Nah, I can look after myself. They wouldn't even make me break a sweat!" Taylor knew her voice, even in the crowded noisy room didn't quite ring true. Trying harder she pushed on. "I'd love a drink. What do you Hufflepuffs serve your guests anyway?"

Greg wasn't sure what had happened but he had a sneaking suspicion that his fellow dorm mates had done something. He decided he'd find out later as he guided his witch through the crowd to the table with jugs of pumpkin juice on it. Pouring two glasses he passed her one, as a couple of fourth years stopped to talk about the game.

Taylor only half listened to the Head Boy as he joked easily with the two fourth years and she realized that he had an easy way with people. Her eyes traveled over to the group with Finch-Fletchley in it. It bothered her that people might think she was using him. She had been so absorbed in her own problems that she had stopped paying attention to what was going on around her.

Sighing, Taylor could feel her head start to pound. The music, which she normally would have enjoyed, just seemed to make her head pound even more.

It seemed like everyone wanted to talk to the Head Boy about one aspect of the game or another, not unlike the Gryffindors did with their players after a victory. Still though, Taylor felt herself being shunted to the side. Greg was enjoying himself, she could see that, and she was glad that he was. It wasn't long though until she found herself over by the wall again.

For a moment she considered just going and letting the Head Boy enjoy the party but she couldn't do that to him.

"So Porter, what's a little Gryffindor like you doing over here all by yourself?" Asked a seventh year boy that Taylor couldn't remember his name. He was tall though, even taller then Greg or Ron and he seemed to tower over her.

"I didn't know there was a height restriction over here." Taylor made a show of looking all around. "I don't see any signs!" The quiet warning and soft voice of Finch-Fletchley had un-nerved her a little, and probably because she knew it was true to some extent. But this bloke with his tongue in cheek remarks she could handle.

The tall wizard snorted, and Taylor caught the smell of Firewhisky on his breath. "You are a sharp tongued little witch aren't you?"

"You have no idea what you are messing with, so I'd back off if I were you!" Taylor growled as spells already started to form in her mind.

"I'd say I was messing with a _nice little piece_, if you get my drift. You must give pretty damn good to have three wizards sniffing after you!"

Taylor felt her temper starting to rise. Never before had she ever had remarks like this directed at her. Sure there were the Muggle-born slights but she'd learned to live with them. These just made her mad.

"Hufflepuff, this is your last warning."

"Or what? Are you going to call your boyfriend over here? He already shares you with a couple of _Gryffindors_ I'm sure he won't mind sharing with one of his real mates." The Hufflepuff's Firewhisky-laced breath fanned in her face as he leaned over her almost pinning her against the wall.

"I don't need no wizard to save me, you creep!" Taylor's wand was in her hand as she pointed it in his face, hidden from the room by his bulk. Spells swirled in her mind, ones to bind him, ones to make him bleed, ones to make him scream in pain. Deciding on one that wouldn't get her expelled, she flicked her wrist. The huge Hufflepuff turned stiff as a board and tipped against the wall. Taylor ducked down just a little to get out around him, whispering as she did. "The next time I see you Hufflepuff, you'd better pray that I don't hex you so bad your mother won't recognize you! Sober up you foul mouthed git!"

Fuming, Taylor caught sight of the door, though the group of seventh years with Finch-Fletchley seemed to be guarding it. Stalking over she pushed her way through. A hand grabbed her arm when she was almost out and Finch-Fletchley's face looked down at her.

"Where are you running off to, Porter?" he demanded.

"Tell Hunter I had to go. Then go get your drunk friend over there and sober him up before he gets himself in more trouble!" Taylor snarled as she glared at the Hufflepuff. Then jerking her arm free she stalked out.

Things that Ron had told her about boys assailed her as she stalked up through the castle. She would have loved for some Slytherin to try to start something. She wasn't even thinking of where she was going until she walked in through the door to the library. If she had ever needed the distraction of searching it was now. Heading for the back table she quickly piled the books high and dove in.

* * *

><p>AN Ah Oh... poor Taylor had her first run in with a nasty boy! Well as far as sexual harassment is concerned anyway. Why hadn't she run into it beofre you ask? Well I always figured she kept really close to Harry and Ron so no one in their right mind would start spouting off bad things about Taylor to those two. The rest of the time she would of been with Hermione and Ginny so again not where things would likely be said. Within this story of searching for a way to destroy Voldemort I tried to provide a way for Taylor to experince the normal, if sometimes disturbing, things a normal teenage girl would encounter. As well as Harry too... like the up coming Valentines day... :D

Also I LOVE Quidditch! And even though it hasn't played a big role in this story so far it will come up a few more times! ;) That being said I know I should of said this in the last chapter when Harry was going to quit but I had a brain fart and forgot! Sorry! Plus I find I can be easily distracted by things(another reason why I finished this story BEFORE I started to post it!) so sometimes I am not quite thinking Harry like I should be! However it always bothered me that JK allowed Harry to give up something that he was not only VERY good at but also truely LOVED. Maybe he didn't have to go on to become a professional Quidditch player but after Voldy was distroyed then I think she should of put in that he did continue to play! And maybe that is just my sport heavy background shinning through. Yes as a mother of two with a husband and all the responsibilities that entails I STILL find time to play the sport I LOVE which is hockey! And no before you ask I am NOT any good! LOL! But I play because I LOVE it so I find it hard to imagine that Harry would give it up... There that is my rant about one of my pet peeves in the books.

Plus(yes I know LONG A/N) I also wanted to say that we are pretty much half way through this story! (Hope I didn't just scare anyone away!) And even though I have the ending written I am curious... what do you like to see in an ending? A happy ever after? Where everyone lives? Or a darker sader ending where things don't turn out as rosy and someone dies? Like I said this is just pure curiosity as the ending has been written but I'd like to know what you see as happening at the end... Love to hear what you think!

Thanks for the reviews! I LOVE you guys! Plus the Alerts and Fav's! And just to you for reading! You guys make writting worth while! Thanks to my beta, barbc for all her hard work! Until next time, cytpotter.


	51. Trust

Nope my wand is still just a peice of wood and my spells to try to turn into JK Rowling haven't worked! So I guess I still own nothing but what you don't recognize!

* * *

><p>Chapter Fifty-one<p>

**Trust**

Greg laughed at something one of his team mates said, but his eyes searched the room. He'd seen Taylor just a few minutes ago over by the wall, but now only Derek was there leaning against the wall.

Greg once again found that he'd been pulled into an animated conversation about the game, he was feeling great! It had been too long since he'd played in a game. He missed the rush of adrenaline and the heart pounding exhilaration. Plus it didn't hurt that they had won.

Looking around again he tried to find his witch. He caught sight of what looked like mahogany hair over on the other side of the room and started to make his way in that direction. It was some time before he could finally push his way through. Everyone wanted a first-hand replay from the game. When he got there though, what he had thought had been the mahogany hair of his witch was a first year that had turned their hair red by accident and tried to cover it up with black.

Concerned now, he pushed his way back through the crowd looking more closely, but he didn't see his witch anywhere. As he was heading for the door someone screamed, before a loud crash. Wheeling he saw that Derek, who he had thought had been just leaning against the wall, had fallen over, smashing a table in the process.

When he reached the broken table he could see that Derek had been petrified. With a sinking feeling he pulled out his wand and released the seventh year.

"Bloody Hell! That little Gryffindor froze me!" Derek bellowed like an angry bull.

"Porter wouldn't just freeze you for no reason!" Greg growled as the common room went silent.

"Oh come on Greg, open your eyes! Porter is always in some sort of trouble or another!" Called out a sixth year.

"What happened?" Greg demanded in a hard voice.

Almost an hour later, after the Head Boy had waded through several stories, and taken Derek up to the boy's dorm to sleep off his Firewhisky, he headed out of the common room. Justin called to him to stop out in the corridor.

"You going to look for Porter?"

"What do you want Justin?" Greg asked in a hard voice. He was losing his patience with the people in his house today.

"She attacked Derek. Are you going to just let that slip by too? What about her searching in the restricted section? I'm just wondering how long you are going to turn a blind eye where that witch is concerned."

"Listen Justin, you are talking about things that you don't know anything about. Do you think I'd be blind enough to go with a Dark witch?" Greg asked in a hard voice as he stared the other wizard down.

"I'm your friend Greg. I'm just trying to make sure you know what you are doing. I don't want to see you get hurt, or worse…" Justin said quietly.

Greg waited for a few seconds to respond. He couldn't tell his friend what he knew about his witch, but he didn't want to lie either. "You are just going to have to trust me Justin, and Taylor. She is with Potter, she is no Dark witch."

"How can you be so sure?"

Greg looked at his friend for a long time before saying quietly. "I know Taylor. If she froze Derek she had a good reason. She is no Dark witch." Turning he left his friend and made his way up through the castle. He needed to find Taylor, although he was almost certain where he would find her.

Walking into the library, he made his way toward the back. His first glimpse of the table there showed him a stack of books and a bent head behind them. Pausing he watched the witch for a few minutes as she read, the dim light in the library forcing her to lean in close to the book to see. Every once in a while she would jot something down, pushing her glasses into place with her finger as her eyes scanned the page for her place before starting to read again.

As he watched she finished with one book and, setting it on a large stack to her right, she carefully marked something down, before picking up another.

For weeks now, he had watched her do almost the same thing. He wasn't sure what she was searching for but she was relentless in her search. Sighing he moved quietly over to the table and sat down.

"Hey Taylor," He was a little surprised that her head came up on the first call.

"Hi."

"I thought you were going to wait for me, and we could come up here together?" He could see something in her eyes but it was gone before he could figure out what it was, and she looked back down at the book.

"I thought you were having a good time with your friends, I… decided that I'd come up and leave you there. You deserve a break from this."

Greg stared at the witch as she continued to read for a long time before he said quietly. "Don't you think you deserve a break too?"

The witch snorted before she replied. "This isn't your search Hufflepuff. It's mine. When I finish it, I will get a break."

Greg watched the witch again for a while, then he pulled a book off the left hand pile and opening it he started to read.

Bleary-eyed Taylor pushed herself out of bed. Last night she had read until Pince had come and kicked her out of the library. She'd had to wake the poor Hufflepuff up. He'd fallen asleep reading beside her at the table. They hadn't talked hardly all evening, and when he turned down the stairs to go to his common room he'd just said a quick goodbye.

Rubbing her face in tiredness and agitation, Taylor grabbed up her book bag and started for the dormitory door.

"You not waiting for me?" Hermione's sleepy voice asked as she peeked out around her coverings.

"I didn't mean to wake you, sorry." Taylor said softly so she wouldn't wake Lavender also.

"Just give me a minute and I'll be ready." Hermione said as she swung her feet out of bed and grabbed her wrap to go to the washroom.

Taylor nodded and went down to the common room to wait. The windows were still dark, but the sky to the east was starting to lighten. By the time they would get to the library Madame Pince would be there.

When Hermione came down from their room a few minutes later she had her bushy hair tied up in a ponytail and her book bag slung over her shoulder.

Heading out through the portal the two witches set off for the library through the empty silent school. The corridors had only a lamp or two burning and were very dark.

"So did Greg ask you to the Valentines party this evening?" Hermione asked, breaking the silence.

Taylor sighed as she thought about the disastrous party yesterday. "No, we didn't talk much last night."

"Oh?" Hermione asked with a grin.

Taylor glanced at her friend and rolled her eyes. "I was in the library last night Hermione."

"But I thought you went to the Hufflepuff celebration party with Greg?" Hermione asked a little confused. She'd had late patrol last night with Ron and they hadn't exactly gotten back to the common room right after patrol… So Taylor had been in bed when she got back. She had just assumed…

"I did for a while… but then I thought I should get back to the library. Greg came up after a while." Taylor said evasively.

Hermione knew something was bothering her friend. She wondered if the Head Boy and she had had a fight.

A short time later, when the two witches arrived at the library, the librarian was just opening the door. Heading right for their back table, they took a quick look at their lists and then headed for the shelves to get the books they still needed to read.

By the time lunch was being served in the Great Hall, Harry, Ron and Ginny were back from their early morning quidditch practice and were sitting in the library too.

"I'm starving. When are we going for something to eat?" Ron asked as his stomach emitted a particularly loud grumble.

Harry closed his book. "I second that opinion." He looked over at his sister and Hermione. They hadn't yet looked up from their books to say anything.

When one of them did speak, it was Hermione. "Taylor and I really want to see if we can finish here today. So you guys go."

"Hermione, you two have been in this library for hours! Did you even have any breakfast?" Ron asked in a disapproving tone.

"Of course we did Ron," Taylor said in a tired voice barely looking up from her book. "Hermione had something in her bag."

Ron's eyebrows rose and he looked over at Hermione disbelievingly. Hermione ducked her head as her cheeks tinted pink. "Well, technically Taylor is right." She whispered, returning her eyes to her book.

"What did you have?" Ron asked suspiciously.

"Oh for goodness sakes Ron! It doesn't matter." Hermione snapped annoyed but at Ron's impatient look she said, "It was a couple of pieces of treacle tart."

"Oh well that's a good breakfast!" Ron said sarcastically.

"Okay you two come on. We are all going to have something to eat, then we will all come back and finish searching." Harry's voice was firm as he stood and started putting their things away. His warning look silenced Taylor's protests.

Grumbling under her breath Taylor packed up her things, and after putting the books back, followed her brother and the others out of the library. Despite the fact that nobody had mentioned it, the fact that the Hufflepuff wasn't with them hadn't gone unnoticed by any of the five Gryffindor's.

Sighing, Taylor walked into the Great Hall ten minutes later, her stomach in knots. She should have confided to Hermione about yesterday. Her friend was always better at solving problems then she was. She had no experience in the dating game. She didn't know the rules and she didn't know what was expected. Then there was that drunk seventh year oaf that had pissed her off. What was she supposed to do about that?

Gritting her teeth, she looked over at the Hufflepuff table, almost hoping that the Head Boy wouldn't be there. She had no such luck. Closing her eyes for just a second, she made a decision. Her voice was tight as she said quietly. "I'll join you guys in a minute." Not waiting for a reply she veered over to the Hufflepuff table like she had the morning before, this time though she had to force her feet to take the next step.

She saw many of their heads turn to watch her as she walked down their table to where Hunter was sitting. She got a little satisfaction when the drunk oaf from the night before turned a little paler as she passed, but it didn't help much. She stopped by the tall Head Boy like she had the morning before and tried to sound casual and not nervous.

"Hey, sorry I wasn't around earlier I was-" The Head Boy interrupted her.

"You were at the library. Yeah I guessed that much."

Taylor swallowed, not quite meeting the Hufflepuff's blue eyes. "Sorry… well I need to go get something to eat." Taylor wished the floor would open up and swallow her. She couldn't believe she had just said something so lame. Fighting the blush she knew was starting to heat her face, she turned and headed for the Gryffindor table, to her brother and friends.

"Hey Taylor…" the deep voice called.

Turning, she looked back at the Hufflepuff. His eyes were like chips of ice as they bore into hers. "I'll be out in the atrium at five."

Taylor just nodded as she turned back and continued walking, aware that almost the whole school was watching her. When she reached her friends, she sat down not even paying attention to where she sat. It wasn't until her brother spoke quietly in her ear that she realized that she had sat between him and Ron instead of with the two witches. Somewhere in her mind she wondered if she had been trying to somehow hide.

"What was that all about?"

Taylor just shrugged her shoulders. She wasn't exactly sure herself. She didn't know what had caused the tension between her and Greg. Silently she reached for some soup and ladled it in to her bowl. She didn't taste anything, but she ate. When she was done, she waited impatiently for the others to finish, anxious to be back in the library and away from the eyes she sensed on her. If she wasn't such a coward, she thought she would have gotten up and left by herself, but then there wouldn't be the large frames of her brother and Ron or the company of the other two witches to hide her exit.

The five Gryffindors searched all afternoon and finally at four thirty five, Taylor closed the last book. They had found nothing. Not one mention of a Horcrux or a spell, potion or anything else that could destroy one. It had been a fruitless search. But it was finally done. A huge weight seemed to lift off of Taylor's shoulders.

"So now where do we look?" Ginny asked as she helped to put the books away and gather their papers off the table.

Hermione sighed, she was taking the fact that she couldn't find what she had been looking for in the library hard. "I don't know. I'm out of suggestions."

"Well, I for one am glad to finally be getting away from this library!" Taylor said and her friends turned to look at her. "What? Did you think I liked living here?"

"No, not that you could tell at least." Harry said dryly.

"If I see the inside of this place again it will be too soon!" Grumbled Ron as he stuffed the last paper in Hermione's bag.

A big grin spread across Taylor's face and she nodded in agreement.

The five friends headed out of the library and up through the school towards their common room, talking about their plans for tonight. Neither couple was going to the Valentines party it seemed, though the two wizards refused to say where they were taking their witches as the school clock started to chime.

Taylor stopped as her mouth opened. "Shit! I forgot about Greg! Here take my bag! I've got to run!" Taylor cried as she swung her bag off and handed it to her brother, before turning and racing down the hall.

"Where are you going?" Harry called after his sister. He could just hear her reply of, "Atrium, at five!" just as she reached a corner and careened around it.

Taylor raced down through the castle, taking every short cut she knew. Willing her legs to go faster as her lungs burned. She was going to be late, she knew it, but she ran on, hoping that he'd wait at least a few minutes. When she finally reached the Entrance Hall, she skidded to a halt, glanced around and then set off towards the side door that led out to the courtyard, where students often hung out in warmer weather.

Opening the door, Taylor shivered as the cold air pushed in past her. She only had on an old pair of jeans and an old worn out sweater. It wasn't cold in the library and she had stuffed her robe in her bag that she had left with her brother. Stepping out into the snow, she realized that it had snowed sometime during the day. She hadn't noticed, but now the snow was over her runners and starting to melt. It would soon soak her feet.

"Greg?" She called as she stepped out and the door closed behind her, shivering again she looked around. She couldn't see any fresh footprints in the snow. Pulling her sleeve up she saw that it was ten minutes after five. With a groan she turned to go back in the school.

"Well, what do we have here? Little Porter, oh the Porter, what are you up to now? Looking for more Dark Magic?" cackled a voice, as Peeves appeared hanging upside down over her.

"Go away, Peeves," Taylor growled but then yelped as the poltergeist knocked a whole lot of snow off a side roof onto her, knocking her to the ground into even more snow. Scrambling to get up as the snow soaked through her jeans and sweater she could hear Peeves laughing wildly as he zoomed away.

Finally standing, she looked down at her soaked, snow covered clothes. Snow was even stuck in her hair. Reaching the door again she yanked it open and went back into the school.

What was she doing anyway? Why had she even bothered to come? If the Hufflepuff, she felt her heart constrict painfully, was tired of hanging around with her then she should let him go. She knew things were only going to get more difficult.

"Taylor?" A deep concerned voice asked.

Taylor's heart sank. She hadn't even dried herself off, she knew she must look like a fool standing there as snow melted off of her. Turning slowly she saw the tall Hufflepuff walking towards her.

"What happened? Why are you all covered in snow?"

"I was looking for you." Taylor said as she shivered, wondering where her quick wit had fled.

The Head Boy stopped in front of his witch slowly taking in her bedraggled appearance. Snow was stuck in her hair and on her clothes, soaking both and making her look smaller and more forlorn then he had ever seen her. His chest tightened painfully, as he fought the urge to pull her into a hug.

"You were looking for me? But why were you outside? Did someone attack you?" His voice turned worried as the idea crossed his mind.

"No! Not unless you call that menace that floats around here dropping stuff on everyone as attacking me!" Taylor growled.

"Peeves." The Head Boy's voice was slightly amused. "But why were you outside looking for me?"

Shivering Taylor looked up at the Hufflepuff, her voice was a little put out as she answered. "Well when I got to Entrance Hall I didn't see you, so I thought you might have meant outside. Peeves must have seen me go out."

"Oh, sorry," the wizard said apologetically as he pulled his wand out and dried the witch off and used a warming charm for good measure. He heard her grumble "I could have done that." before he continued, "I forgot something and went to get it. I was only gone a couple of minutes. You must have just missed me. I'm sorry."

Taylor sighed, wondering how this could have started off any worse. "No, I'm sorry, I was running late." Looking up at the Hufflepuff she noticed for the first time that he had a shirt and tie on, as well as nice dark navy blue robes that made his eyes appear even bluer. With a sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach she wondered what she had forgotten now. "Ahh, you look nice." She offered lamely.

"I see you forgot." The voice was a little resigned but not really disappointed. "What am I going to do with you? Don't you remember me talking about going to the Valentine's party tonight?"

Feeling even worse Taylor shook her head, as she looked down at her old clothes she was wearing. She didn't wish often that she had nice robes and things, but this was one of the times she really did. "I'm sorry Greg. I… I wasn't paying attention."

"I kind of got that. We can just go up to Gryffindor Tower and you can change. We can still make it." The Hufflepuff offered. He had really hoped that the two of them could spend a nice evening together, as a couple.

Taylor shook her head as her face turned red. At least looking at the floor the Hufflepuff couldn't see her shame. "I can't."

"We'll be a few minutes late but that won't matter…" Greg watched as the witch continued to shake her head.

Taylor's voice was small, as she fought the shame of telling the Hufflepuff the truth. "No, you don't understand. I… I don't have any… nice robes to wear, just… just my school ones."

"But you were wearing a dress at my place when you and Hermione…"

"Hermione transfigured my clothes. She's the one good at that stuff. Mine always turn out a mess. I'm sorry."

The Head Boy stood staring down at his witch. The shame and regret in her voice pulling at his heart. He had never stopped to consider what she wore. She always looked nice in his opinion, but as he thought about it, her clothes were always worn and older. He had just thought that she liked the look, not that she didn't have anything else to wear.

"Taylor," his voice was gentle as he reached out and putting his finger under her chin he lifted her face to look at him. "I'm sorry. I never stopped to think…" What he saw there made him want to kick himself. The usually calm self-assured witch that could remain cool and make a wisecrack in the stickiest of situations was chewing on her lip nearly causing it to bleed as self-doubt warred with humiliation in her hazel eyes.

"Aww damn Taylor," The Hufflepuff groaned as he caught her bottom lip to stop her from chewing on it. "I don't care what you have or don't have, witch." His voice was just a whisper. "All I care about is what is in here," he touched her short red hair, "and in here," he dropped his hand to lay it over her pounding heart. His voice turned husky as he added, "I also like these too…" as his thumb traced over her lips.

The intensity in his blue eyes almost stole her breath away and it was a long moment before she could find her voice. "You are the strangest wizard I have ever met. For the life of me I can't see why you waste your time on me."

Using a gentle pressure he backed the witch up until she was against the wall. They weren't hidden, but they weren't out in plain sight here, around the corner from the marble staircase as they were. His huge body shielded her from being seen also. His voice low and husky rumbled up from his chest, "It's your life that is most precious to me. Only the time I spend away from you seems like a waste. Witch, I want to kiss your lips. I've thought of little else all day." Dropping his head he brushed his lips over the witch's, tasting a little coppery blood as well as her sweet essence. His witch had made her lip bleed after all. Holding in the desire to deepen the kiss, his lips continued their gentle exploration. After he was done with her lips he moved to her jaw and then down to her throat.

The sound of someone approaching made him pull away reluctantly. Whoever it was passed by unseen.

"I have an idea. It will take me about ten minutes to do it. Will you wait for me?"

Taylor looked up into those blue eyes that made her heart pound and her knees go weak. She was wondering if her heart was trying to set a new record of some kind as it pounded wildly in her chest. She hadn't yet recovered from the wizards kiss. Nodding her head, she knew she would wait wherever he asked.

"I'll be back as soon as I can." The Hufflepuff said with a smile as he backed up a step. His heart was racing. His witch had a just-kissed look to her that made his heart soar, while another part of him wanted to keep her from being seen, to protect her. Taking one last look, he turned and hurried off, wanting to get back to his witch as soon as possible.

Taylor didn't move. For a while she wasn't sure if she could, her knees shook so badly that she wondered how they supported all her weight. She heard a few people coming and going, and she wondered where the Hufflepuff had gone. She didn't have that long to wonder, before he was hurrying around the corner towards her, a big smile on his face.

She had at least recovered enough to ask "So Hufflepuff where are we going? You look like the cat that swallowed the canary."

"Do you trust me Porter?"

Taking a deep breath she nodded. She trusted him with her heart.

"Then I want you to close your eyes and take my arm. I will lead you. No peeking!"

Taylor stared at the tall wizard for a long moment before closing her eyes and taking his arm. She felt his hand cover hers and then he was leading her. It was a true test of trust. If she didn't trust him, all she had to do was open her eyes. Nothing was stopping her, except her trust in the tall wizard who was guiding her through the castle. It wasn't a long time before he stopped and she heard him open a door.

All her lessons with Shacklebolt and Moody rushed in on her. All their talk about never letting your guard down and always, always being prepared, resounded in her mind. A gentle squeeze of her hand made her decide. Keeping her eyes shut tight she allowed the Hufflepuff to lead her into a room and close the door behind them.

* * *

><p>AN Well there you have it... Greg just took Taylor someplace... dum, dum, daaaaaaa. :) So this is Valentine's day at Hogwarts... I always wanted to expand on that day there! And now Taylor is experincing her first Valentine's day with a boy! :) She is so assured as a witch and her ability to do magic... but socially she is sooooooo unsure of hereslf! Always questioning what she should do and if she should. Like I was and I'm sure a lot of you can relate to as well! Well hope you enjoyed it! Let me know what you thought!

As always thank you to those who reviewed(Sorry I haven't answered back yet but I will!) And for those who Alerted and Favorited! And Thank you for reading! Thanks go to barbc, my beta! And until next time, cytpotter.


	52. Fairytales

Disclaimer... I do not own Harry Potter... but I wish I did! ;)

This is one of my favorite chapters... so I hope you enjoy!

* * *

><p>Chapter Fifty-two<p>

**Fairytales**

"Okay Taylor. Open your eyes." The tall wizard said softly.

Slowly Taylor opened her eyes and they grew round as she looked around. She knew right off that they were in the Hufflepuff study room, but it had been transformed. Instead of study tables and chairs, the room was bare except a single table and two chairs sitting in front of the fire in the fireplace. There were candles hanging in the air giving off a faint glow that made the room look romantic against the dark windows that showed a sky turning indigo as a few stars winked into sight.

"Miss Porter, if you would do me the honor," Greg said cordially as he bowed to her and gestured toward the table for two.

Suddenly unsure of herself again, Taylor nodded and allowed the handsome Hufflepuff to guide her to a chair. Pulling it out for her, he sat her down, like Taylor had seen men do for ladies on television when she was a little girl.

"I do have to apologize, I'm afraid all I could filcher from the kitchens tonight on such short notice was a plate of sandwiches and some pumpkin juice."

Taylor smiled. This was like a scene from one of her books as a child, _The Beauty and the Beast._ It was one of the few books she'd had and it was her favorite. "I think it is perfect."

"Milady is too kind. But I am glad that this is okay." The Head Boy said with a warm smile, before he handed her the plate of sandwiches and then poured her some pumpkin juice before filling his glass.

"And you Sir are incredible. Did you really do all this that fast?" Taylor asked as butterflies fluttered around in her stomach.

Greg laughed and shook his head. He'd been worried that the witch would think this was silly. It wasn't all that much, just a table and a few candles, however he didn't doubt the sincerity in his witch's voice or the appreciation shining in her eyes.

They talked as they ate about small things. The wizard often telling a funny story that made the witch laugh. When they were finished eating, the Hufflepuff vanished the table and chairs with a swish of his wand and conjured a small comfy sofa in front of the fire.

Again the butterflies returned, as again she was on unfamiliar ground. She'd never been alone with a boy, not like this. Following the Hufflepuff's offer, she sat down and he joined her on the sofa, and as seemed to be his gift, he sensed her unease.

"I'm not going to bite you Taylor. I'd never do anything you don't want to. I am happy to just have you to myself for a change. No friends butting in, no books claiming your attention, just you and me."

"Sorry. I guess I'm not very good at this dating thing." Taylor said as she started to chew on her bottom lip again.

Reaching over he put his thumb on the lip that she was trying to mangle with her teeth to stop her. "You're going to have that poor lip chewed off if you don't stop. Now tell me what has you so nervous? Is it the dim lighting?" Taylor shook her head. "Am I sitting too close?" Again Taylor shook her head. "I'm afraid you are going to have to tell me then." At her expression he said softly "I won't laugh, I promise."

"I guess, well, I don't know what to do. The only things I know about this," and she waved her hand around the room,"are from fairytales from when I was a little girl, or some of the talk I've overheard from the other girls" Taylor could feel her face burning, but he had asked.

Greg sat there for a minute thinking before he said with a bit of a smile. "So which do you think this is like? Your fairytales or the girls' stories?"

Taylor grinned as some of her old bravo seemed to come back. "Oh most definitely the fairytales! Though I think you look more like a handsome prince than the beast, but I'm no beauty, nor a princess."

Greg's blue eyes wandered over her face and down her body slowly, making Taylor's heart start to race. "Oh I have to disagree with you there. You are very beautiful. The most beautiful witch I've ever had the pleasure of getting to know." Reaching up he ran his fingers through her short deep red hair. "You have beautiful hair. I've never understood why you keep it cut so short."

Taylor looked down at the sofa for a long moment trying to figure out a way of answering that would be as close to the truth as possible. "When I was a little girl, I lived on a farm with my uncle. My aunt died when I was only three leaving only my great uncle to look after me. It was too difficult for him to try to braid my hair or look after it, so he kept it cut short. When I got a little older, it was easier for me too. After I came to Hogwarts… I … it was still easier. I didn't care about what guys thought so… I kept it short." She wished she could have told him that short it looked less like her mother's hair, but she couldn't.

"And what about Potter and Weasley? Did you ever think of growing it long for them?"

Taylor thought for a moment about her brother. He'd never ever mentioned her hair, except that it was the same shade of red as their mothers. She doubted that Ron ever took enough notice of her to even know it was red, let alone short. "No never. I doubt the two of them would notice if my hair was green!"

"I somehow doubt that. I think they pay more attention to you than you know."

Taylor rolled her eyes. "Oh don't get me wrong, they are constantly sticking their noses where they don't belong. However, they are like my _two_ big brothers, they are like family to me."

They talked for a while about family, or Greg's family, though it was easy talk.

After a while a comfortable silence settled on them and they sat looking at the fire.

A sigh and then Greg broke the silence. "I need to ask you what happened yesterday at the party. Did you petrify someone?"

Taylor stiffened as she continued to stare into the fire. What could she say? She knew the huge Hufflepuff oaf was a friend of Greg's. He'd been drinking sure but what if she told him and he got mad at his friend? What if he didn't get mad?

"I'm sorry Taylor but I need a few answers. Maybe I should have waited until tomorrow or sometime but… I hate putting things off."

Taylor nodded. She'd rather tell the Hufflepuff in here away from prying ears than in the halls. If this was going to lead to a fight then it was better here.

"When I released Derek he said that you froze him and left. Why? Why not just come over and get me?"

"Your friend was drinking." Taylor said quietly as she turned to look at the Hufflepuff.

"Yeah I know. He smuggled some Firewhisky in after Christmas." Greg's eyes searched the witch's but it was as if a shutter had closed. Her normally expressive eyes told him nothing.

"He shouldn't drink, he can't hold his liquor."

"Did he say something? Taylor, did he _do_ something?" Greg's voice turned angry as a muscle twitched in his jaw.

"Let's just say he let his mouth get him petrified." Taylor said in a tight voice.

"What did he say? Did he threaten you? Taylor, please tell me. If he did I will deal with him!"

A small smile pulled at her lips as she reached over and put her hand over Greg's fist. "He was drunk…" Greg interrupted her growling, "That is no excuse!" but she continued on, "you can't protect me from what people say. He is your friend, so I shut him up and left. I knew someone would realize he was frozen after a while, so he'd be fine."

"Is that why you left? Because of him?"

Taylor looked away from the Hufflepuff and back into the fire. It seemed silly now to let some drunk make her leave, but she knew it was as much what Finch-Fletchley said too, that had made her turn tail. Some Gryffindor she was!

"Taylor?" The deep voice prompted full of concern.

"No, not really I just… I needed to get back to the library anyway."

"I've told you before, you are a terrible liar, Gryffindor. Hey look at me." Greg's hand caught her chin and turned her face so that their eyes met. "Did he hurt you?"

Taylor snorted and tried to turn her head but the Head Boy held her chin. "Your eyes tell me a different story witch. You can hide your feelings in them sometimes but not for long. What he said must have been…"

"Vulgar is the word I'd use." Taylor finished for him. "Greg I'm not looking for you to do anything. Give him a detention or take points for him drinking but I can handle myself. If there is any more done about this I will do it."

"Is that what you'd tell Potter?"

Taylor thought for a moment. If her brother ever caught wind of what the Hufflepuff oaf had said to her… or Ron… "I am a big girl Greg. Those two know it. If I can't handle what some drunk seventh year says then I'm in trouble."

She could see the muscle twitching on the Head Boy's jaw for a few minutes but then he asked. "There is no excuse for that kind of behavior. I will have a word with Derek …"

This time Taylor put her fingers over the Hufflepuff's lips. "Greg, it's okay, really. The last thing I want to do is cause a rift between you and your friends."

Closing his eyes and taking a deep breath the Head Boy tried to calm his anger. He decided to ask another question that was bothering him. "What are you and the others looking for in the library?"

Taylor sighed, "You know I can't tell you. If I could have I'd have told you a long time ago. It's a moot point now anyway. We finished in the library this afternoon."

"Did you find whatever it is you are looking for?" The Hufflepuff asked as his eyes bore into Taylor's.

Smiling she answered. "Would it put your mind more at ease if we _did_ or if we _didn't_?" She saw the muscle twitch along the wizard's jaw. "No we didn't find what we were looking for."

"What in Merlin's name, are you looking for that isn't in the library? It must be very dark indeed… It is Dark Magic isn't it?"

"No not Dark Magic, but it is from the Dark Arts." Taylor admitted.

"But why are you looking for something from the Dark Arts? People are starting to talk, and ask questions. The whole school knows that you guys are searching for something. They are starting to get worried."

Taylor looked back into the fire. What the Hufflepuff just said wasn't news to her. "Yeah, it doesn't take much to spook people these days. I guess I can't blame them. But we are trying to help. We are working to try to get rid of the fear. Hopefully someday they can look back and see that we were only trying to help."

The Head Boy stared at the witch beside him for a long time. He had heard that tone of voice from her before, when she had told him her fatalistic view about helping Potter. It hurt to think that she was so willing to put her life on the line. Gently he brushed his fingers over her cheek and was rewarded when his witch tipped her head into his caress. Leaning closer he kissed her forehead and then made his way toward her waiting lips.

"Someday witch I will need answers, but for now it is enough just to have you here with me," he breathed the words before capturing her lips and kissed her like he'd wanted to earlier. His arms went around her body and he lifted her up and sat her in his lap, his hands ran up and down her back and up into her short hair, eliciting a moan from his witch. His kiss turned demanding as the girl in his arms melted against him and her hands started to follow the path his had taken.

It was a long while before anything but ragged breathing could be heard in the room, other than the crackling of the fire.

"What are you doing Harry?" Ginny asked, as her boyfriend led her back to the Gryffindor common room. She'd had a very enjoyable evening so far, the curfew bell had just rung but still that didn't quite explain Harry's hurry to get back to the common room. Harry had taken her to the Room of Requirements and they had a nice supper and some really good quality snogging time. Ginny giggled and blushed a bit at just the thought. Harry had of course been a gentleman, but his kisses had been… her blush deepened.

Harry said the password and led his witch into the Gryffindor common room. Only mostly younger students were in there so far, the older ones all having gone to the Valentine's party, or like him to some private room. His heart thudded heavily and the creature in his chest roared as he thought about his night with Ginny. Maybe it was just those thoughts that had hurried his legs along to get back to the common room to check.

"Hiya Harry! Did you go to the Valentines party?" Dennis Creevey asked excitedly when he spied the older Gryffindor.

"Ah, have you seen Taylor, Dennis?" Harry wasn't about to tell anyone where he took his witch, especially Dennis.

"Nope, not all evening. She's probably out with that Head Boy. They couldn't have been at the party either, right Harry?" The youngest Creevey brother asked, hunting for information.

"Yeah thanks Dennis," Harry said as he turned away from the sometimes annoying Gryffindor. He glanced at Ginny and saw her raised eyebrow. Catching her hand again he pulled her over to an empty corner.

"Why didn't you just say that you were worried about Taylor?" Ginny asked looking into Harry's green eyes to see the worry there.

"I'm not. I mean I am now. It's past curfew and she's not back. Do you think she went to the Valentine's party with Hunter?"

Ginny thought for a moment before shaking her head. "I doubt it. It was a semi formal party, and Taylor wasn't dressed to go to anything like that when she went tearing off earlier. I don't think she has anything like that to wear anyways. Hunter probably took her to a classroom or something. I heard a few different guys talking about doing that."

Harry's frown just grew, if Hunter took his little sister to some room alone… He'd kill the bum! Harry quickly excused himself and raced up to his room throwing open his trunk and grabbing the Marauders Map and spread it out on his bed. "I solemnly swear I am up to no good!" he growled as he pointed his wand at the map. "I'm going to jinx that bloody Hufflepuff, if he…" getting frustrated with searching he pointed his wand at the map again. "Show me Taylor Porter!"

His searching eyes soon found the small red dot labeled Taylor Porter, and merged with her dot was a second labeled Greg Hunter.

"Harry? Did you find her?" Ginny asked as she walked into the seventh year's boys' dorm room. One look at the thunderous look on her boyfriends face told her what she wanted to know. Going over quickly to him she looked down at the map.

"I'm going to jinx that good for nothing Hufflepuff so bad his own mother won't recognize him!" Harry stormed as he came up off his bed.

Ginny put a hand on Harry's chest and looked up into his angry eyes. "What is so different about Taylor and Hunter being alone than Ron and Hermione being off all by themselves? I haven't heard you growling about what they might be up to."

"That's different! Ron would never take… he'd never go too far! He loves Hermione! Besides Taylor is too young for that Hufflepuff! He could take advantage of her!" Harry's eyes seemed to glitter with his anger.

"Oh? Like you took advantage of me tonight?" Ginny asked innocently. "Taylor and I are, after all, the same age."

Harry opened his mouth and closed it twice before he said stubbornly, "That's different. I'd never do… Guys they don't think like girls they… I don't trust Hunter! He looks at Taylor like…"

"You look at me? Ron looks at Hermione? I think he loves her Harry. He won't do anything Taylor doesn't want…" Ginny saw the blood drain from her boyfriend's face, "You're acting worse then Ron you know that? I thought he was over protective! Taylor will be fine…" Ginny glanced down at the map again and a giggle escaped before she said, "My, they are very close aren't they?"

"Not helping, Ginny!" Harry ground out between clenched teeth.

"I have an idea that might help," Ginny said coyly as she ran her hand slowly up Harry's chest to his neck, eliciting a combination of growl and groan from the wizard. Standing on her tiptoes she wrapped both arms around his neck and pulled his head down to hers. Feathering kisses over his lips until they softened and then she began kissing him in earnest.

"Oi! Potter, get a room!" Called Dean as he came into the boy's dorm room.

"Yeah a room! Just not this one!" Seamus called as he whistled and wagged his eyebrows.

Harry pulled away from Ginny, his heart racing and his breathing slightly labored. Throwing a dirty look over at the two wizards he grabbed the map off his bed, catching Ginny's hand he headed back down to the common room. Which was, thankfully, a lot emptier.

Ron and Hermione were just coming in through the portal, looking slightly flushed.

"Hi Ginny, Harry how was your evening?" Hermione asked with a smile.

Ginny giggled as she met the other witch's gaze. "I'd say about as good as yours by the looks of things!"

Hermione blushed a little. "Yeah it was nice. You guys just getting back also?"

"No, we were just up in Harry's room before Dean and Seamus came in and ruined it!" Ginny said with a mischievous grin.

"Bloody Hell Ginny! It's bad enough that you… but I don't want to hear about it! A bloke doesn't want to know what his sister does with his best mate!" Ron said with a shudder before going over to the sofa and sitting down in front of the fire.

"Well, I wouldn't have had to if Harry wasn't fretting about what Taylor was up to." Ginny answered flippantly as she sat on the other sofa.

"Why's he fretting about Taylor? What's happened?" Hermione asked as she sat down beside Ron, and Harry sat down with Ginny.

"Oh nothing. Just Hunter and she aren't back yet and Harry had to go and see where Taylor was on the map." Ginny said with a grin.

"Harry! You leave poor Taylor alone! She deserves a night out! It's been over a month since she's been anywhere but at the library." Hermione admonished as she glared at her friend.

"Where is she? I suppose she is with Hunter, is she? Its past curfew, she should be back by now!" Ron asked as he glanced at his best mate.

"That was my thought also." Harry said in a tight voice, glad at least someone agreed with him.

Taylor was in heaven as she sat on Greg's lap surrounded by his arms. She felt safe, and her body seemed to hum it was so happy. With a smile she now knew what was meant when someone said they were thoroughly snogged. Her lips were still tingling from the Hufflepuff's last incredible kiss, her toes were still not uncurled!

She loved to listen to his heart beating, just under her ear, the steady rhythm was intoxicating.

They had done more then just snog the whole evening. They had talked about a lot of things and he had asked her more about the Dark Magic she could use. She had told him things she had only ever told her brother, about her own worries about her abilities to use Dark Magic. He had held her tight and told her that he loved her.

They had heard the curfew bell ring a while ago but neither seemed ready to move.

It was with a regretful voice that Greg finally broke the comfortable silence. "I'd better get you back to Gryffindor Tower before Potter or Weasley come looking for you."

Taylor's eyes were closed as she listened to the deep rumble of the Head Boy's voice in his chest, a sound she could listen to all night. With a sigh she finally nodded. "Yeah, I'd hate to have to jinx the both of them." The answering chuckle made her smile.

"We can do this again Taylor, if you want. This doesn't have to be the only time we have together." The Hufflepuff's voice was low but there was a tension in it that Taylor picked up right away.

Smiling she leaned out away from the tall wizard to look up into his face. "I'd like to do this again, soon."

Greg's kiss was tender and lingering, not wanting their time together to end. Finally he broke the kiss and leaned his forehead against his witches. "If only you knew what you do to me… I want to do this again too."

Taylor looked up at the wizard and a blush crept up her face as she whispered, "If it's half of what you make me feel… oh how I wish I had Hermione's old time turner! I'd repeat this night again and again."

A few minutes later the Hufflepuff led the witch out of the study and down the corridor to the Entrance Hall and then up through the castle.

Approaching the portrait of the Fat Lady, the Hufflepuff paused and pulled the witch into his arms, "I had a wonderful time tonight."

"Yeah, it was one of the best I've ever had. I'll see you in the morning? I'll sit with you at the Hufflepuff table." Taylor whispered, she was going to make every effort to get to know the Hufflepuff's friends so they wouldn't be so worried about him.

"I'll save you a seat." The deep voice was husky again and Taylor's heart started to pound. She knew he was going to kiss her again.

His lips were gentle on hers as he ran the tip of his tongue along her bottom lip, causing her to shiver in delight. His arms were on her back holding her against his tall frame, as his tongue started its intricate dance with hers.

A noise from behind them froze the pair for a second before they wheeled. The Head Boy instinctively pushing the witch behind him.

"I must admit, Mr. Hunter, I am rather surprised to find you out this late after curfew and with Miss Porter too. I suppose I am going to have to report this and give you both detention, am I?" Lupin asked with a raised eyebrow as Tonks giggled beside him.

Taylor heard Greg swallow and before he could say anything she stepped out around him and glared at Lupin. "I don't think you need to report it at all. Mr. Hunter was just… escorting me back to Gryffindor Tower. He was just saying goodbye when you happened along!" Taylor said in a level voice.

"Is that what they are calling it these days!" Tonks giggled as her eyes danced in mischief.

Lupin sent the auror a look before he said in a firm voice. "Miss Porter I will escort you the rest of the way to Gryffindor Tower. Mr. Hunter you will wait here until I get back and I shall escort you to your common room also."

Taylor glanced up at Greg and saw that he looked a little pale. She wished that she could tell him that it was okay, but she didn't want to push Lupin too far. "I'll see you in the morning. Goodnight Hufflepuff."

"Miss Porter?" Lupin motioned for her to follow him.

"G'night Taylor." Greg said quietly.

Taylor turned from the Head Boy and marched down the hall beside Lupin.

"I'm surprised that you would be so careless after all that's happened."

"Oh stow it Lupin!" Taylor snapped in a hushed voice. "I can't believe that you threatened to report me! After all that the Marauders got up to at school? Humph!"

"We live in different times Taylor. Besides if James had just seen what I did…" Taylor looked over and saw the twinkle in his eyes, "Let's just say that Mr. Hunter needs to be reminded of how to be a gentleman."

Taylor could feel her temper rising as she glared up at the last Marauder. "Hunter is a perfect gentleman! Don't you go giving him a hard time, Lupin!"

They had reached the Fat Lady but Taylor stopped to glare up at the wizard.

"I'll do no more or no less then what Prongs would expect. Goodnight Miss Porter." Lupin said in a firm tone, though there was still a distinct twinkle in his eye before he uttered the password for the Fat Lady. "Purple Hearts"

With a huff Taylor crawled in through the portal wondering what Lupin had meant by his last statement. What would her father have done if he had happened along and saw her kissing the Head Boy?

"Taylor! Where the Bloody Hell have you been? Do you know how far past curfew it is? What do you think you were doing? Going off all by yourself with that Hufflepuff?" Harry's angry voice reached her ears and made her smile. Her father would probably yell about like that!

"What are you smiling about? Do you think it's funny?" Her brother continued on his rant.

"We were just going to go out looking for you! I'm going to have a talk with that Hufflepuff!" Ron snarled as he punched his fist into his other hand.

"Oh will you two give it a rest!" Taylor laughed as she walked over and sat down with her brother and friends.

"I take it you had a nice evening then? You sure are in a good mood." Hermione remarked taking in the 'just been snogged' look of her best friend.

Taylor grinned from ear to ear. "Hermione it was the best evening I think I've ever had!"

"I'm going to jinx that Hufflepuff into a puddle!" Harry snarled.

* * *

><p>AN Well there you have it! Taylor's first date! LOL! Hope you liked it as much as I enjoyed writting it! I just couldn't resist putting a little Lupin in there too! I mean as the last Maurader he would be keeping an eye on Taylor and Harry as well! Hope it wasn't too mushy... but after all the drama I thought a little mushyness was in store! Let me know what you think!

Thank you to all of you who left a review! Wow I LOVE reviews! And those who added this story to their Favorites and Alerts! And thank you for just reading! Thank you to the wonderful barbc, my beta who is absolutely amazing! Well until next time, cytpotter.


	53. A Letter

Nope not JK cause if I was I'd have more time to post chapters sooner! ;)

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter Fifty-three<strong>

**A Letter**

Taylor was still grinning as she brushed her teeth the next morning in the girl's washroom. It had taken some talking last night to calm her overprotective brother down, as well as Ron who seemed just as determined to jinx the Head Boy. Ginny's questions about her evening didn't help keep her brother or Ron all that calm, though from what she gathered from talking to the other two witches, their evening wasn't far from how hers had gone.

Taylor paused while brushing her hair and stared at her reflection. She didn't look any different but inside she felt somehow older, more mature. Finally satisfied, she went back to her room and put her uniform on, taking special care that her tie was right, before putting her school robe on. Hermione just smiled at her for the extra fussing that she had never done before.

"Oh stow it Granger!" Taylor griped half heartedly, before grinning at her friend.

Together the two witches headed down to the common room where Ginny and the two wizards were already waiting. Talking about their first class, potions for the seventh years and charms for Ginny, they walked down through the castle.

Taylor could feel the butterflies starting as she neared the Entrance Hall.

"I'm… I'm going to sit with Greg this morning okay? I'll meet you guys after breakfast alright?"

Harry shot his sister a look but before he could say anything Hermione spoke up. "Yeah, sure Taylor, no problem. We'll meet you in the Entrance Hall." Biting his tongue Harry tried not to say anything. As Ginny had pointed out last night, to everyone else but them, Taylor was of age and perfectly capable of making her own decisions. Plus Ginny had whispered in his ear that she would find out if Hunter had crossed the line and let him know. Though his witch had said he'd have to get in line behind her if the Hufflepuff did.

So with a clipped voice he said quietly "See you after breakfast then." His sister gave him a big grin before echoing his sentiment.

Watching with narrowed eyes he saw his sister pull ahead of their group and veer over towards the Hufflepuff table as soon as she entered the Great Hall.

"Don't worry, we can keep an eye on them while we eat mate." Ron said quietly as if reading Harry's mind. Harry nodded his agreement and sat down facing the Hufflepuff table.

Taylor could feel all the eyes following her as she made her way over to the Hufflepuff table again. She had caught sight of the tall dark haired Head Boy as soon as she entered the Great Hall and his eyes had met hers and a smile had come on his face. Walking down the Hufflepuff table she noticed that this morning Greg was sitting with Finch-Fletchly and Macmillan and a couple of seventh year girls.

"Hey!" The Head Boy said as she reached him.

"Hi," Taylor said and she nodded to his friends.

"Sit down, I saved you a seat." Hunter said as he waved to the seat beside him.

With a small smile Taylor sat down beside the tall Hufflepuff, and his hand immediately found hers under the table and gave it a squeeze.

"Taylor, you know everyone right?" Greg asked and at her hesitation made the introductions anyway. "This is Justin Finch-Fletchly, Ernie Macmillan, Hannah Abbot, and Sally-Anne Perks."

"Hi," Taylor said trying to smile.

She sat listening to the Hufflepuff's talk, as she picked at her piece of toast. It had been a long time since she hadn't eaten with her friends and she felt a little weird. She could see her brother and Ron across the hall watching her and she smiled at them.

"So Taylor what do you think?" Macmillan asked drawing her attention back to this table.

"Oh, ahhh…"

"Ernie was wondering about the last Transfiguration test, how you did." Greg prompted as his hand found hers again.

"Sorry Ernie, I wasn't really listening. That was rude of me." Taylor said apologetically before she told him how she had done on the test. Transfiguration wasn't her strong point.

"So Porter, what is it that you and Potter are looking for in the library anyway?" Finch-Fletchly asked, his eyes challenging her to answer.

Taylor looked at the Hufflepuff for a moment and noticed that their whole end of the table had gone silent waiting for her to answer.

"Do you think that's any of your business, Justin?" The Head Boy asked quietly but the warning was plain in his voice.

"Finch-Fletchly, I'd be curious to know if Potter were here if you'd be so bold as to ask him? But seeing as he isn't at the moment… I'll tell you this. If I refused to tell Hunter here in private, do you really think I'd tell you where everyone is listening?" Taylor's voice was quiet also but it was hard and clipped.

"You're looking for something Dark if you are looking in the restricted section!" Sally-Anne Perks accused.

Taylor looked over at the witch she had sat on the train with, the first trip to Hogwarts all those years ago. "Perks, use your head and think for just a moment. Harry is the Chosen One, whether he wants to be or not. Everyone is expecting him to somehow pull a miracle out of a hat and defeat Voldemort," there were gasps and several cries of alarm, but Taylor ignored them, "Now tell me why would it be so preposterous for him to look for something to help him do the impossible?"

Taylor snorted in disgust and shook her head. "You can't even stand the sound of Voldemort's name and yet you expect a wizard no older then you to go and willingly face Voldemort down!" Pushing away from the table Taylor stood. "When you grow a backbone come see me and ask me a real question!"

Fuming Taylor walked down the silent table and out of the Great Hall. Once outside she shook her head she muttered to herself. "Well Porter that's a great way to get them to like you!"

It was only a few seconds later that she heard someone come out of the Great Hall and hurry towards her.

"Taylor… I'm sorry. I didn't think…" The Head Boy started.

Taylor turned to look at his angry, disgusted expression. "It's fine Greg. I shouldn't have lost my cool. You can't control what other people think."

Taylor saw her brother and Ron step out of the doors to the Great Hall and head in her direction. Hermione and Ginny were right behind them. She could tell by the murderous look on her brother's face that he was going to go after the Hufflepuff.

"Potter! Never mind! It wasn't anything Hunter did!" Taylor's voice was low but firm, her hand ready in case she needed her wand.

"What the hell just happened in there, Hunter? From where I was sitting it looked a hell of a lot like Taylor was defending herself!" Harry demanded in a harsh low voice.

"Potter! I'm warning you!" Taylor growled, but Greg put a hand on her shoulder.

"You're right Potter, she was. It seems that there are questions that people want answered and they took what they saw as an opportunity to ask them. From _where I was_ _sitting_ Taylor shot them down and shut them up just fine!" The Head Boy met Potter's angry glare and didn't back down.

Taylor could see a crowd starting to gather near the doors of the Great Hall. "Look Potter, this is neither the time nor the place. Hunter, I must say breakfast with you was… not boring. I'll see you at lunchtime." Taylor grabbed her brother's arm and with a sharp tug she pulled him away from the Hufflepuff and off towards the potions classroom.

"What did you do that for? I am going to have _a word_ with that Hufflepuff, whether you like it or not!" Harry grumbled as he walked beside his sister.

Taylor rolled her eyes. "Potter do you really want to have it out with _the Head_ _Boy_ in the Entrance Hall with the whole school watching and a teacher about to arrive at any second? Man, if you are going to avenge my fallen honor, or whatever it is you think you are doing, at least do it someplace where it will last more then ten seconds! Where is your Gryffindor pride anyway?"

"Oh stow it, Porter!" Harry griped. He'd heard the sarcasm in his sister's voice plain and clear. The snicker he got made him realize the truth in his sister's words, no matter how sarcastically they were spoken.

Potions that morning was a difficult one. They were brewing up a pepper-up potion for Madame Pomfrey that was very ticklish to make, but very easy to see if it was brewed wrong. Taylor and Hermione were the first ones done, and received Professor Slughorn's praise for their properly brewed potion.

Their next lesson out in the greenhouses allowed the Gryffindors a chance to talk as they repotted some biting flower that also had a poisonous stinger. They talked about what had happened at the Hufflepuff table that morning and in a roundabout way Taylor told the others, though she left out the names and exact questions. She planned on going back to the Hufflepuff table at lunch and every other meal until they accepted her, so her brother charging over and telling them off was counter productive and she told him so.

At lunchtime she met the Head Boy in the Entrance Hall and after a brief discussion he led her over to the Hufflepuff table again. Lunch was a much quieter affair as Taylor met every Hufflepuff's curious, nervous or even angry stare. The Head Boy beside her was quiet too, though his hand found hers a couple of times under the table. When they were finished eating Hunter stood up with Taylor and walked out of the Great Hall with her.

Out in the Entrance Hall the tall Hufflepuff turned to her. "Taylor you don't need to sit with me, not like that. I'll just sit with you guys."

"Greg, I'm not going to jinx them or curse them with some deep dark spell. They'll figure that out eventually. Now if you'd rather I didn't sit there with you, then that is different." Taylor met his blue eyes questioningly.

The Head Boy grinned. "Nope, I'd love for you to sit with me whenever you want!"

Taylor smiled too. "So tell me, did Lupin give you a hard time last night?" She saw a slight blush creep up the Hufflepuff's neck, and her eyes narrowed as she clenched her teeth.

"Hey, now, it wasn't no more than I deserved. I was very reckless last night, both with keeping you out past curfew and not being more diligent in the hallway. At least he isn't going to give us detention."

Taylor snorted and the Head Boy looked at her curiously. "When Lupin went to school here he was one of a group of boys called the Marauders. They made the Weasley twins look like choir boys! I can't imagine him having the _nerve_ to give me a detention for that after some of the stunts I know they pulled!"

"You seem to know him fairly well. Most people don't trust werewolves." Taylor narrowed her eyes at the Head Boy, who held up his hands as if in surrender. "I just mean that I find it a bit odd that he takes such an interest in you. It's obvious that he cares for you and that the feeling is returned. You have a strange assortment of friends, Porter."

"It's not so strange really, I happen to remind Lupin of someone he cared about long ago. I don't care if he is a werewolf. He is a good man. It's more important what a person does, not who or what they are!" Taylor said with feeling.

"I'm sorry. I seem to put my foot in my mouth a lot when you are around me." Greg said with a sigh.

"That's a big foot too!" Taylor smiled "I'd better get going. Here comes Harry, Ron and Hermione. I'll see you at supper. And Hufflepuff?" At his curious look she continued, "Try not to choke on those feet of yours!" Taylor laughed as she started away from the Hufflepuff and heard his answering laugh from behind her.

The rest of the week progressed similarly. Taylor sat at the Hufflepuff table for each meal, and by Wednesday many of the Hufflepuffs seemed to start to relax and carry on with her. In the evenings when Taylor wasn't at her research sessions with Shacklebolt, she split her time between her own common room and the Hufflepuff study; doing her homework with the Head Boy.

Friday morning she had just sat down with the Head Boy and was getting some toast when the post owls arrived. Taylor didn't pay them any attention any more. Mrs. Briggs hadn't written to her for a couple of weeks but she didn't expect anything and there was no one else who wrote to her. She was talking to Perks, who after a couple of awkward meals seemed to get over it and began talking. Right now Perks was asking Taylor about the last charm they had learned.

"Ah Taylor, I think you have an owl." Greg said as he looked at the large brown owl that was sitting on the table.

Taylor looked a little surprised but took the letter the owl had for her and after she gave it some of her toast, the owl took off. Curious, Taylor turned the letter over. There was no name on it, not even hers.

"Who's it from?" The Head Boy asked as he leaned over curiously.

"No idea." Taylor said as she slid her wand out to unseal the letter. Too many lessons with Moody and Shacklebolt made her cautious.

The instant the tip of her wand touched the envelope, the hairs on the back of Taylor's neck stood on end. Heart suddenly pounding. Taylor thought for a moment before looking over to where her brother was sitting but she couldn't catch his eye.

"Excuse me." Taylor muttered as a strained smile pulled at her lips. Not sure what the letter meant, but positive that it contained Dark Magic, Taylor knew she needed to get it out of the Great Hall.

Without waiting Taylor stood and as slowly as she could, she walked out of the Great Hall and away from prying eyes. Once outside she broke into a run across the Entrance Hall and behind a tapestry and up the stairs. Coming out on the second floor Taylor raced toward an empty classroom. As she was almost to the door she heard footsteps behind her. Wheeling, wand at the ready she saw the Head Boy hurrying towards her.

'Taylor, what is it? What is wrong?"

"If you want to help, go get Harry now!" She saw the sudden fear that leapt into his blue eyes. "Tell no one else!" Taylor waited only long enough to see the Hufflepuff race back down the corridor before she slipped into the classroom. Checking to make sure that it was empty Taylor paced back and forth looking at the white envelope sitting on the desk. She had to fight the urge to open it before the others arrived.

She heard the footsteps before the door opened and in walked her brother, Ron, Hermione, Ginny and the Hufflepuff.

"What is going on? Who is the letter from?" Harry demanded the second the door was sealed.

"I don't know. But it's been sealed with Dark Magic." Hermione gasped, and Ginny's eyes grew round. The three wizards all frowned.

"How can you be sure?" Greg asked quietly.

Taylor glanced at him but her eyes settled on her brother. "I just know."

"Well you need to destroy it, or turn it in, now!" Hermione cried as she looked at Taylor fearfully.

Taylor began to pace for a moment before stopping and running her wand over it again, the same hair raising thing happened as her wand vibrated ever so slightly. Cocking her head she ran her wand over it again. "It's got some kind of… anti tampering spell."

"Taylor, maybe Hermione is right. This could be from anyone." Harry cautioned as he watched her anxiously.

The answer slowly surfaced in Taylor's mind. Like all Dark Magic it just seemed come from nowhere. "I don't think so…" Closing her eyes, Taylor felt the calm settle over her as her pendant burnt against her neck. The words old and long forgotten fell from her lips, as she opened her eyes and waved her wand over the letter.

"Bloody Hell Taylor!" Ron yelled as a sharp sound like a gunshot resounded in the room.

"Taylor, so help me!" Harry growled.

Taylor looked down at the envelope, a smile on her face. "Well at least now we can open it."

"Oh be careful please!" Hermione whispered.

Picking up the letter Taylor looked at it closely before carefully opening it. Inside, in nondescript printing, were only a few lines.

_I have what you have been searching for._

_Come on the night of the next half moon._

_To the place where I first learned your secret._

There was no name indicating from whom it came, only what appeared to be, at first glance, a crest.

As Taylor looked closer at the crest, her eyes grew round and her heartbeat pounded in her ears. The crest was an intricately drawn snake wrapped around a man's torso. The head of the snake was entering the man's mouth.

"Taylor? Hey what's wrong?" Harry asked, as his sister's face turned white. He put his hand on her arm and felt her trembling. He looked down at the open letter in her hand, but he couldn't read it. The crest made him shiver. There was no disputing that it was dark. "Hey, Taylor, look at me."

Slowly Taylor looked up at her brother and fear anew washed through her.

"What does it say?" Ron asked. He had come to stand on the other side of Taylor to look at the letter but he couldn't read it either.

Taylor shook her head as if she was trying to clear it, as she took a deep breath. "What?"

"Taylor, are you alright?" Hermione asked worriedly at the obvious bewilderment of her friend.

"What?" Taylor asked again rubbing a hand over her face. "Oh yeah." Finally getting over her shock she looked at all the worried faces staring back at her. "Sorry, that just threw me for a loop."

"What do you mean? Was it the letter? A spell?" Asked the Head Boy worriedly as he watched his witch in concern. He knew she had just done some Dark Magic again though he had no idea just what.

"No, nothing like that." Taylor tried a smile, but didn't quite pull it off.

"Well what do you mean?" Ron demanded. "You bloody well know I hate it when you do that."

"Sorry Ron, the letter, the way it was sealed. Only someone who knows Dark Magic could have opened it. The spell guarding it would have destroyed the letter if someone had tried any other way of opening it. That's why I knew it was Dark Magic right away. It was part of the spell." Taylor looked up at her brother as worry clouded his eyes.

"So someone who knows Dark Magic, as well as knows that you know Dark Magic, sent you this letter," Harry said slowly.

Taylor nodded her head.

"What does it say?" Harry asked in a tight voice.

Taylor looked down at the writing again, and realized, just like she had with the Dark Magic books, it was written in the ancient language.

"It says, something about what you are searching for, and the full, no half moon. And a secret place…" Hermione said as she tried to decipher the words. "I tried to learn the language over Christmas." Hermione said matter of factly.

"Not bad," Taylor said with a true smile. "But it reads. _I have what you have been searching for. Come on the night of the next half moon. To the place where I first learned your secret."_

"So what does that mean?" Ron asked shaking his head.

"It means that someone is trying to lure you away!" The Hufflepuff said in a tight voice.

"Who is the letter from? You recognized the crest didn't you?" Harry asked astutely.

Taylor looked at her brother, but there was no way she could tell him who the letter was from.

"Taylor…" Harry growled.

Looking down at the floor Taylor tried to decide just what to say. "Yeah, I know."

"Who?" Harry demanded.

"I can't tell you." Taylor whispered.

"Damnit Taylor! You need to tell me right now who sent you this! Or I am taking it to McGonagall!" Harry yelled.

"Look Potter! Don't you think I would if I could?" Taylor snapped, hating that she couldn't confide in her brother about this.

"Who is sending you Dark Magic messages?" Harry yelled, as he stood in front of his sister staring down at her.

"I told you I can't tell you!" Taylor yelled back.

Harry glared at his sister for a long moment before, "You think you are going to meet this person!" he muttered, as he knew it was the truth before exploding. "Like hell you are!"

"Harry, be reasonable. I know who this person is! If they have what we have been searching for then it will be worth the risk!" Taylor said trying to sound calm.

"Not _bloody_ likely!" Ron argued.

"Taylor, you can't be serious!" Hermione cried looking fearfully at her friend.

"That is just plain suicide!" Ginny put in.

"You're not going! And that's final! Has it even crossed your mind that it could be a trap? My god Taylor, think!" Harry exclaimed pointing at the letter.

Taylor turned away from her brother shaking her head. A hand caught her arm and turned her back around, scared green eyes bore into hers.

"Taylor, promise me that you won't do this. Promise me that you won't go looking for this person. Nothing that they have is worth your safety. Promise me!" Harry's voice was pleading.

Taylor looked down at the floor. She couldn't promise her brother that. "I can't Harry. If they have what we need…"

"You're willing to gamble your life on a _if_?" Harry asked incredulously.

"Are you willing to let more people die? Be tortured? While I make sure I stay safe? We need this if we are to defeat Voldemort! You don't have a chance until we do! We've reached a dead end here. Harry, I can do this! I know this person. I can trust them." Taylor said imploring her brother to understand.

"Can you trust them with _your life_? Is that how much you trust them Taylor?" Harry demanded coldly.

Taylor looked up into her brother's green eyes before saying quietly. "They already saved my life Harry. And Hermione's too."

Ron's expletive was long and colorful. Hermione gasped putting her hand over her mouth and sitting down heavily in a chair, Ginny joining her. The Hufflepuff's face turned pale as he stared at the witch, slowly shaking his head.

"A Death Eater? A Death Eater sent you this letter? Dear Merlin above, Taylor!" Harry whispered staring at his sister in disbelief.

"Harry, listen to me. This person would have gone to great peril just to get this to me. If Voldemort had have intercepted it then they'd be dead. If the Ministry had have intercepted it then they wouldn't be no better off." Taylor said quietly.

"Dear Merlin! If you were found with that letter… You'd be expelled! Or at least sent to the Ministry for questioning!" The Head Boy exclaimed fearfully.

"Look Hufflepuff, if you are scared of getting in trouble then maybe you should leave!" Ron snapped glaring at the Head Boy.

"I'm not worried about me, Weasley! It's Taylor who will be in the most trouble! If it's discovered that she received a letter from a Death Eater…" Greg shot back, as he returned the hostile glare.

"Stow it both of you!" Harry ordered. "I think we all realize what kind of trouble this letter could cause. I think the best course of action is to destroy it like Hermione suggested."

Taylor didn't say anything for a moment as she stared down at the letter, a nagging feeling in the pit of her stomach. "I'll do it." She said quietly as she picked up the letter again. Turning her back to the others she looked closely at it and then a smile spread across her face.

It was so simple, so muggle. A perfect way to hide a message from the magical world.

With a wave of her wand, water came out the end, soaking the letter as the words appeared. Ignoring the startled cries behind her, Taylor closed her eyes and quickly reached for the Dark Magic spell to incinerate the letter. The fire she conjured was white hot and burnt the soaked paper to a fine dust in seconds.

Carefully arranging her face to reveal nothing, Taylor turned back to face her brother and the others.

"What was that all about?" Harry demanded suspiciously.

"I had to check and make sure there were no more dark spells guarding it. You wouldn't have wanted it to explode would you?" Taylor asked.

Harry glared at his sister, she had just done something and he knew it.

The sound of footsteps approaching made them all turn. The bell for classes was about to ring. The Hufflepuff quickly glanced out the door and then wheeled.

"McGonagall!" he whispered in warning as he glanced at his witch. She had that caught in the headlights sort of look. Thinking fast he grabbed a candy out of his pocket and tossed it to her.

Harry caught the candy deftly.

"Puking pansy!" The Head Boy whispered pointing at Taylor.

Taylor grabbed the candy from her brother's hand and stuffed it in her mouth as the footsteps stopped outside of the classroom. She had never ever tried any of the Weasley twin's get-out-of-class remedies, but she had to hand it to them, as her stomach heaved. They knew their stuff!

* * *

><p>AN So the infamous Weasley twins are still having an impact on Hogwarts! LOL! So any thoughts on who the letter to Taylor is from? I know it isn't that big of a mystery... I'm sure most if not alll of you know who it is! So it looks like Taylor destroyed the letter... anyone think that she will listen to her brother? :) Well let me know what you think! ;)

Thank you to all you wonderful readers! Cause without you... well what is the sense of writting something if no one reads it! (Course I'm not totally sold on that as I have written somethings that I likely will NEVER post for people to read but this story isn't one of them! ;)) Thank you to those who have left a review or added this story to their Alerts or Favorites! And last but not least thank you to barbc, my wonderful beta! Until next time, cytpotter.


	54. Meeting

While it might be the first day of spring here in the Nothern Hemisphere I still own nothing! But it is a beautiful day! and the sun is shining! and old man winter won't be around for much longer! Hip, Hip, Hoorah! :)

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter Fifty-four<strong>

**Meeting**

As the Headmistress opened the door, Taylor was bent over getting rid of her breakfast.

"What, may I ask, is going on in here?" McGonagall demanded as she eyed the five Gryffindors and one Hufflepuff suspiciously. Tonks and another auror were right behind her.

"Taylor wasn't feeling very well, as well, as you can see." Harry said as he wrinkled his nose. He had to admit the Hufflepuff had come up with an idea fast.

"Why did you not take her right up to Madame Pomfrey then?" McGonagall asked as she eyed them.

"Sorry Professor." Taylor choked out before her stomach heaved again. "I thought I'd be okay in a few minutes but..." was all she could get out before she was sick again.

The Headmistress stared at them all for another long moment before finally saying. "Porter you need to go to the hospital wing. I trust you all will clean that up and make sure Miss Porter gets there without leaving a mess the whole way?"

The four Gryffindors and lone Hufflepuff all nodded.

"You don't want to be late for class. I suggest you hurry along!" As soon as McGonagall and the two aurors were gone there was a collective sigh from the group, except Taylor who was still bent over.

"That was bloody well close!" Ron said a little impressed.

"Here Taylor, use this," Hermione offered as she conjured a bucket and handed it to her sick friend.

"Yeah, too close. You always carry Puking Pansys with you Hunter?" Harry asked, relieved that they hadn't been caught without an excuse.

"One never knows when they might need to get out of class. Taylor, are you alright?" The Hufflepuff asked concerned as he approached the bent over witch.

"Just peachy, Hufflepuff." She croaked between heaves.

"It'll get better soon," Ginny said knowingly as she vanished the mess.

The bell for classes rang and they could hear the thunder of feet as the student body emptied out of the Great Hall.

"We'd better get you to the Hospital wing. We don't want McGonagall getting suspicious." Harry said as he started toward the door.

"I've got Herbology. I've got to go or I'll be late." Ginny explained as she picked up her book bag.

Harry nodded. "Yeah okay Ginny. See you at lunch. Be careful." Ginny waved as she hurried out.

"What do you guys have? I have a double study." The Head Boy asked.

"We've got double Defense." Hermione answered as she picked up her bag, as well as Taylor's.

"Why don't I take Taylor up to see the nurse? That way you won't be late. Pomfrey isn't likely to send her to class anyway." The Hufflepuff offered.

Harry glanced at his sister as she heaved again into the bucket. He didn't want to go. He needed to talk to her about that letter but by the looks of it she wouldn't be up to talking anytime soon. Frowning he stared at the Head Boy for a long moment.

"Fine. Taylor I'll see you at lunch. I think you'd better sit with us. Hufflepuff…" He let the sentence go unsaid but the warning was clear. Look after Taylor.

The Hufflepuff just nodded and helped the red-haired witch out of the classroom and down the hall towards the Hospital wing. When they arrived, Madame Pomfrey was waiting for them. The Headmistress had notified the nurse that they were on their way.

Tsking, the nurse checked Taylor over and then told her to lie down while she went to get some potion.

Lying on the bed, Taylor could feel the effects of the Puking Pansy wearing off and she started to think about the words that had appeared on the letter when she wet it. She had already checked the letter for any more spells, but she had started to wonder why if Snape told her _where to meet him,_ he didn't tell her _how_ she was going to get out of the castle.

Snape would know, as well as she, that the other information wouldn't mean anything except to her. Whereas the way to get out of the castle could be disastrous if it fell into the wrong hands. Then she had remembered how Snape had hidden the way to go on, from her first year, when Harry had gone searching for the Philosopher's Stone. With cool logic. Un-magical, and undetectable.

She used to make secret letters herself with a bit of lemon juice when she was just a little girl. It was impossible to see unless you added water to the paper, a perfectly muggle way to hide something.

Taylor thought about the message that had been written in lemon juice.

_The witch, with the hump, for only this night._

The one-eyed witch with the hump, and the secret passage beneath it that lead to the hidden trap door in the basement of Honeydukes in Hogsmeade.

Taylor knew that passage, as well as all the other hidden passages out of the castle, had been sealed up the start of her sixth year. Yet somehow Snape had managed to unseal that passage so she could go see him, tonight.

Thinking quickly she come up with an idea.

Taylor had never played sick before. She really hated being in the hospital and she felt really bad for poor Hunter who blamed himself for giving her the Puking Pansy, when she didn't appear to get better. Still though, she kept up her ruse, even fooling her brother and friends.

That evening the Gryffindor quidditch team had practice, and Taylor had encouraged her brother to go. Which he did reluctantly, taking Ron and Ginny with him. Hermione and Greg both had early patrol tonight and when Taylor faked being asleep, they both left quietly to let her rest and complete their rounds.

A few minutes later she got up and dressed and then went to the nurse's office.

"Madame Pomfrey, I'm feeling a lot better. I think I want to go back to my common room."

The nurse checked her over, and then released her advising her to get a good night's sleep.

Once out of the hospital doors, Taylor wasted no time heading up through the school to Gryffindor Tower. If she were going to go meet Snape then she'd need a few things. Reaching her room she was relieved to see that Lavender wasn't there, as she quickly changed from her school clothes into a pair of dark jeans and a heavy dark sweater. She also grabbed her winter cloak and stuffed it into her school bag.

Glancing around, she saw the picture frame with her aunt and uncle in it, covering the painting of Dumbledore. Pausing, she considered telling her old Headmaster where she was going but decided against it. He wouldn't likely approve.

Grabbing a piece of parchment she quickly wrote a note for her brother. She didn't want him to… well, he'd worry for sure, but he'd know she'd gone at least and planned to return. Sealing it, she put it in her pocket and hurried down the stairs from the girl's dorm and up the stairs to the seventh year's boy's room.

Her luck was holding and no one was in Harry's room. She opened her brother's trunk and rummaged through. She didn't bother with the map or the two-way mirror, but took her father's invisibility cloak and put it in her bag along with a couple of other things she found that she thought she might need. Closing the trunk she put the letter on her brother's pillow, fairly sure that he'd see it when he came up to change out of his quidditch robes.

Then Taylor hurried back down the stairs and across the common room, only pausing when Dean asked her where she was going. "To see a wizard." She answered and knew that anyone who heard her would draw the conclusion that she was going to see the Hufflepuff.

Back out in the corridor, she wasted no time hurrying down through the castle to the one-eyed witch. Heart pounding she looked carefully around before approaching the stone bust. She remembered the password from when she had gone into the passage with Harry in their third year. Tapping her wand on the hump she whispered _"Dissendium"_.

Knowing she could be seen at any moment, she threw her book bag through the opening. A noise down the corridor had her clambering in and dropping to the stone floor beneath with a thump. Trying to control her racing heart, Taylor lit the end of her wand as the hump closed above her, sealing her in the dark tunnel.

Taking a deep breath of the stale air, Taylor picked up her book bag and began walking down the tunnel. She knew it was early in the evening yet but she wanted to put some distance between her and the opening. Plus, if Harry came back early from quidditch he would see her on the map if she wasn't almost to Honeydukes.

She'd only been walking for about five minutes when she thought she heard a noise behind her. Wheeling she stared into the blackness behind her. The fear of the darkness threatened to overpower her once again, like it had when she first escaped from Voldemort and she had to reach for her Gryffindor courage to keep her feet moving forward.

The tunnel was starting to angle upwards when Taylor stopped again. She was almost certain that she would be off the map by now. Resting for a moment she looked at her watch. The quidditch practice would be about over by now and her brother would be returning soon.

Then she heard it again, a faint noise.

Extinguishing her wand, Taylor turned around and waited, listening intently, barely even breathing. Then she heard it again, closer this time. Wand at the ready she waited as different defensive spells went through her mind, stunning spells, shields and powerful jinxes. Soon she could see something, a pinpoint of light bobbing toward her slowly.

It was a lit wand tip.

Taylor thought of hiding under the invisibility cloak but decided against it. Whoever was approaching her was coming from the school and was most likely a student. She needed to find out how they knew about this passage and if they had followed her or had other intentions.

As the light got nearer Taylor was almost positive that it was a lone person. She waited a little longer, knowing that in her dark clothes she would be hard to see if she stood still wand at the ready.

The lit wand was only about thirty feet away when she recognized who it was.

"Hunter! What…" Taylor exclaimed and had to dive to the side as the Hufflepuff fired a stunner at her. "Expelliarmus!" Taylor snapped and caught the Head Boy's wand. "What do you think you are doing?" Taylor demanded as she lit her wand and glared at the tall Hufflepuff.

"Taylor! Bloody Hell! You scared the crap out of me!" the Head Boy yelled as relief swamped his voice.

"What are you doing down here?" Taylor demanded again.

"I could ask you the same thing! Are you crazy going down here all alone?" Hunter demanded.

"No, I'm not crazy. I have a reason. You don't."

"A reason? You've got to be kidding me! You're not really going to meet that Death Eater are you?" The Hufflepuff asked incredulously.

"Give me one good reason why I don't stun you and leave you here until I get back?" Taylor asked in a deadly serious voice.

"Do you even know where this tunnel leads? How can you sneak out of school like this? Potter is going to skin you alive!"

"Yes I know where this tunnel leads. You know why I am leaving and Potter will get over it, _eventually_. Now about you?" Taylor said in a hard flat voice.

"Do you know how dangerous this is? If anyone should find out… Taylor, please come back with me."

"I can't. This is more important than all of that. I need to go. Go back Greg." Taylor said shaking her head. She knew she couldn't stun him and leave him. She wasn't sure just where the tunnel would seal itself back up and if something should happen to her she couldn't risk him dying down here.

"No. I can't leave you to go off by yourself. You need to come back with me." The Hufflepuff implored as he stepped closer to the witch.

Taylor took a wary step back as she raised her wand. "Hufflepuff, that's close enough! I'm not coming back with you. This is something I have to do."

The Head Boy stared at the determined look on the witch's face and knew there wouldn't be no talking her out of this. He knew he could go back and find Potter but he'd never be fast enough to catch back up with the witch. Not before she reached the other end and apparated away. He didn't have a clue where she was going. The message had obviously meant something to her but not to him, or Potter if he guessed right. He had thought of trying to knock her down but it was plain that she was expecting something like that too.

"I'll come with you."

Taylor stared at the Head Boy, a little shocked. She hadn't expected this. "No. I can't take you with me! I'm going to see a Death Eater for crying out loud! What would your parents think?"

"They'd think I did the only thing I could, to try to keep the girl I love from getting hurt."

Taylor couldn't believe the wizard and said as much.

"Do you think you are the only one willing to die for the ones you love?" The Hufflepuff asked in a hard voice as his eyes bore into the witch's in the wand light.

Taylor shook her head.

"You're either going to have to stun me or take me with you because I am not letting you leave by yourself!"

A muscle along the Hufflepuff's jaw twitched as the two tried to stare the other down.

Finally Taylor snapped, "Fine! But you listen to what I say! If you don't, so help me Hufflepuff, I'll make you wish you'd never been born!" the Head Boy nodded curtly.

Keeping the Hufflepuff's wand for the moment, Taylor pointed down the tunnel. It was a few minutes before they came to the stairs and another ten minutes before they came to the trap door under Honeydukes.

Taylor thought for a moment then handed the Hufflepuff his wand as she pulled the invisibility cloak out of her book bag.

"I'll give this back to you. I have no idea what we will find up there. Keep it ready. Stay under this cloak. We need to get out of Honeydukes before we can apparate away. I'll side-along you. Any questions? Once we open that trap door we won't be able to talk."

The Head Boy was impressed despite himself, with the clear calm voice of the Gryffindor witch. If she was scared or nervous it didn't show one bit. Her plan was simple and straight forward. Get out of the shop and get away. He knew this passage led to the sweet shop in Hogsmeade. He'd used it quite a bit, after finding it in fourth year, to get sweets for their house parties. He had no idea how it was unsealed now or how the Gryffindor knew, but he had a sneaking suspicion that it was in that letter too.

Nodding that he understood, he was impressed again when the witch threw an invisibility cloak around his shoulders and stepped close to get under it herself.

"Will you ever cease to amaze me?" The Head Boy whispered in the witch's ear as he bent so that the cloak would cover them both.

"Shh!" Taylor hissed as she pointed her wand at the trap door and lifted it just a little so that they could peek out.

The basement was dark and relatively empty compared with the last time Taylor had been in there. The only bit of light came from the crack under the door out into the shop. Carefully the two made their way out of the trapdoor and up the stairs to the door. Listening, they couldn't hear anything, so after a few minutes Taylor opened the door just a crack. The evidence that business was bad was all over the shop. Many of the shelves were empty and dust lay on much of the candy that was still left. Only a few bins showed any use. Even the floor was covered in dust. At the moment there was no one in the shop, not even the proprietor.

Opening the door further, Taylor and Greg slipped out and silently shut the door behind them before walking towards the front of the shop and the exit. Taylor knew from years previous that there was a bell above the door that would ring when the door was opened. Looking at all the dust and serious lack of use the store obviously had, she wondered if they would have to chance opening it themselves and making a run for it.

Pausing by the front door Taylor was carefully weighing her options when she heard footsteps on the boardwalk outside. The door swung open and in walked Madame Rosmerta. Acting quickly Taylor caught the door and as fast as possible they slipped out. She didn't wait once outside, but quickly and silently they walked down the boardwalk and to the nearest alley.

Taylor looked around quickly before grabbing the Hufflepuff's arm and fixing a remote apparation point in her mind. She spun.

The bands released and Taylor looked around warily for a moment, then she turned to the Hufflepuff to see, by the faint moonlight that he too had his wand out. Taylor didn't pull the invisibility cloak off, she just whispered.

"When we get where we are going, stay under the cloak and keep quiet. I don't want to scare this person away. They will not take kindly to me bringing you along. Any questions?" She could see the wizard shake his head.

Despite herself ,Taylor was glad to have the Hufflepuff along. He wasn't her brother, but she knew he'd fight if he had too. Plus she wasn't all alone.

Taylor gripped the Hufflepuff's arm again this time fixing the apparation point for Grimmauld Place in her mind before stepping into her spin.

She hated this house. It always gave her the creeps and she didn't care that her brother now owned it. Still, this was where Snape wanted to meet. It was a good location actually. Highly warded. Un-plotable. Unknown to Voldemort. Unused by the Order.

Opening the door, she led the way in and down to the kitchen. It was most likely where Snape would be. Once in the kitchen she slipped out from under the cloak and lit some candles. It still looked creepy but at least she could see. She was just starting to wonder where she should get the Hufflepuff to wait when she heard a noise at the front door.

"Greg!" Taylor hissed and almost screamed when he touched her arm. He must have been following her around the kitchen. "In here!" Taylor whispered as she rushed to the broom cupboard and opened the door. Pushing on his invisible body she pulled the door closed behind him, as she hissed, "Stay!" Turning she stepped away from the cupboard her wand out at the ready.

The kitchen door opened and in walked a dark, fully cloaked Death Eater with their mask in place.

Taylor raised her wand a bit higher as she eyed the Death Eater.

"You came alone. Brave of you, Porter!" the voice altered by the mask was unrecognizable.

"Show me your face before I hex you!" Taylor demanded.

"Ah, arrogant and foolish as always Porter. I'd have thought your stay with us would have beaten some sense into you." The voice said smoothly.

"If you mean you want me to lower my wand and bow down to you, I have news for you!" Taylor snarled.

"I did not come here to fight. I need to know what the crest meant to you."

Taylor watched the Death Eater warily. She couldn't be sure who was hidden behind the mask, but if it was Snape he would need reassurance that it was really her. She knew that this could be a trap too and so she said cautiously, "It was a picture of the spell I used to bind one of you."

"So it was. Though you didn't come alone after all did you? Did you bring Potter with you? Is that who is hidden in the broom cupboard under that invisibility cloak?"

Taylor stepped in front of the cupboard door. "It's no business of yours who is in there. They will stay there. Your business is with me. Now let's get on with it!"

"Porter, I believe you are even more foolish than that brother of yours." The Death Eater slashed his wand and Taylor reacted, throwing up her shield, but whatever the spell was, she felt it sweep through her shield though it didn't seem to hurt her any.

"What did you just do?" Taylor demanded. She wanted to look behind her to make sure that Greg was all right but she didn't dare take her eyes off the Death Eater in front of her.

"I just assured that our conversation would only be between us. I have no intention of this coming back to me. Now…" The Death Eater waved his wand at his face and the mask and the altered voice disappeared. Snape's black eyes bore into Taylor's as he said in his oily voice. "Porter you have become careless. A whisper has reached the Dark Lord's ear that there is a witch who can use the Dark Magic. I believe I warned you before about the perils of allowing this to happen."

Taylor glared at her old professor. "I haven't been using Dark Magic!"

Snape's face turned to a sneer. "How exceedingly like your father you are! Arrogant and oblivious to the world around you. Thinking that only the ones that they are speaking to have ears."

"I wouldn't know! I never had the chance to know my father! You might be able to bait my brother with that but not me! Who are you talking about that knows about my Dark Magic?" Taylor growled meeting Snape's cold black eyes.

"It came from St. Mungo's I do believe."

Taylor stared at her old professor as she thought. "The Curse Breaker that Pomfrey contacted, but that was about a supposed dark curse not Dark Magic. I don't understand."

Snape shook his head as if she were a slow student. "Porter _I am _disappointed. I thought that you were the smart one of the pair."

Taylor's eyes narrowed but she racked her brains. "Pomfrey knows that I can use Dark Magic. She… would have performed lots of tests after my… but she thought it was a dark curse not the signature from my ability to _use_ Dark Magic. The Curse Breaker… would have known the difference! It was the Curse Breaker who told Voldemort, but because Pomfrey didn't have any consent from my parents, because I don't have any, she couldn't tell the Curse Breaker who I was! Patient confidentiality! Of course! That's why the Curse Breaker wanted to see me so badly. To find out who I am!" Taylor had started to pace as she thought but she stopped and looked at Snape when she finished.

"It is only a matter of time before the Dark Lord discovers who you are and then…" Snape's voice was slow, and oily.

"What? Is he going to come after me?" Taylor asked looking into the black eyes.

"I do not presume to know what the Dark Lord is planning to do with this information when he has it. However, I can assure you that it will not bode well for you, or Potter. It will be just one more tool that he will use to destroy Potter."

Taylor rubbed her hand up over her face. "Snape… ah Sir" Taylor wasn't really sure how to address him. "What am I supposed to do? I don't even understand Dark Magic but yet I can use it! Now Voldemort is going to try to exploit it! What can I do?"

"You _Potters_ are all alike! Always whining about how _unfair_ your lives are! _Well life is not fair_! Grow up! Accept this _gift _that you have and stop complaining about it!"

Taylor glared at her old professor as her blood pounded in her ears. "Well, tell me what I am supposed to do with this gift! How can I use it to stop Voldemort? Tell me what I need to know!"

Snape glared at her for a long time before finally saying. "I cannot tell you what I do not know. Though I have studied the Dark Arts extensively, very little is known about Dark Magic. It has unfortunately been lost in time. What I can tell you however is that your ability to use Dark Magic somehow shields your mind from the Dark Lord. Though at this time, he is not aware of this fact."

"Great so the most evil wizard ever can't read my mind! Well that is sure a relief!" Taylor snapped sarcastically.

"Well if you used that head of yours for more then a hat holder, you would know that this is indeed a great advantage! When the time comes and you meet the Dark Lord again, this could prove to be what saves you! Think Porter! Honestly, how our world thinks that _a Potter_ will be its savior is beyond me!" Snape said with great disdain.

"Will you stop trying to insult me and tell me what I need to know!" Taylor demanded with a huff.

The two stared at one another for a while before Snape said in his oily voice. "If you were listening, Porter, I have already told you a great deal."

"Yeah, you told me that Voldemort is trying to find out who can use Dark Magic at school. Unfortunately for me, there are numerous rumors going around the school about Dark Magic and me. All he has to do is ask a Hufflepuff and he'll know or some Slytherin." Taylor sighed. She didn't know what she could do about that. She couldn't control what people thought about her.

"Well, lucky for you the Dark Lord does not frequent the school yard to listen to the insistent chatter of a bunch of underage witches and wizards! However the Dark Lord does have eyes in the school, so you are going to have to remain diligent."

Taylor thought for a few minutes before saying, "The aurors. It's one of the aurors isn't it? Do you know who?"

"Let's just suffice it to say that the Dark Lord has ways of making people do his bidding that will make it next to impossible to discover their identity before it is too late."

"Why are you doing this? Why are you helping me? I saved your life, sure, but you saved mine and Hermione's so that makes us even." Taylor asked perplexed as she voiced the thought that had been bugging her since getting the letter.

Snape stared at her for a long time, his eyes slowly traveling over her from her toes to her head, but not at her eyes. When he finally spoke his voice was low, reverent almost. "You look so much like your mother. You even have many of her mannerisms. She used to pace when she wanted to think and chewed on her bottom lip when she was nervous. I don't know how I didn't see it sooner." His voice became harsher as he continued. "It is the eyes. You have _Potter's_ eyes. He also stamped you with his arrogance, stealing away Lily's sweetness! He stole her from me! Poisoned her mind!"

Taylor stood rooted to the spot staring at the man who had been her professor for six years.

"Sweet gentle Lily. Potter was jealous! Righteous and arrogant! He wouldn't even let her talk to me! When I heard the prediction… The Dark Lord said he would not hurt her… I never meant for _her_ to get hurt…"

Stunned Taylor could only stare back, as she saw the anger turn to horror and then the self-condemnation on the wizard's face. When his black eyes finally met hers she could see the torment in them.

Snape turned away from her and when he spoke again his voice was flat, expressionless. "Here is the book that you have been searching for. Show it to no one that you do not trust with your very life! If I ever have _need _to contact you again…" Taylor jumped as the wizard in front of her brandished his wand. The incantation fell from his lips as a large white doe erupted from his wand to canter around the kitchen. "I suggest you get back to the school before midnight. If you don't you will not get in. Goodbye Porter."

Taylor watched as Snape started towards the door, shocked to her core about what she had just discovered. "You loved Lily. You loved my mother…" She wasn't even aware that she said it out loud until Snape wheeled and pinned her with a look of such hatred that she gasped.

"You will do well to keep that to yourself!" Wheeling he went out of the kitchen and the front door closed with a bang before Taylor recovered enough from her shock to move at all.

* * *

><p>AN So Snape told Taylor about loving Lily! As well about a spy in the school... So what do you think? Taylor is being her typical leap without thinking self! Though if circumstances were different I have very little trouble seeing Harry doing about the same thing and sneaking out of Hogwarts! Hope you liked it!

Thanks to those who left a review! And Alerted and Favorited! And for reading... at over 224000 words now I know this is a long story! So I really do apperciate you sticking with it all this way! There is much more to come too! Also Thank you to my wonderful beta, barbc who is reading this story for the second time! The first she was just giving me feed back now she is doing corrections for me! Well until next time, cytpotter.


	55. The Consequences of Decisions

Nope I own nothing but the plot and the charactors you do not recognize! ;)

Sorry for the long wait but life has been busy once again!

* * *

><p>Chapter Fifty-five<p>

**The Consequences of Decisions**

Pacing like some caged animal Harry glanced over at the sofa where Ron, Hermione and Ginny all sat with worried expressions.

Four hours ago Harry had walked into the hospital to check on his sister and found she wasn't there. A horrible feeling in the pit of his stomach had driven him to Gryffindor Tower, only to find his sister wasn't there either but had said she was going to see a wizard.

The knot in the pit of his stomach had grown as he went up to his room to change out of his quidditch robes and saw the note on his bed. Dreading what it said, he had picked it up and unsealed it.

_Dear Harry,_

_Please don't be mad. I have to do this. I'll be fine._

_Don't worry, I'll be back as soon as I can._

_Love Taylor._

He'd crumpled the letter up and driven it across the room, before his eyes fell on his trunk. Yanking it open he had grabbed the map to start looking. The thought that maybe he could find his sister on it somehow driving him on. When he couldn't find her, he had quickly told Ron and they had both raced out of Gryffindor Tower still in their quidditch robes.

He'd been able to find Hermione quickly enough and after telling her, she had mentioned that the Head Boy hadn't reported at the last few checkpoints. Searching the map, they couldn't find the Hufflepuff anywhere. Harry had seen Lupin on the map and after a quick discussion they had gone to find him.

Harry would never forget the look of dismay on the last Marauder's face.

_**Flashback**_

"_Harry what do you mean Taylor is gone?" Lupin demanded._

"_I mean she is gone! Left Hogwarts!"_

"_But that's impossible! The castle and grounds are sealed. No one can get in or out!" Lupin had explained._

"_I don't know how she did it but she's not on the map! I've looked, and neither is Hunter!" Harry yelled as his worry slipped into his voice._

_Lupin looked at James' son for a long moment before saying softly. "Maybe you had better tell me exactly what is going on."_

_Harry quickly told Lupin about Taylor getting the letter that morning and how she had insisted that she needed to go. He also told him about his sister going to the hospital and not returning._

_Lupin had pinned Harry with a hard look. "You are telling me that a Death Eater sent Miss Porter a letter this morning, requesting that she go meet him and you told no one? Potter what the hell were you thinking!" Lupin snapped as he glared at the younger wizard. "Do you have any idea… Merlin boy! I thought, even you would have more sense than this!"_

"_Lupin uhmm," Hermione had hesitantly said. "We didn't want to get Taylor in trouble. If anyone knew she had received a letter from a Death Eater… She said it was from the Death Eater that saved us…"_

_Lupin thought for a few minutes, shooting angry glances at the Gryffindors every so often. "You three go back to your common room and don't come out again until I come get you! Harry, give me the map! I'll know if you venture out! I am going to search and make a few careful inquires. You are right, Hermione, this will have to be handled very carefully. Did Porter say when she would be back?" The three shook their heads. Lupin's frown deepened. "I don't know how she got out, and I doubt very much that she will be able to get back in, if she comes back… but I will search tonight. In the morning we will have to report this to the Headmistress."_

_**End Flashback**_

Harry raked his hands up through his hair in aggravation. He hated this waiting, not doing anything, not knowing. Gritting his teeth he forced the horrible images of what might be happening to his sister out of his mind. His sister was going to be the death of him yet!

Slowly Greg blinked his eyes as feeling came back into his body. He knew he'd been stunned. Pushing the broom cupboard door open, wand at the ready, he could see his witch standing a few feet away staring at the empty doorway, her face blank with shock.

"Taylor, are you all right?" He asked cautiously as he looked around to make sure there was no one else around. When she didn't even turn he carefully made his way towards her. Thinking she may have been stunned also he touched her with the tip of his wand.

She wasn't stunned. Instead she wheeled, pointing her wand at him with amazing speed.

"Hey, it's just me." Greg said as he remembered the invisibility cloak and pulled it off his head. He saw the huge sigh of relief that came out of her.

"Yeah, sorry. I just… Are you all right?"

Whatever had just happened, he could see that his witch had received a huge shock of some sort. Her face was pale, her hazel eyes were large and her wand hand shook ever so slightly. "Yeah I'm fine. Just stunned. Are you all right? You're shaking." He asked gently as he put his hand on her arm.

"Yeah I'll be fine," The witch picked up a thin tattered book lying on the table and stuffed it into her book bag. Her eyes dropped to the floor and she stared at a large dark stain there for a moment before taking a deep breath and looking at him again saying in a hard voice. "We need to go."

"Ahh, well…" Greg hated not to trust his heart, that told him that this was his witch but… her smile was tight when she looked up at him and repeated their code words. He had needed to be sure.

The witch extinguished the candles before stepping closer to him and pulling the invisibility cloak over them both. He smiled a bit, as he walked up through the decrepit house, at least under the invisibility cloak he could be close to his witch. He didn't know who the house belonged to, but he could tell no one had lived in it for quite some time. It gave him the creeps really. When they were once again on the doorstep his witch linked her arm with his and spun.

When the bands released he looked around cautiously. They were in a dark, thickly wooded area under a heavy covering of branches. It was a few seconds before the Gryffindor spoke.

"When we go back to Hogsmeade, we are going to have to try to break into Honeydukes and get to the basement as quickly as possible. When we reach the tunnel, we are going to have to run for the school. Don't stop! Any questions?"

He'd have liked to ask a thousand questions. But he settled on just one. "Why? What is the hurry?"

"If we don't make it back into the castle before midnight, the passage will seal again, and if we are in it when it does… Ready?"

Greg nodded, as the witch pulled him into her apparation once again.

They landed on the boardwalk of Honeydukes and the witch blew open the front door of the sweetshop, exploding crates of candy as they rushed through the store and down into the basement. Once they were beneath the trap door the witch pulled off the invisibility cloak and started to run.

Racing with the Gryffindor through the tunnel, with only their wand tips to see by, Greg couldn't help but think about what he had heard the Death Eater say just before he was stunned. _"Porter, I believe you are even more foolish than that brother of yours." _

He didn't understand. Taylor had never mentioned a brother. Was the Death Eater lying? How did the Death Eater know she had a brother? Could her brother be a Death Eater? Was he the one who had saved Taylor and Hermione from He-Who-Can't- Be-Named? But that couldn't be right. Death Eaters were pure bloods, and Taylor was a muggleborn unless… Greg shook his head. He just didn't have enough information to draw any conclusions, except that the mystery surrounding the witch he loved just got even deeper.

Breathing hard the two finally made it to the other end. The Hufflepuff lifted the Gryffindor up so she could crawl out of the stone hump before scrambling up and out himself. The hump on the witch sealed with a hiss as the clock in the school chimed twelve o'clock.

Bent over and leaning heavily on his knees as he gasped for breath, the Hufflepuff was starting to think that they might be all right after all and were now safe back in the castle.

A hard clipped voice shattered that thought.

"I suggest that you two slowly raise your hands, and you had better have the right code and one hell of an explanation!"

Breathing hard Taylor looked up to see Lupin step out from behind a statue across the hallway, his wand pointing at them and a hard expression on his face.

Lifting her hands up so that they were plainly visible, it was still a few seconds before she could gasp out the code that she had with Lupin. His face didn't soften as he repeated his code words but the shadows around his eyes weren't quite as severe as he waited for the Hufflepuff to speak.

"I don't know what to say…" the Hufflepuff panted. He didn't know the wizard very well.

"Tell Lupin… what spell he used in our first class third year… on the way to face the Boggart." Taylor suggested still panting.

The Head Boy gave the witch a relieved grin. "It was Waddiwasi!"

"Fair enough," Lupin nodded as he slowly lowered his wand. "You two come with me!"

Taylor glanced at the Hufflepuff as she started to follow her parents' friend and saw the worry on his face. They were in one heap of trouble any way she could look at it. If Lupin took her to McGonagall, she would either be sent to the Ministry for questioning, or expelled, and maybe both. If he took her to Moody and the Order she might not end up in Azkaban but she still might be locked up!

Taylor remembered the book in her book bag… she'd need to do something with it, get it to her brother somehow. She also needed to get the Hufflepuff out of trouble. It wasn't his fault, after all, that she had left the school. Maybe she'd lie and say she stunned him in the tunnel. No one need know that he had gone with her.

She nearly ran into Lupin when he stopped and pointed at a door, waiting for the two of them to enter first.

Looking around, Taylor recognized one of the smaller classrooms. She heard Lupin seal and silence the room before he turned to face the two of them.

"Explain yourselves!"

Taylor glanced at the Hufflepuff and tried to tell him to keep quiet with her eyes, before she looked back at Lupin.

"Miss Porter, I already know about the letter from the Death Eater, and that you left the castle earlier this evening, so please do not try to lie to me. You two are in enough trouble as it is!"

"I'm not going to lie! Yes I received a letter from a Death Eater this morning. And yes I left to go see him. Yes I stunned the Head Boy and no he didn't go with me." Taylor's voice was defiant and cold. She decided the best way to handle this would be to show no fear and be absolutely sure of herself. She heard the gasp beside her from the Hufflepuff and hoped he'd keep quiet.

"_Do not_ use that tone with me young lady! Do you have any idea how much trouble you are in right now?" Lupin demanded angrily.

"I have been in trouble before!" Taylor shot back aggressively.

Lupin stared at James' daughter for several seconds. Sure he had seen James, when they were just young kids, acting like this but… Suddenly furious he asked in a thundering tone. "Do know what would happen to you if the Ministry hears of this?"

"I do! I'd be questioned and most likely sent to Azkaban, but I'd never make it there. Voldemort would have me before morning." Taylor snapped back.

"And that doesn't bother you? Have you totally lost your mind?" Lupin yelled.

"Of course it bothers me! I didn't do this for some lark or grand adventure!" Taylor knew he caught her meaning. "This was just _more important_ then the danger it posed! Even getting caught by Voldemort!"

"What in bloody hell could be so important? You are an underage witch. You're still in school! If there is something that important then you should have come to Moody or me! We would have looked after it! Don't try to throw what I did in school back at me! That was a different time and a whole different set of circumstances!" Lupin fumed.

"I couldn't! The information that I got wouldn't have been given to anyone else! Don't you see it had to be me!" Taylor was losing her battle to keep defiant and cool.

"It was the Death Eater that helped you escape? Didn't it cross your mind that he was trying to lure you there?" Lupin asked incredulously. James' daughter had way too much nerve and no sense.

"Of course it crossed my mind. But it was worth it! We need the information I got!" Taylor could have groaned, her and her big mouth!

"What information is that Porter? Tell me!"

"I can't. I'm sorry." Taylor said quietly as she met Lupin's angry eyes.

Lupin was quiet for a moment as he thought. He knew the look in the witch's eye. No amount of prying was going to make her talk. He tried a different tact.

"So Hunter, I take it you followed Miss Porter into the passage? Then she stunned you?"

"Yeah I did!" Taylor snapped quickly before the Hufflepuff could answer. "I nearly made it to the other end before he caught up with me and I stunned him." Taylor knew Lupin wanted to shoot holes in her story. Shifting on her feet she found the Hufflepuff's foot and bumped it, hoping he'd know to keep quiet.

"So Mr. Hunter you are willing to let this witch take the fall for this all by herself?" Lupin asked pinning the Head Boy with a piercing look.

"No, Sir! I'm not. I… ouch!" The Head Boy cried as he looked down at Taylor.

Taylor had gone for something a little less subtle and kicked the Hufflepuff in the shin as she growled. "I liked you better when you were stunned!"

"Taylor, I can't… oww! Will you stop kicking me!" The Head Boy said in exasperation as his other shin now stung.

"Then take a hint and shut up!" Taylor snapped glaring up at the Head Boy.

"Miss Porter, kindly stop kicking Mr. Hunter. I can clearly see that you are trying to protect him, and while I do understand your reason, it is not going to work." Lupin said seriously.

"He didn't do anything wrong! It was all my doing and I fully plan on taking the responsibility for all this." Taylor shot back heatedly.

"He admitted to willingly following you down a passageway that was supposed to be sealed and left school property. As Head Boy he is fully aware of what he should have done and that was to immediately notify either the staff or security about the breach in the wards guarding this school. To not do so, left this school and its occupants in grave danger." Lupin said it quietly but Taylor could see the Hufflepuff's shoulders droop a little as he nodded his head slightly.

"What do you want Lupin?" Taylor demanded. "I told you I can't tell you what I went after. It is for Harry alone. I can't tell you anymore about what that is now, then I could last summer. Is it worth the risk I took? Yes it is. Did I plan on Hunter following me down the tunnel? No I did not. Nor will you ever get me to admit anything but that I stunned him and left him at the other end of the tunnel."

Lupin glared at the young witch for a little while. He wanted to say more but couldn't in front of the Hufflepuff. He was surprised when James' daughter stepped towards him.

"Lupin maybe I could have a word?" Inside questions were eating at Taylor and she needed to get a few answers no matter what else happened to her tonight. When he nodded she glanced up at the Hufflepuff before walking to the other side of the small room and when Lupin joined her she put up a silencing charm.

"Taylor… what am I supposed to do?" Lupin asked as he shook his head. "Lily and James died to protect you and Harry, and now you go and do something this foolhardy and reckless?"

"I know why my parents died Lupin. But I am no longer a child. I may be only sixteen but to everyone, I am of age. I make my own decisions and am prepared to live with the consequences of those decisions. This is not some game to me. I _am not_ James Potter looking for some adventure!" Taylor said as she stared Lupin in the eye.

"If your father was alive, Taylor, he'd skin you alive for the stunt you just pulled! I just might yet! Your father might have done some wild crazy things but he would never have gone off alone to meet some Death Eater!"

"Really? Not even if he knew he was the only one who could get the information that could possibly bring Voldemort down? He wouldn't risk his life to give Harry a fighting chance when he has to go against Voldemort?" Taylor asked quietly.

Lupin rubbed a tired hand up over his face. "Taylor… That still doesn't make it right what you did." He knew James would have done anything he could for his friends and his family.

"There is nothing _right_ in this world as long as Voldemort is around. Even less right is that my only brother, my only family I have left, has to try to stop him somehow. I know what I did was dangerous. Extremely dangerous! If my dad was still alive, and my mum, then I could be a normal witch and the worst thing I'd probably do was get caught snogging the guy I like by my dad's best friend. Can't you see? I wouldn't have gone if I didn't think it was our only hope?"

"I… I can see what you are telling me, but I can't not report this." Lupin said shaking his head.

"Then tell the Order, and McGonagall. I will accept whatever punishment they see fit."

"And Hunter? You know he will most likely lose his Head Boy appointment."

Taylor looked down at the floor. "It wasn't his fault. He only came after me to try to protect me." She looked back up at her old professor. "I'll do whatever I can, to do the same for him."

Lupin shook his head again. It was the only bit of sorrow that the witch had shown through their whole talk, the fact the Hufflepuff might be in trouble. It was something James would have done.

With a sigh, Lupin started to move when the witch's hand on his arm stopped him.

"I… I need to ask you something… about my mom, Lily." Taylor hesitated as a thousand questions, along with the confused thoughts she'd been having since her talk with Snape. "Was she an Animagus? Like my dad?"

Lupin blinked a couple of times as his mind shifted gears. "No… your dad would have never let her. It was too dangerous."

"Oh… what was her Patronus then?"

"You know the answer to that Taylor. It's a doe just like yours. Why are you asking?" Lupin could see confusion clouding the hazel eyes of the witch.

"She… Lily loved my dad right?"

"Yes. Lily loved your dad very much. I don't think I've ever seen two people more in love. But why are you asking, now?" Lupin questioned.

Taylor's thoughts were whirling about in her head. She needed time to think and try to sort through it all. "I just needed to know for sure." She needed to talk to the portrait of Dumbledore.

Lupin waited but the witch didn't say anymore. He didn't know why but he could tell the questions had been very important to her.

The school clocked chimed one o'clock as the last Marauder led the two seventh years up through the castle. He had made his decision and was now taking them to Gryffindor Tower. He knew Harry was going to be worried sick, and now that the school was once again safe from attack he wasn't going to wake McGonagall or Moody. He'd tell them in the morning. The Hufflepuff he decided to take up to Gryffindor Tower also. There would be less chance that they'd be seen returning this time of night this high up in the castle. Security was much tighter in the lower levels around the doors.

When they arrived at the Fat Lady, Lupin had to prod her awake with his wand and listened to her grumble before finally swinging open when Taylor gave the password.

Lupin stepped into the common room first and saw Harry sitting with the others by the fire. He didn't even get to utter a word before Harry was up and looking past him at his sister.

"Taylor!" Harry cried with relief as he rushed to his sister and pulled her into a bone-crushing hug.

Taylor smiled a little as she hugged her brother back, but it didn't last long.

"What the Bloody hell, were you thinking?" Harry started after only a few seconds as his relief turned to anger.

"Harry…" Taylor got in before.

"Don't you Harry me!" her brother yelled. "You could have been killed! Or captured." He was just warming up to his rant when Lupin interrupted him.

"Harry, I need to go. I trust you will look after Miss Porter until morning? I think it best if Mr. Hunter stay here the night too." The werewolf could almost feel the anger emanating off of James' son and decided that maybe he could impress upon his sister how dangerous what she had done was, though he did offer some parting advice. "May I suggest a silencing charm, and keep the magic to a minimum. The less who know about these two's travels tonight the better. I'll see you in the morning." He nodded to the others and left. He saw both Hermione and Ginny waving their wands to put up silencing spells and couldn't help feeling just a bit sorry for Taylor. She was in for a rough time from all the Gryffindors by the looks of things!

The Head Boy watched as the werewolf left, a little surprised by his parting words, though when the portal closed he wasn't prepared for the freezing charm Weasley used.

"Ron! What do you think you are doing?" Taylor demanded, wand out ready to deflect any more spells.

"That bloody git had that coming! Besides what do you think you were doing taking him along with you?" Ron demanded angrily as he glared at Taylor nearly as angry as Harry.

Taylor never got to answer because Harry started in on her anew.

Brother and sister stood toe-to-toe yelling.

Harry questioned her judgment, common sense, sanity and overall disregard for her life. Taylor's comebacks were immediate and sharp tongued and she didn't give one inch.

The other three Gryffindors watched. The two witches were ready to intervene if necessary and Ron was ready to back up Harry if Taylor got the drop on him. It was a good twenty minutes before Harry calmed down a little.

"What were you thinking?" He asked again for the umpteenth time.

"I've told you if you would just listen!" Taylor was getting tired of her brother's bullheadedness, as she saw it.

"I've heard you, but I don't believe any information is worth your life!" Harry shot back glaring at his sister. He hadn't forgotten about the Hufflepuff leaning against the wall. He'd deal with him later!

Taylor knew that until he calmed down some, her brother wasn't going to listen to her so she hadn't yet mentioned the book.

Hermione finally had a lull in the argument. She had been listening closely to the argument, very curious about what information Taylor had gotten. She took her opportunity to speak. "What did you get, Taylor?"

Taylor glanced at her friend. She knew Hermione was going to chew her ass off too. It would just be done when her friend had all the facts. With a grim smile, Taylor removed the book bag from her back and pulled out the tattered old book. "I was able to get this. Just what it contains I have no idea. I haven't had a chance to look at it yet."

Hermione took the book cautiously from Taylor and walked over to a table behind the sofa and sitting the book down, she pulled out her wand making sure the book had no curses or hexes on it, before opening it and gasping.

Written in neat script on the inside cover of the book was _Property of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. _The title of the book was _Moste Potent Potions and Spells For Death_

The Gryffindors gathered around Hermione as she carefully looked through the book, finally coming to a stop around the middle of a spell called _Deathed Stopper_

Taylor looked over Hermione's shoulder and read down through the incredibly complicated spell and saw where it spoke of ripping one's soul in two.

"This is it! This is the book we've been looking for but how…?" Hermione looked at Taylor questioningly.

"I have no idea." Taylor said quietly, glancing over towards where the Head Boy still leaned against the wall petrified, knowing he could still see and hear everything.

"Oh bugger it! Stupify!" Ron said with a flourish as he stunned the Head Boy.

Taylor's wand was in her hand instantly, "Ronald Weasley! I should…" her anger made a couple of sparks shoot out the end of her wand.

"What? The git deserved it! Letting you go off all by yourself! Besides he'll be alright in an hour or so!" Ron defended as he glared back at Taylor.

"Taylor, that is enough! You know as well as I do that the Hufflepuff couldn't hear what we need to talk about." Harry growled at his sister. He was still mad at her but knew that they needed to talk about what she had found out.

"I'm warning you Weasley, once more and I'll hex you a new one!" Taylor threatened before stuffing her wand back into its holder on her arm.

"Maybe you had better tell us what all happened tonight?" Ginny offered as she pointed at the sofa.

Taylor nodded. She knew she couldn't sit down so she went over to the fireplace as the others sat. Then as she began to tell them about going through the one-eyed witch's hump, she began to pace. She kept to the story she told Remus and said she stunned the Head Boy. Harry wanted to know how she knew that passage would be open and she told him about the hidden writing on the letter. When she got to where she went, she hedged, not sure if she should tell her brother about going to Grimmauld Place, fearing that he might guess who the Death Eater was. So she kind of skipped over where she went and dove right into telling them about the Curse Breaker from St. Mungo's.

"Voldemort knows that there is a witch at Hogwarts who can use Dark Magic? Taylor that's bad, really bad!" Hermione whispered fearfully.

"Really, Hermione? That never occurred to me!" Taylor snapped sarcastically.

"So the Death Eater warned you not to use any more Dark Magic?" Harry asked.

"Yeah, basically. Though he said that Old Voldy was now searching and it would only be a matter of time before he found out what I can do." Taylor said matter-of -factly. Truthfully, that was some of the less troubling news she had found out that evening. Though she went on to tell them that there was a spy at the school and that it was most likely one of the aurors.

"Well that is very disturbing, though I suppose now that we know… well, we are going to have to be even more careful! Especially you Taylor! You can't use Dark Magic any more! For any reason!" Hermione whispered, looking imploringly at her friend.

Taylor only nodded as she paced. What she most desperately wanted to talk about she couldn't. Not with her friends because they didn't know who she was and not with her brother because he would never listen past Snape's name.

"Then the Death Eater just gave you the book and left?" Ginny asked. She had been quiet through most of the discussion.

"Yeah, basically." Taylor said as she paced restlessly. She told them about apparating back to Honeydukes and blowing the shop up before going back in the tunnel, slipping in that she revived the Head Boy and they both ran back to the castle, arriving just before the passageway sealed itself again.

"That was really close, Taylor! What if you hadn't made it back in time? Hunter could have been sealed in there!" Hermione asked worriedly.

Taylor didn't meet her friend's eye. That was the main reason she hadn't left the Hufflepuff in the tunnel. It had been too big of a risk.

Taylor listened as the others talked about what they had just learned, as she paced in front of the fireplace. She glanced over at her brother every so often to see if he was starting to calm down. She really didn't expect him to be happy with what she did, just to accept that it had to be done.

* * *

><p>AN Well there Taylor made it safely back into the castle... even if she now has to try to get out of the trouble she has once again gotten into! I could see Lupin being mad at her... and the way Harry reacted... well that was rather fun to write! ;)

Thank you to those who reviewed! and those who added this story to their alerts and favorites! Plus all of you who are just reading cause you sure have stuck with this story for a long while! Cyber cookies to everyone! :) Plus I a huge thank you to my wonderful beta barbc! You are just awsome! Well until next time, cytpotter.


	56. And Noble Acts

No, I don't own Harry... but one can always pretend! ;)

So because this is Easter weekend I decided you all needed a treat, I can't send you all chocolate bunnies so here is another chapter instead! ;)

Hope you enjoy!

* * *

><p>Chapter Fifty-six<p>

**And Noble Acts**

Slowly Hunter became aware of his surroundings again and he suppressed a groan. Getting stunned twice in one evening left him with a wicked headache, not to mention being petrified. He could hear voices and listened intently as Hermione was talking about the spell book Taylor had brought back. He could tell that she was very worried by the sound of her voice. The spell they were discussing was very dark. Something about not being able to die.

The Hufflepuff didn't open his eyes. Maybe it was wrong to eavesdrop on the Gryffindors but he was tired of being left out of the loop, plus he wanted to know what his witch had risked her life to get. A lot of it didn't really make any sense. He'd never ever heard of something called a horcrux, that they repeatedly mentioned. He was beginning to wonder if Taylor was even there, when he heard her ask if it mentioned anything about destroying a horcrux. Hermione's voice was extremely disappointed when she said no. When he heard Ron's voice swearing bitterly, he forgot to be quiet and half growled and groaned. He was going to talk to Weasley about stunning him.

"Ronald!" Taylor almost snarled when she saw him go for his wand again and immediately stepped between the red haired wizard and the Head Boy lying on the floor. When she was sure he got the message, she bent down beside the Hufflepuff and asked gently, "Are you alright?"

"Yeah," The Hufflepuff half groaned. His head was really starting to pound now.

"Come on, up you get." Taylor encouraged, as she helped him first sit up then stand. She put her arm around his waist and guided him over to an empty chair. She could see his face was rather pale as he ran his hands over it and began massaging his temples.

"Hermione, you wouldn't happen to have any headache potion would you?" Taylor asked and saw her friend shake her head.

"Clare does," Ginny offered. "I know where she keeps it. I'll be right back."

Taylor smiled her thanks as she watched her other friend head up to the dormitories. She then glared at Ron clearly waiting for him to apologize.

"What? I'm not apologizing! He sure didn't! It's not my fault he was already stunned tonight!" Ron said with a derisive snort.

The Hufflepuff listened to the exchange between the two Gryffindors and wondered which story his witch had told her friends, the one where a Death Eater had stunned him or the other where she had. He gratefully took the potion that he was offered and sighed as the pounding in his head receded to a dull throb.

The school clock chimed three o'clock.

Ginny said goodnight and headed up to her dorm for a few hours sleep. Ron and Hermione soon went up to their beds too.

"Harry, why don't you go to bed. I'm not going anywhere." Taylor prodded her brother. She could see the fatigue on his face.

Harry scowled at his sister even as he tried to keep his eyes open. The stress from earlier had exhausted him but he didn't want to leave his sister. He sensed that there was more that she hadn't told the others. Plus the Hufflepuff was here and he didn't think he should leave them alone.

"Potter, what's it going to prove if you fall asleep down here too?" Taylor asked as she stood up from where she had finally sat down, after pacing for over an hour, took hold of her brother's arm and tugged. Reluctantly he stood.

"I'm not sure it's right to leave you two down here all by yourselves. Plus how can I be sure that you won't decide to take off again."

Taylor sighed as she rolled her eyes. "I cross my heart. I'll stay in Gryffindor Tower until you get up tomorrow morning." She said as she repeated an old childhood swear, crossing her heart with her finger and then holding up her hand as if she were swearing to something in a muggle court.

Harry shook his head at his sister but glanced past her to where the Hufflepuff still sat in one of the chairs.

"Potter really? Do you want me to pinky swear that I will be a good girl until morning?" Taylor asked innocently.

With a tired sigh Harry said. "Just make sure you do! And Taylor? If you leave this Tower…" he let his voice trail off but he knew his sister got the hint. He'd have a talk with the Hufflepuff tomorrow morning, or later this morning.

The Hufflepuff watched as Taylor stood until Potter had gone up the stairs to the boys' dormitories. He could see that she wasn't sleepy, that something was bothering her. Standing he went over and pulled her into a hug, the one he'd wanted to give her ever since he'd first seen her in the decrepit kitchen after he'd been stunned.

"Are you okay?" He whispered in her ear.

Taylor welcomed the warm arms that were around her and she hugged him back as she nodded her head. She'd be fine. She just needed to reconcile what she had learned tonight with what she knew about her parents.

The two stood holding each other for a long while, each lost in their own thoughts, but comforted by the other. The witch finally pulled out of the Head Boy's arms but took his hand and led him to one of the sofas and sitting him down she sat down beside him. The fire was nothing more then glowing embers, so the witch conjured a blanket and pulled it over them.

"Taylor, you need to tell me what tonight was all about. McGonagall is likely to notify my parents and I'll likely… well I can handle all of that but I need to know why." The Head Boy said softly as he looked down at the witch beside him. She looked so small cuddled against his side. He found it hard to believe that someone that small could have so much spirit. He'd seen her go to meet a Death Eater face on and not flinch, boldly argue with an ex -teacher and then go face to face with Potter and not back down. Still, though he knew something had happened, something was deeply troubling his witch, he also knew she was very unlikely to confide in him and that hurt a little.

Taylor didn't answer right away, as she thought about what she could, or should do. Finally she asked, "Just how much did you hear, Hufflepuff? I know you were listening to us." When the Head Boy glanced at her sharply she smiled a little as she said, "Stunned people don't frown."

The Hufflepuff told her what he had heard before asking intently. "What's a horcrux? And why is it so important to destroy it?"

Taylor sighed. She knew that he was going to find out sooner or later, it was inevitable. The Hufflepuff was just too observant and smart not to put it together. Sighing again, she put up a silencing charm around them as she began. "What I am about to tell you is something that you can never tell another. If this information gets out then our side will lose and Voldemort will kill Harry and me and everyone I love." She paused to look up at the Head Boy to see him staring back at her intently. He nodded for her to continue. She explained what a horcrux was and how one was created by ripping one's soul. Then she told him about how Voldemort had started creating them.

"So that is what you guys were searching the castle for? Why would Vol… Voldemort…" A shudder went through the Hufflepuff's body as he said the name for the first time, "hide something so important here?"

Taylor shifted some on the sofa, "Because underneath all that hate and anger he is still looking for a home, one he never had until Hogwarts." She then explained about Tom Riddle being an orphan and a half blood.

By the time she was done explaining, the Hufflepuff was laying with his head on her lap the blanket laying over him. She liked running her fingers through his hair, it was so soft.

"So in order to destroy Vol-demort," a smaller shudder this time, "you first have to find and destroy the Horcruxes? How many are there?"

Taylor told him that they thought there were seven.

"How many have you found?" Greg asked looking up at his witch as she stroked his head.

Taylor hesitated once again before saying softly, "Two are already destroyed and we've found another three."

The Head Boy was impressed. Taylor and the others must have done some serious searching. "So you have two more to go. Any ideas where you might find them?"

"We have an idea about one but the other we aren't sure about."

"So you say two are destroyed? But I thought I heard Hermione say there wasn't anything in the book about how to destroy one." The Head Boy asked slightly perplexed.

Taylor told him about Dumbledore destroying one and how it had almost killed him. "He's the greatest wizard ever, so if he nearly died destroying one, we are just a little hesitant to try until we have a better idea how to do it."

"How was the other one destroyed?"

"Harry destroyed the diary of Tom Riddle in second year. Of course we didn't know then that it was a Horcrux." Taylor grinned as she told him some more about how her brother had gone down into the Chamber of Secrets and killed the basilisk with Godric Gryffindor's sword and stabbed the diary with the basilisk tooth to destroy it.

Greg was silent for some time thinking about the obvious pride in his witch's voice, as she told him about what Potter had done in second year. He had to admit it was quite a feat for a twelve year old wizard, destroying a Horcrux when… "You say Potter destroyed one with a basilisk tooth? Why couldn't you destroy the others with one as well?"

Taylor looked down at the Hufflepuff on her lap, as her movements stilled, as thoughts exploded in her mind. Why not? It was definitely worth exploring. She'd need to run it by Dumbledore and Harry and the others of course but… Grinning she looked down at the Head Boy, "Damn, I knew you'd come in handy, Hufflepuff!" bending down she kissed him slowly at first and then with more intensity. The wizard answered her kiss with his own.

The sky to the east was just starting to lighten when the Hufflepuff stirred from his comfortable position on the sofa in the Gryffindor common room. His witch was lying cuddled against him with her head on his chest and a leg curled over his. He knew she wasn't asleep. He could see her eyes were open staring into the fireplace at the ashes that had ceased to glow even faintly some time ago.

"I'd better get going," he said softly even as he tightened his arm that held the witch lying with him. "I don't think it would be wise to let a Gryffindor find me here. It would most definitely start tongues awagging."

Taylor nodded though she didn't move otherwise. "What are you going to tell the guys in your dorm? They are going to know you didn't return last night."

"If I leave now I'll be back before any of them wake up, besides they'll just think I spent the night with you. Though I'd rather not let them think of you like that. I'll just end up hexing them when they run their mouths off about it!" The Head Boy growled the last part as his arm held her tight against him.

"We are both going to be in enough trouble, don't add hexing your roommates to the mix."

Greg laughed a little as he kissed the top of his witch's head before he asked in a sober voice. "Why did you tell Lupin that you stunned me? I knew what I was doing when I went after you. What would happen if we got caught..."

Taylor rolled a little so that she could look up at the Head Boy's face. "You are a good person Greg. Smart, brave and kind. Everything a Head Boy should be. Everything a real friend is. You don't deserve to get in trouble because of me."

"So you told Potter and the others the same thing did you?" Greg asked sounding a little miffed.

Taylor's eyebrows rose as she nodded. The next second the Hufflepuff sat up and stood, leaving a very perplexed witch staring up at him from the sofa.

"I've got to go. I'll see you at breakfast."

Taylor watched the Hufflepuff until the portrait of the Fat Lady swung shut cutting him off from view. Bewildered Taylor sat up before going up to have a long hot shower.

Two and a half hours later Taylor and Greg stood in the Headmistress' office as she glared at them. Moody, Shacklebolt and Lupin were also present. Taylor had just finished telling them the same story she had told Lupin.

"Miss Porter, I don't know what to say. Of all the foolish things you have done this year, this takes the cake! I suppose you blew up Honeydukes last night too? Do you realize that this could land you in Azkaban?" Professor McGonagall demanded.

Taylor met McGonagall's glare as she nodded her head. "Yes Professor I do. It was worth the risk."

"You put this school and its students at risk! That is inexcusable!" McGonagall said icily.

"I did what I did because I thought it was important. What I gathered was invaluable information." Taylor then told them about the Curse Breaker at St. Mungo's and the suspicion that there was a spy at Hogwarts. She even told them what Snape had said about Voldemort searching for her identity because of her use of Dark Magic.

Moody questioned Taylor some more and she answered as truthfully as she could but she didn't tell them any more.

McGonagall's lips were pressed into a thin line as her eyes bore into Taylor's. Then she looked at the Hufflepuff. "Mr. Hunter what do you have to say for yourself? You also went down that passageway though you knew you shouldn't? As Head Boy I must say I am very disappointed. When you were appointed to this position you swore to protect this school as well as its students…"

"Professor I want to change my story!" Taylor spoke up fearing what McGonagall was about to say, slipping her wand into her hand she silenced the Hufflepuff standing beside her. "I stunned Hunter in the corridor. He found me just about to go into the passage and I stunned him to shut him up. I then levitated him into the passage and left him."

Taylor resolutely kept her eyes straightforward refusing to look up at the Hufflepuff.

"I see…" McGonagall said in a tight voice. "You are in enough trouble now Miss Porter. Do you really want to add lying to it too?"

Taylor met the Headmistress' glare and squared her shoulders. "As you just said I am in a load of trouble now what's a little more? I attacked the Head Boy and dragged him into a passage before I left the school to go see a Death Eater."

Professor McGonagall glared at Taylor for the longest time before she said in a clipped tone. "Miss Porter, Mr. Hunter, go wait outside my office."

Taylor turned and walked out. She could hear the Hufflepuff following her. Once they were out on the landing she turned to look up at Hunter, his blue eyes snapping in anger. "Oh, sorry" Taylor said as she undid the silencing charm that had kept him from speaking. She flinched as he drew his own wand and put up a silencing charm around them.

"What do you think you are doing?" He demanded.

"Saving your ass!" Taylor shot back.

"Did I ask you to?" The Head Boy asked in a frigid voice.

"I see no sense in us both being in trouble! It was my idea to leave, and my responsibility. I will take the blame." Taylor said adamantly.

"That's the problem with you Gryffindors! Your so damn noble you can't stand the truth!" The Hufflepuff roared glaring at the witch.

"What is your problem?" Taylor shot back.

"I am not ashamed of my actions, Taylor! I knew exactly what I was doing also! I don't need you lying to protect me! _I am_ of age, witch! And I will not hide behind you like some coward!"

Taylor stared wide-eyed at the Hufflepuff as he glared daggers at her. A noise behind her made her aware that the door to the Headmistress' office had just opened. The Head Boy slashed the air savagely as he undid the silencing spell.

"Mr. Hunter, the Headmistress wishes to see you now." Moody's gravely voice spoke from behind Taylor.

The Hufflepuff stalked past her and into the office, the door closing behind him. She felt like an idiot. She'd only wanted to protect Hunter after all, make sure he didn't get into trouble because of her. She had never thought he'd be insulted by her actions. She'd been protecting her friends for as long as she could remember and they'd never gotten mad at her for it.

When the door opened again a few minutes later the Hufflepuff stalked past her with barely a glance.

"Miss Porter…"

Taylor walked into the office wondering where she had gone wrong, and doubting herself where boys were concerned. It was a much more subdued witch who stood before the Headmistress and listened to the punishment she was going to receive.

"Miss Porter for being out after curfew you will receive a weeks worth of detention starting this afternoon. It is the decision of the Order that you will not be reported to the Ministry for leaving school property, however if there is _ever_ such an incident again…" McGonagall said in a brisk stern voice.

"Yes Professor." Taylor nodded before turning to leave.

"Miss Porter?" Taylor turned back to McGonagall. "The Order however is grateful to you for your help."

Taylor nodded and walked out, taking the long way back to the common room.

"Taylor, where have you been?" Hermione asked as she looked up from her table in the common room where she was doing homework. Her eyes narrowed as she looked at her friend. The defeated look on her friend was unmistakable. "What's the matter? What's happened?"

Taylor glanced around the common room for a second but didn't see her brother, Ron or Ginny.

"They are at quidditch practice." Hermione offered as Taylor nodded.

"Can we talk?"

"Yeah of course," Hermione answered, a little surprised by the question. Piling her books into a stack, she left them on the table and led the way up to their dormitory. Finding it empty Hermione put up a silencing charm before sitting on her bed. "Okay Taylor, spill. What's the matter?"

Taylor told her friend about her meeting with the Headmistress and what she got out of it. Hermione agreed with Taylor that she had gotten off extremely lucky. Taylor then told her friend about telling the Hufflepuff about the Horcruxes and his suggestion to try a basilisk tooth to destroy them. Hermione was really surprised and excited about talking to Dumbledore about it. Taylor then got to what was really bothering her and that was the way the Hufflepuff had acted about her attempts to protect him.

"I'd say he is the one used to doing the protecting." Hermione offered.

"Yeah well so are Harry and Ron, but they never get all angry like that about it."

"Sure they do! You just don't notice it or let it bother you. A friendship like you have with Harry and Ron is different than the relationship you have with Hunter. Taylor, look at it from Hunter's point of view. Since he started going out with you, you've saved him from a bunch of Slytherins, had two run ins with Death Eaters, been holed up in the library for six weeks and then another run in with a Death Eater where you tried to keep him from getting in trouble. I'd say he is feeling like you don't need him, that you are only using him."

"But I'm not Hermione! I couldn't let him lose his Head Boy-ship over something I did."

"Think about it Taylor, he's a Hufflepuff. They are very loyal friends, strong and true."

Taylor glanced at her friend as she groaned, "So what am I supposed to do? Let him get in trouble? Get hurt? Just to prove that he is my friend?"

"I think he probably wants to be equals in your relationship. There are things you can't tell him even yet I know. He has handled that very well but it has to be eating at him. _I _understand that you don't tell me everything. It doesn't mean you don't trust me just that you can't tell me. Greg hasn't known you as long. He doesn't know you like I do. He doesn't understand just how far you will go to protect your friends out of love not only loyalty. Give him some time, he'll come around."

Taylor sighed, "I gotta go. I've got detention. I'll be back late. Let Harry know please. Maybe we can talk with Dumbledore tonight. I'll see you later."

"I'll let Harry know, don't worry. See you tonight Taylor." Hermione called as she watched the younger witch leave.

Taylor once again found herself in detention. This time she was down near the dungeons in a dank dirty room that she doubted had been used in years. Moody had brought her down here and after growling that there was no magic allowed had clumped off leaving her a bucket, rags and a scrub brush. She thought it was just a sign of the times that he didn't take her wand but sealed the door on his way out.

Taylor's arms ached, her knees hurt and her hands burned from the harsh soap in the bucket. She had thrown herself into cleaning, relishing the physical labor that freed up her mind. Time slipped by and the lamps came on as she tried to make sense of all that she had found out from Snape. She came up with far more questions than answers but when Moody brought her a plate of sandwiches and a jug of pumpkin juice she still hadn't settled in her mind the fact that her ex-professor loved her mother.

When Moody left again, Taylor went back to cleaning and by the time the ex-auror returned at curfew to get her, the room was clean.

"You look beat Taylor," Hermione said as her tired friend walked in through the portal to the common room.

"Yeah thanks Hermione I didn't notice." Taylor said sarcastically.

Flopping down in one of the chairs, Taylor sighed tiredly. Her brother was sitting on the sofa with Ginny and Ron was sitting on the other one with Hermione.

After some good-humored ribbing the five-some settled down to wait for the common room to empty. Surprisingly for a Saturday night, it didn't take long and after putting up a silencing charm Hermione took the portrait of Dumbledore out of her bag and set it on the small table she conjured.

After greeting the Gryffindors the painting turned to Taylor and asked her to tell him everything that had been going on. So Taylor once again repeated everything that had happened the day before, leaving out only that the Hufflepuff had gone with her and Snape's identity; also what he had said about loving her mother.

After quite a bit of discussion about everything that they had learned and what they had found in the book, Hermione brought up the idea of Hunter's about destroying the Horcruxes.

It was nearly two before they finally called it a night and went off to bed.

* * *

><p>AN Poor Taylor in detention again! I think the Mauraders would be proud don't you? LOL! So Greg was a little miffed at Taylor... I thought that would be very Hufflepuff of him! I know the idea to use the basilisk teeth to destroy the horcruxes is in the seventh book... and yes I DID write this AFTER the book came out(so yes I took this idea from the seventh book) however I couldn't think of another way for a bunch of seventh years to destroy something that nearly killed Dumbledore, the smartest wizard there is. So I took that little bit of information... and I think I wound it into this story in a way that other then the idea it is completely new. And I can say no more about it at this point! ;) Hopefully you can forgive me this... I did try to come up with a new reality but somethings are just too good to ignore! :)

Thank you to those who reviewed! And added this to Alert and Favorites! And just for reading! Here is some cyber chocolate just for making it this far! If you celebrate Easter hope you have a great holiday! Thanks again for reading! And to barbc, my wonderful beta... maybe i'll get some real chocolate to you girl cause you are the best! Until next time, cytpotter.


	57. Expected and Unexpected

No I don't own Harry... just playing with him for a while. I promise I will return him... someday! ;)

This chapter is a bonus chapter because it's Easter(and I have an hour to myself alone! as both my kids and husband are out! LOL!)

Hope you enjoy!

* * *

><p>Chapter Fifty-seven<p>

**Expected and Unexpected**

Greg laid in his bed early Sunday morning, with one hand under his head, as he thought about how yesterday had gone from great, lying with his witch snuggled against him, to horrible a couple of hours later when he had lost his cool with his witch and the day had just spiraled downward.

McGonagall had told him when he went back into her office that she would accept Taylor's version of things and he could remain Head Boy. He had tried to interrupt her and tell her what happened but she had held up her hand and said she didn't want to hear it. She'd gone on to say that the students needed a Head Boy that they could look up to and that he could stay on for now. It was then that she informed him that he was going to be given detentions for being out after hours and that she had informed his parents of only that fact, cautioning him of telling anyone what had really happened.

The Headmistress then said that he was to report to Professor Shacklebolt's office at eleven to have a word with his father before going to detention. He remembered McGonagall's parting words.

"Mr. Hunter I am sure that you know as well as we do the gravity of what Miss Porter did. I can see that she has taken you into her confidences so you must also know the need for secrecy in this matter. I trust that we can count on you to keep this quiet?"

At the time he'd been so angry that they wouldn't accept his responsibility for his actions to really hear the warning and worry in the Headmistress' voice.

Then there was the floo talk with his father… Greg rubbed a hand up over his face. He'd never lied to his father before, but he had yesterday. He'd kept stoically to the story that he'd only been out after hours. He didn't think his father really believed him. Especially when his father questioned him why the Headmistress had informed him of such a misdemeanor.

Then for good measure he'd spent the rest of the day in detention cleaning the school trophy room by hand. He'd noticed Potter's name on a couple of the trophies as well as Potter's father, James.

With a groan the Hufflepuff rolled out of bed to go have a shower before going to breakfast, sorely hoping that today was better then yesterday. He needed to see Taylor and talk to her.

When he walked into the Great Hall an hour later, he looked over at the Gryffindor table but neither Taylor nor any of the others were there yet. He'd just finished his second plate of pancakes when Potter and Weasley walked in and sat down at the Gryffindor table, but the three witches weren't there.

Lingering in the Great Hall until Potter and Weasley finished, he followed them out a few seconds later and hurried to catch up. He needn't have bothered. When he reached the second floor Potter called to him as he waited by an empty classroom.

"Potter, where's Taylor?" Greg asked when he reached the Gryffindor seeker only to have the other wizard indicate to go into the classroom.

Greg nodded but slipped his wand out of his pocket as he went in. The steely glint in Potter's eyes warned him that this might not just be a place to talk privately. The first words out of the Gryffindor confirmed that this could easily come to some nasty hexes.

"You let Porter go… alone?"

"If you want to believe her story, I didn't have much of a choice!" Greg snapped as he met the Gryffindor's glare.

"I don't want her version, I want the truth! You were the last one to see her before she took off. I know you weren't in the castle or on the grounds so that means you followed her nearly to Honeydukes! I want to know why you didn't come get me or send word. You had to have known what she was going to do!" The dark haired Gryffindor ground out furiously.

"I thought I could stop her! Do you honestly think I wanted her to go meet that Death Eater? Bloody Hell Potter! Give me a break!" Then he told the two Gryffindor wizards about the witch startling him and then disarming him in the tunnel. He didn't stop there either. He told them about going with the witch to the decrepit house and then hiding under the invisibility cloak, as she had told him to, when the Death Eater had arrived. He told them everything including what had happened up in the Head Mistresses office yesterday, everything except the Death Eater's reference to Taylor's brother.

When he finally finished, he was breathing hard and furious that Potter thought he'd just leave the underage witch to go alone. To his surprise Potter nodded.

"That sounds like Taylor. Though I have another beef to pick with you Hunter! The one pertaining to a rumor I heard about you and Porter staying all night together!"

"What?" Greg yelled before he saw Potter going for his wand.

"I will not stand for those kinds of things!" Potter said coldly before flinging his first spell.

Greg quickly realized that he was out matched, that Potter was by far the better duelist as good as, if not better than, Taylor. It was all he could do to block the spells the Gryffindor was hurtling at him. Though he had to say one thing, the Gryffindors fought fair. Weasley stood silently by the door just watching.

It didn't last long, less than a minute before Greg found himself staring up into angry green eyes as his legs twitched wildly out of control.

"Let this serve as a warning Hunter! I will not let you or anyone else talk about my… best friend like that!"

"I didn't say anything like that! Why would I?" Greg yelled angrily.

"Well I overheard it from a dorm mate of yours! You'd do well to set them straight!" Potter ground out.

Suddenly the door to the classroom blew in and standing there was Taylor glaring furiously at her brother. In two strides she was in the room and with a flick of her wand the door sealed itself again.

"Potter!" was the only warning she gave before she fired her first spell.

Greg watched somewhere between angry that the witch had interfered again in something he deemed his business and amazed as he watched the two Gryffindors duel. Their wands were a blur as they cast and deflected spells almost in the same motion and not a single spell was uttered aloud.

Around the classroom the two circled as deflected spells crashed into the ceiling or the floor leaving ugly burn marks. The Hufflepuff pulled himself over against a wall, as his legs continued to spasm even after he uttered the counter curse, a testament to the power of Potter's jinx. Somehow though, as he watched he seemed to sense that the duelists were not only deflecting the spells but sending them harmlessly away from the two wizards in the room who were watching.

Greg didn't know how long the two went at it. It had to be well over five minutes and neither seemed ready to give up. Though they were both starting to sweat as they started to weave and dodge trying to get past the other's defense.

The door to the classroom blew open again and as one the two Gryffindors swung ready to attack the intruder together.

"What, may I ask, are the two of you doing?" Demanded Lupin as he surveyed the carnage in the classroom.

"Letting Potter know I don't appreciate him butting into my affairs!" Taylor snapped as she turned to glare at her brother again, the look in her eye clear, this wasn't over.

"I wasn't butting! I was simply making sure Hunter understands some things!" Harry growled.

"Oh really? That's why he was on the floor? You should try picking on someone who stands a chance! It's not nice to pick a fight if you know you are going to win Potter!" Taylor fired back.

"Really? So you thought you were going to lose did you?"

Lupin stared from one to the other before saying carefully. "I see. Well Porter, you have detention. Potter you put this room back together!" He glanced at the other two wizards in the room. "Weasley you can help Potter. Hunter I believe you have detention too! You all know dueling in the school is not allowed!" Turning, he left but his mouth twitched into a smile when his back was turned. Yes, James would have had his hands full if he'd lived to raise these two!

Taylor's detention that day was cleaning another room. This one held the potions ingredients. She had to take all the ingredients out, clean the store room itself then put everything back in its place. She had it almost finished when Moody came to get her.

"Alright Porter let's go" Moody's gravely voice said as he surveyed the progress and then with a flick of his wand finished putting everything back on its proper shelves.

Giving Moody a dirty look, she picked up the sweater she had taken off while she worked and followed the old auror. He took her up to the Defence classroom where a plate of sandwiches and some pumpkin juice waited.

That night in her _research session_ with Shacklebolt, she faced off against her brother taking up where the two had left off earlier that day. By the end both were sporting their fair share of welts, but more importantly they worked out their anger.

With a full week of detentions, classes and research sessions Taylor had no chance to go talk with the Head Boy. He didn't come over to the Gryffindor table for breakfast Monday morning, and by Tuesday morning Taylor glared at him from her table, mad because he seemed to be mad at her.

By the time Friday night finally came and Taylor's last detention was over, she was tired not only physically but mentally as well. She was sick and tired with the thoughts chasing around in her mind. The ones that questioned if her mother was really in love with her father and if so how Snape could love her mother so much without receiving any in return. Or had her mother let the Slytherin think she loved him? Then there were her own troubles with love. The Hufflepuff hadn't spoken to her all week. True she wasn't around very much but still… was he really that upset because she had protected him? And then busted in and fought with her brother for hexing him… Taylor groaned. She couldn't seem to do anything right. Maybe that's how her mother felt with two wizards after her heart.

Shacklebolt escorted her right to the portrait of the Fat Lady before he left. She'd been helping him for detention tonight. Uttering the password she crawled through the portal and then collapsed into a chair by the fire with a sigh.

Hermione and Ron weren't back yet from patrol, so only her brother and Ginny, as well as a dozen other Gryffindors were in the common room. Taylor was almost asleep by the time the common room had emptied and Hermione and Ron were back.

"We've decided that we are going to try destroying the Horcruxes tomorrow, after we get back with the basilisk teeth." Hermione said after she put up a silencing charm.

Taylor's eyes popped open and she sat up straighter. "Tomorrow? When did you decide this?"

"It's the end of February. We need to see if the basilisk venom is going to work. If it does great but if it doesn't… we need to know one way or the other." Her brother said seriously.

Taylor nodded. "When are we going?"

"We aren't. You, Hermione and Ginny are going to the Room of Requirements and set up a place to test this out." Harry saw his sister about to protest so he cut her off. "Taylor we need a place that is warded and is not going to let anyone else get hurt if this goes awry. Ron and I can go get the teeth, that won't be a problem but we need a place to go so we aren't wandering the halls with the basilisk teeth in our arms."

Taylor nodded. Though she'd rather go with her brother she had a few ideas for the Room of Requirements already. "So Dumbledore thinks it might work?"

"He thinks it would be a good thing to start with at least. Seeing as how that's how Harry destroyed the diary." Hermione answered with a nod.

"We'll need to be careful. Remember, use your dragon hide gloves. The venom will be just as dangerous as it was when the basilisk was alive." Ginny cautioned quietly. She didn't like the idea of Harry going back down into the Chamber of Secrets.

Taylor looked around the large room carefully. A small table sat against one wall with the three Horcruxes that they had sitting on it, Helga Hufflepuff's teacup, Rowena Ravenclaw's tiara and Salazar Slytherin's locket. Three priceless artifacts from the founders of this school and they were going to try to destroy them, as well as the piece of Voldemort's soul that was hidden in each one. The painting of Dumbledore, enlarged, hung on one wall and he looked out at the three witches as they reinforced the wards of the room and asked for an assortment of things that they might need, like some blankets and pillows in case one of them was injured.

When they were through, they waited for the two Gryffindor wizards to get back, going over the best way to destroy each object.

Harry and Ron arrived with the basilisk teeth a few minutes later.

After another brief discussion, where they went over everything, Taylor stood beside the others as her brother raised one of the basilisk's teeth in his gloved hand and plunged it into Helga Hufflepuff's teacup.

A high-pitched screech filled the air, as black acidic smoke rolled up from the cup as it split it two. The tooth shattered in Harry's hand, slicing deeply into his dragon hide glove but not quite through it.

"Yes!" Ron shouted as he pumped his hand in the air.

Harry grinned over at the others, coughing a little on the smoke still rolling up from the broken teacup. "I think that one's gone!"

Hermione and Ginny rushed to him to see if he was all right, waving their wands and using the spells they knew. Taylor approached more slowly. She had her wand out also but she was inspecting the teacup to make sure that they had succeeded.

Finally Taylor nodded, a grin to match her brother's on her face as she looked up at him and the others. "It's gone, most definitely."

"Very well done. Might I suggest you leave the celebration for later though." Dumbledore's voice said from his portrait, his blue eyes twinkling above his half moon glasses.

Encouraged by their success, the Gryffindors quickly removed the broken teacup from the center of the room and putting on Ron's dragon hide glove Harry picked up another basilisk tooth. Hermione picked up the tiara and carried it to the center of the room. Then, as before, they took their places close to the wall.

"Ready?" Ron asked and Harry nodded.

With a tight grip on the basilisk's tooth, Harry swung like he had last time, to impale the diadem with the tooth.

This time though when the tooth shattered it didn't hurt the gold tiara.

"Maybe we should try another tooth," Ginny suggested as they looked at the shattered tooth pieces covering the tiara.

"I suppose it won't hurt. We brought a couple of extra just in case." Ron said as he carefully picked up another basilisk tooth and carried it over to Harry.

"Maybe if we stand the tiara on its side… the tooth might have a better chance." Hermione said thoughtfully as she cocked her head, looking at the diadem from a different angle.

Placing the gold tiara on its side, the four Gryffindors once again took their places along the wall. Harry glanced at them and then plunged the tooth down on the tiara.

The tooth shattered once again but the gold tiara did little more than wobble and fall over.

"The tooth just isn't strong enough to penetrate the metal." Hermione said shaking her head.

"We could try reinforcing it with magic." Taylor suggested as she bent down and looked at the gold tiara closely.

"It's worth a try. That will leave us with only two teeth for the locket, but if the tooth won't penetrate the soft intricate weave of the tiara it'll never penetrate the solid silver locket." Harry said with a frown.

After a quick discussion, it was decided Hermione would try transfiguring some of the tooth to reinforce it and hopefully strengthen it. Hermione was, after all, the best in transfiguration.

The painting of Dumbledore seemed to lean forward as his white painted brows drew together and his blue eyes showed a hint of worry. His hands were clasped together, his chin resting on his long index fingers, though he didn't say anything.

The others watched in silence also as the bushy haired witch worked. Her eyebrows were drawn together as she concentrated, waving her wand in intricate patterns while she muttered the incantations.

Finally she straightened up. "There, that's the best I can do. Anymore and I'll change the make up of the tooth and then the venom won't work."

Harry took the reinforced tooth in his gloved hand as the others gathered by the wall once more. The diadem was once again on its side. With a nod Harry drove the tooth down onto the tiara.

An explosion ripped through the room, flinging both wizards and witches into the air and slamming them into the walls as thick heavy smoke quickly started to fill the room.

Coughing, Taylor struggled to get up on her hands and knees. Looking around she could just make out the shapes of the others as her eyes began to water from the burning smoke.

"Harry!" she called and once again she coughed, having sucked in a huge lung full of the smoke. With a flick of her wrist Taylor had her wand in her hand. She tried vanishing the smoke and then she tried to do a bubblehead charm so she could breath easier but neither seemed to work.

Coughing again she heard another cough nearby and started crawling in that direction.

"Taylor" Ron coughed, "we need to get out of here!"

"Where's the door?" Taylor gasped.

Suddenly they could see a dim light through the smoke and started crawling towards it. They each came across a body lying on the floor and pulling it with them they finally made it out into the corridor as the thick smoke rolled out the door.

Taylor glanced down and through the water streaming from her burning eyes she could see Ginny's red hair and the brighter red of blood.

"Hermione, come on wake up!" Ron said between coughs.

"Where's Harry?" Taylor gasped looking back towards the door into the Room of Requirement.

"Accio Harry!" Ron yelled pointing his wand at the door. "Accio Harry!" He yelled again, but nothing happened. "Why ain't it working?"

"I don't know. My magic ain't either!" Taylor cried as she started for the door. Crawling as close to the floor as she could get she passed the doorway and into the black smoke filled room. She could feel Ron right on her heels.

Within seconds Taylor could barely see, as she coughed almost constantly making speech impossible. With every passing second Taylor could feel her panic rise as she felt around desperately for her brother. Her hands were soon cut on sharp unseen slivers as her searching fingers felt around blindly. The torture, as bad if not worse than any she had suffered at the hands of the Death Eaters, seemed to stretch on forever.

Suddenly she felt a hand grab her arm, as her other hand found something soft also.

"Ary" Ron's voice coughed beside her and she knew they had found her brother.

She grabbed one arm and Ron grabbed the other and the two of them slowly pulled and tugged Harry's still body out of the smoke filled room a few inches at a time. It seemed like an eternity before they made it out through the doorway and collapsed, themselves coughing and gasping in the clean air.

Taylor heard it then, voices calling and then she looked up to see a frightened pair of dark eyes peering down at her.

"Get Help!" Taylor gasped and the face blurred as it moved away and she heard feet running away. With a huge effort Taylor rolled over and her blurry vision was drawn to the door as black smoke continued to pour out of it. Shaking her head to clear it a little, she knew that no one could go in there and find the Horcruxes. Not even knowing if it would work she rolled back and forth on the floor.

"_Hide them, keep them safe until we can come get them, please! Hide them, keep them safe until we can come get them, please! Hide them, keep them safe until we can come get them, please!"_

The mantra repeated in her head three times and to her great relief the door grew smaller, as well as the amount of smoke that filled the corridor, until only an empty wall was left.

* * *

><p>AN Mwhahahahaha! (an evil grin) I'm not so sure if this is really a bonus chapter or just a way of making all my readers suffer through the Easter holiday! ;) Anyway here it is! So what did you think? I could so see Harry going after Hunter to get the full story of what happened with the Death Eater, and I could see Taylor going after Harry for doing that to Greg! About the basilisk teeth... do you think that was different enough from the seventh book? I always questioned the way the tooth went through metal... in my books teeth aren't as strong as metal. What did you think? I know I am leaving Taylor in a big mess again but hey I never said her life at Hogwarts was going to be smooth sailing! ;)

Thank you for your kind reviews, adds to Alerts and Favorites and just for reading! Thanks to barbc my great beta! Well until next time, cytpotter.


	58. Vulnerable

Nope I don't own Harry Potter, just the story and charactors that you don't recognize.

* * *

><p>Chapter Fifty-eight<p>

**Vulnerable**

"Dear Merlin! What's happened?"

Taylor could hear feet rushing toward them and she pushed up on her elbows to look around. Blurry figures were approaching and then her eyes fell on her brother lying on the floor beside her.

"Harry!" Taylor gasped, even as blurry as her vision was, she could see the blood on his face and the blood that was soaking his shirt that was sliced to ribbons.

The voices above her, one she vaguely recognized, started rattling off orders. Her trembling arms gave out and she was lying on her stomach unable to see what was happening above her. Looking at her brother she could see a wand pointing at him and a voice muttering reviving charms. The reviving charms were being repeated by at least one other voice.

"Taylor!"

That deep voice she recognized, as the sound of running feet pounded towards her and then skidded to a stop, the Head Boy's voice asked what had happened.

"I don't know Mr. Hunter. Sir Nicholas I need you to go tell Madame Pomfrey that we are bringing her five injured students, two critically! Auror Tonks you take Mr. Weasley and Granger. I'll take the other two. Hunter you can bring Porter!" The voice was brisk and professional.

Taylor felt gentle hands on her turning her over. She heard a soft gasp as the Head Boy's face, slightly blurry, was looking down at her. Then his arms scooped her up and held her securely against his chest.

Taylor wasn't sure what it was, the knowledge that they were getting the help they needed or whether it was just the adrenaline wearing off, but her hands started to hurt as her body started to shake uncontrollably.

"Hey are you okay?" Greg's deep voice asked concerned, as he peered down at her anxiously.

"She's going into shock. She'll be okay once we get her to the nurse." The brisk professional voice answered.

Greg looked at the witch in his arms closely as he walked beside the four floating stretchers carrying the four other Gryffindors, all cut and bleeding. He could see that her hazel eyes, normally seen from behind a pair of glasses, were wide and the pupils large. Her face was covered in varying sizes of cuts and gashes, one particularly nasty one by her temple, all were bleeding. It was her hands though that had him most worried. The blood dripping from them had already soaked the front of his shirt. The powerful smell of acidic smoke seemed to roll off her shaking body.

"At least I-I wasn't in t-th-the sn-snow" The witch whispered in a shaking voice.

Greg shook his head as he looked down at her pale face. Again, questions he wanted to ask on the tip of his tongue, but instead he whispered, "That's true. You're going to be all right. We'll be at the hospital in a few minutes."

He had gone looking for Taylor that morning, though he had been later than he planned getting to the Great Hall for breakfast, owing to the fact that he had finally caught up with Derek alone in the boy's lavatory and told him to keep his mouth shut about his witch. He'd had no doubt it was Derek that Potter had heard running off at the mouth the previous weekend. Though with detentions all week, he hadn't had the opportunity to speak with his fellow Hufflepuff until this morning.

When, after he had eaten his breakfast and none of the five Gryffindors had shown up, he'd gone looking for them, checking all their usual haunts but he hadn't found them. Nor when he checked at Gryffindor Tower did anyone know where they were. He was just heading back down through the castle when Sally-Anne had rushed up to him saying that Potter and the others were hurt and where.

A few minutes later the Hufflepuff followed the four stretchers into the Hospital Wing, carrying his shaking witch in his arms. Madame Pomfrey quickly pointed to a bed as she hurried around asking the auror Tonks to get this or that from her office.

Greg sat down on a bed, still holding the shaking witch. He could tell by the way the nurse rushed around, that it was Potter and the Weasley witch who were the most seriously hurt.

The nurse finally sighed, "Potter and Miss Weasley are finally stable. Tonks, I'm going to need more Blood Replenishing potion from my office." The nurse ordered briskly as she started to run her wand over Granger and the Weasley wizard before coming over to check Taylor.

"Hunter, lay her on the bed so I can check her over."

Greg did as he was asked and watched closely as the healer gently levitated one of his witch's badly cut hands and inspected it before bandages flew from her wand and bandaged both hands heavily.

"Poppy! What has happened?" Professor McGonagall asked worriedly as she hurried into the Hospital Wing.

Madame Pomfrey finished with Taylor before speaking. "I can't say for sure Head Mistress, but Potter and Miss Weasley are in critical but stable condition. They both suffer from multiple broken bones and extensive blood loss. Granger, Porter and Mr. Weasley have also suffered from numerous lacerations and blood loss. If I were to hazard a guess, I'd say they were in some sort of explosion, plus all five have damage to their lungs consistent with heavy smoke inhalation."

McGonagall looked over at him but Greg shook his head. "I don't know what happened, Professor. I wasn't with them when it happened." The Head Mistress nodded before she turned back to the nurse.

"I will keep them heavily sedated for a while to allow their wounds to heal. Whatever caused their extensive cuts is interfering with the healing potion. I'll need to keep a close eye on them." Pomfrey said as she administered potion to the other four Gryffindors before turning back to Taylor once again. "However I don't dare give the sedative to Miss Porter, as you well know Head Mistress."

Greg looked down at his witch as she lay there, eyes wide, listening. She had stopped shaking he noticed and the smaller cuts on her face had stopped bleeding, though the blood was still oozing out of the larger ones. The healing potion the nurse had given her was trying to work at least.

"Miss Porter, can you tell me what happened?" McGonagall asked as she gazed down at the underage Gryffindor witch.

"I'm not exactly sure Professor." Taylor's voice wavered slightly.

"Was there an explosion? Where did the smoke come from?"

Taylor's eyes started to roll back in her head and then she went limp.

"Taylor?" Greg cried startled, as the nurse passed her wand over the witch.

"She's just passed out." The nurse said in a relieved voice. "I believe another side effect of whatever is keeping the wounds from healing is a great deal of pain. I'm afraid Porter is in for a rough go of it."

Greg sat beside his witch for the rest of the afternoon. The nurse came to check on the five Gryffindors often, changing their blood soaked bandages and administering more Blood Replenishing potion each time. He noticed that his witch kept her hands curled in next to her body even when she slept fitfully, seldom lying still for very long and moaning softly.

In the early evening he saw the Head Mistress come back escorting Mr. and Mrs. Weasley. They all stopped and spoke to Madame Pomfrey before continuing on to the five Gryffindors lying in the hospital beds.

"Ah Greg Hunter isn't it? Your father is Daniel Hunter?" Greg nodded. "I know your dad from the Ministry." Mr. Weasley said as he nodded at the Hufflepuff.

"Sir," Greg said as he nodded again. He could see the elder Weasley wizard looking at him intently. "I'm Taylor's boyfriend."

"Of course you are." Mr. Weasley said with a smile. Though Greg could see the caution mixed with worry in the older wizard's eyes.

Mrs. Weasley was fighting the fear that had gripped her ever since she'd received word that Ron, Ginny, Harry and Hermione had been hurt. She glanced over at Taylor too, before looking back at her son and daughter lying in the hospital beds. Minerva hadn't been able to tell her more than that all five had been hurt at the same time.

"Mrs. Weasley?"

Turning Mrs. Weasley looked over at Taylor again to see the young witch looking at her. "Taylor dear! Are you all right?" she asked as she went to sit next to the teenaged witch.

Taylor nodded a little. Everything was still blurry without her glasses but she'd recognized her friends' mother easily enough.

"What happened?" Mrs. Weasley asked anxiously.

Taylor took a deep breath and coughed. Her throat and lungs still felt a little raw. "We were trying to do something… I don't know really what happened. There was an explosion and smoke. Ron and I, we tried to use our magic but… We crawled out. We found Ginny and Hermione on the way out and brought them with us. But Harry…" Taylor felt her eyes start to water again and blinked rapidly. Swallowing the lump in her throat, she continued. "Harry was still inside so we crawled back in after him," Taylor held up her heavily bandaged hands to look at them for a second before she continued again. "…it felt like forever before we finally found him and pulled him out."

"You did a good job dear." Mrs. Weasley said with a wavering smile, as she patted Taylor's shoulder.

Taylor didn't feel like she had done a good job. Her brother was critically injured, as well as one of her best friends. Her other two friends were seriously hurt also, plus her hands hurt terribly and were so heavily bandaged that she doubted she could even hold her wand… "My wand! Greg did you see my wand?" Taylor cried as she sat up in her bed looking over at the Head Boy desperately, as panic filled her.

"No, I didn't. I didn't see it in the hallway either." Greg said shaking his head he could see the panic on the witches face.

"We'll get _someone_ to go search for it right now." Mr. Weasley's voice was calm. The slight inflection on the word 'someone' meant someone from the Order.

"Miss Porter, please try to relax. I'm sure we will be able to find your wand, but you need to stay calm or you'll end up opening up your cuts again. You've lost a lot of blood already." Madame Pomfrey's voice was soothing but firm.

Taylor closed her eyes to try to get control of her pounding heart. Without her wand she was a sitting duck, without her wand she was defenseless. She felt a hand on her shoulder and looked over at the Hufflepuff.

"It's going to be all right. We'll find it." he said gently.

Taylor nodded as she lay back down, only slightly reassured by his words. The Hufflepuff seemed to sense this and put his hand on her shoulder, again rubbing it reassuringly. Taylor waited anxiously as McGonagall left the hospital wing for a few minutes before returning.

"I've asked Mr. Lupin to go have a look for your wand, Miss Porter," the Head Mistress said before she turned to Mr. Weasley and the two of them walked over to the end bed where Ron was lying.

As Taylor waited she tried to remember where she had last had her wand, and with a growing sense of dread she thought she knew. It was in the Room of Requirement. Sealed there until _they_ went back to get it and the Horcruxes. Of course there was another option, that someone had found it and taken it… that would be worse. Probably fatally so!

In the meantime, Madame Pomfrey brought a bowl of soup over and set it down on a table she conjured for that purpose.

Mrs. Weasley got up from where she had gone to sit between Ginny and Hermione and came over to Taylor's bed. "Here dear I'll get that for you." She said as she helped Taylor to sit up some, fluffing the pillows for the young witch to lean against, before spoon-feeding the soup to her.

Taylor could feel her face turning red as she opened her mouth for another spoonful of soup from her best friend's mother. It wasn't so much what Mrs. Weasley was doing, as it was the fact that Taylor couldn't do it herself. Looking at her bandaged hands, she could see that they were starting to soak through with blood once again and with each beat of her heart both hands throbbed painfully. Gritting her teeth against the pain and humiliation she ate all the soup and then drank the pumpkin juice that Mrs. Weasley held up for her.

"Here dear, maybe you should lie back down again," Mrs. Weasley said gently with a strained smile. Even without her glasses Taylor could see the worry clearly written on the mother's face.

"Thank you, Mrs. Weasley." Taylor whispered, trying to tell her with just those few words how much she did appreciate the kindly given help. Taylor had never had anyone to dote on her. Not in a motherly way at least and she knew the matronly witch was the closest thing to a mother that her brother had. Mrs. Weasley had a way of being motherly to all those around her. Hadn't Hermione and she been the recipients of such kindly acts again and again?

Taylor had just settled back on the bed when she saw a blurred figure walk into the Hospital Wing and head straight for the Head Mistress who was still standing by the far bed with Mr. Weasley. The figure was nearly there when she recognized Lupin.

She felt a hand on her shoulder once more, looked over at the Head Boy and he gave her shoulder a squeeze. Looking back towards the Head Mistress, she waited for the verdict on her wand.

Even though Lupin spoke low, his voice seemed to carry in the silent hospital. "I'm sorry Head Mistress, I searched the entire corridor thoroughly three times but I couldn't find Miss Porter's wand anywhere."

Taylor got his meaning immediately. He hadn't been able to get it from the Room of Requirements. It was most likely as she had first feared, it was sealed in the room until all five of them could go back to get it. She could have kicked herself. She had been so scared of someone finding the Horcruxes that she had been quite specific in her wording. Now she was going to have to wait to get her wand as well.

Greg watched the witch lying on the bed, as the color drained from her face. Though she didn't say a thing, he could tell that the news about her wand scared her. He couldn't blame her, as he tried to put himself in her shoes and to suddenly find yourself wandless… He was scared for her himself.

Taylor was released from the hospital Monday morning into the care of the waiting Head Boy.

Her hands were still heavily bandaged, but they had finally stopped bleeding. Though they remained nearly as painful, Taylor had begged the nurse to let her out.

Sunday had been pure hell for Taylor. Her hands hurting terribly, she had sat and watched her brother and friends lying in their beds heavily sedated. Their wounds were starting to clot, so they weren't bleeding as badly. Though she didn't say anything, Taylor was sure Pomfrey knew her hands were hurting so she kept the other Gryffindors out, because many of their wounds were worse then Taylor's and no pain potion seemed to help with the pain.

Taylor would have stayed in the hospital if she thought she was of any help there whatsoever but she knew she wasn't. She couldn't even hold her brother's or one of her friend's hands. So sitting there all day, even with the Hufflepuff staying with her, had been agonizing with nothing to take her mind off the pain.

She had made her pitch to the nurse last night. She'd talked it over with the Hufflepuff before hand and at first he hadn't agreed but finally he had relented. She told the nurse that she thought going back to classes the next day would help take her mind off her hands and to her surprise Pomfrey had agreed with a few provisions in place.

So with a final glance at her brother and friends, she set off through the castle with the Head Boy heading for class, well his classes actually. McGonagall had given her okay just a few minutes ago, that Taylor could go not to her classes alone but she could accompany the Head Boy to all his, until such time as she had the use of her hands again.

Taylor had to admit, even though it was a little scary to walk around the castle without a wand, it was also a little exciting. She'd get to go to classes she'd never been to before and some she had dropped after fifth year. She was to go back to the Hospital Wing at lunch and before supper, but at least she was up and moving again.

"So Porter! You are coming to class with us yeah?" Justin Finch-Fletchly asked as he and two other seventh year Hufflepuffs joined the Head Boy and Gryffindor witch.

"Yup for the next couple of days I'm an honorary member of the Head Boy club!" Taylor said with a grin.

"What happened to you and the others anyway?" A seventh year Hufflepuff asked.

"I already warned you Connor." Hunter said softly but the warning was clear in his voice.

If Taylor's hands hadn't hurt so much to touch anything she'd have laid her hand on the Head Boy's arm. As it was, she bumped him with her hip as she replied. "Connor is it? Well Connor you see when you mix equal parts of dragon manure, Pepsi and engine oil you get… diddly squat."

The muggle-borns in the group snorted in laughter as Greg grinned down at his witch. The ensuing conversation about what that meant lasted until they got to Ancient Runes, a class Taylor had never taken but wished she had. She sat quietly beside the Head Boy as the professor talked about the intricacies between several different symbols. Taylor found it fascinating even if she didn't understand a lot of it.

At the end of class, as they were heading for their next class, one she knew very well, Greg leaned down close to her. "So what did you think of that? It must have been quite boring."

Taylor shook her head and she started to ask some of the questions she had about what she had learned. When the two of them walked into Professor Slughorn's class for potions the Head Boy was quite surprised with how much the witch beside him had understood for never taking Ancient Runes before.

"Ahh Miss Porter! The Head Mistress sent word you would be joining this class. You may help Mr. Hunter and Miss Perks. Seeing as how you can't brew anything yourself, maybe you can keep them from melting their cauldron yet again." Slughorn said with his usual condescending tone.

It was all Taylor could do not to laugh, though she couldn't quite keep her lips from twitching into a grin.

"The last cauldron was very old and had weakened over time!" Sally Ann grumbled as she looked away from the professor.

"Yes, well maybe we should check this one over very carefully to make sure it is in proper working order before we start," Taylor said in a forced straight voice and she might have been okay if she hadn't have looked at the incredulous expression on the Head Boy's face. Turning her laugh into a cough she earned a scowl from Slughorn.

The rest of the class progressed rather well. Taylor made suggestions, quite a few actually, but the end result was a very acceptable finished potion that earned all three full marks.

When the bell rang for lunch, Taylor waited by the table as the other two cleaned up. She hated feeling so useless but to touch anything with her hands was just too painful. Though she had done what she set out to do, being distracted from the pain in her hands.

"So you are really good in potions. I never knew that." Greg said with a grin as they walked out of the classroom. "I've never gotten full marks on a potion before."

"Yeah well I have my moments." Taylor said a little embarrassed.

They talked on the way to the Hospital Wing. Harry and the others were still unconscious and after Pomfrey checked Taylor's bandages they left to go to the Great Hall for lunch. The Hufflepuff had already come up with an idea so she could eat without being spoon-fed. He levitated the food to her mouth and she just ate it out of mid air.

When they reached the Entrance Hall, Taylor's steps faltered. Until now she hadn't come across any Slytherins nor been anywhere where there were all that many people to stare at her, but now she had to walk into the Great Hall where everyone could see her. She'd be wandless, and with her hands bandaged, an easy target for now or later.

"Hey, it's going to be alright. I'm right here and I won't let anything happen," the Hufflepuff whispered in her ear as he leaned down. "You've sat at my table before. We'll sit with Sally-Anne and Hannah." Greg's blue eyes searched hers as he wrapped his arm around her and held her gently against his side.

Taking a deep breath Taylor nodded. The Head Boy didn't take his hand away as he started to walk, if anything he held her more tightly against his side, his large frame making her look small, but also partially hiding her from many of the curious eyes.

Lunch really wasn't as bad as Taylor had first thought. After the first few awkward moments the other Hufflepuffs seemed to lose interest and go back to their own conversations. Just the few sitting right by the Gryffindor really noticed that the food she was eating was levitated. Taylor even found that Sally-Anne was going out of her way to make her feel more at ease, telling jokes and laughing easily.

That afternoon the Head Boy had Defense Against the Dark Arts and Herbology.

Defense was actually quite entertaining, as Professor Shacklebolt had her helping with corrections when the class broke into pairs to practice different jinxes. She found that many of the Hufflepuffs had terrible aim and more then once Shacklebolt, who was keeping a close eye on the unarmed witch, sent a shield her way. Still though she was able to help quite a few and by the end she was pleased with the progress of a few of them. The Head Boy was one and Sally-Anne was another.

"Wow, Taylor you must be really good at Defense! I can't believe how much you helped me just in that short time! I mean Shacklebolt is good, way better then most of our other DADA teachers we've had, but still I like the way you explained it." Sally-Anne gushed as they walked down the corridor.

Taylor was just about to reply when a cold voice behind them called out.

"Wow Porter! I bet you aren't quite so hot with that _wand_ of yours right now are you?" the voice belonged to Parkinson.

Greg wheeled and stepped in front of his witch as he drew his wand. "I suggest you keep walking and keep quiet Parkinson or I'll see to it you are in detention for a month!"

"I'd have thought that you would have gotten your fill of the likes of _her_ by now Hunter!" Another Slytherin girl called as they walked past.

"Why don't you crawl back in the hole you came from!" Sally-Anne shot back. She had stopped too and turned to help the Head Boy if there was trouble.

The Slytherins gave a couple more parting shots, hinting at more sinister things to come.

When they were gone, Greg turned around to see the anger on the Gryffindor's face and hear her grinding her teeth as she glared past him to where the Slytherins had disappeared.

"Hey don't let them get to you okay? Come on Gryffindor, we have to get to Herbology," Greg's voice was light as he bumped her side with his hip and put his arm around her shoulders.

Taylor was seething and worried. Did the fact that she no longer had her wand get out somehow? Or was the crack about her lack of wand usage merely a jab at the fact that she couldn't use her hands? Either way she was going to have to think of a way to defend herself if need be. It wasn't that she didn't trust the Head Boy, she did, but as she had just seen in the DADA classroom he wasn't the best. That was something she vowed to fix.

The grounds were still frozen and slick with ice from the recent sleet storm that had passed earlier that day. With Greg holding her arm she made it safely to the greenhouses, where she found the Hufflepuff was every bit as good as she was at Herbology.

As a group Sally-Anne, Hannah, Justin, Ernie, and Connor started up across the grounds with Taylor and the Head Boy. They were talking about the different properties of the plants they had seen in class. Taylor was listening to the easy bantering in the group and was reminded sorely of her friends lying in the hospital.

She wasn't paying as much attention to where she was walking as she should, when suddenly her foot slipped on the slippery ground, without thinking she put her hands out to stop herself. Pain, white hot, exploded in her hands and she cried out pulling her hands against her body as she came to rest on her knees with her forehead on the ground.

"Taylor!" Several voices called but it was the Head Boy who dropped to the ground next to the witch.

He could see her cradling her hands as she breathed heavily. "Oh God, Taylor, I'm sorry. Are you all right?" He could have kicked himself for not making sure his witch didn't slip.

"Just… give me… a second…" Taylor ground out through clenched teeth as she fought the pain, as well as the black dots that were swimming around in her vision. In a few minutes the pain began to recede to the regular throb.

"Here, let me carry you the rest of the way so you don't fall again," The Head Boy offered, concerned.

Gritting her teeth to keep back the cutting reply that came to her, she pushed up off the ground awkwardly, accepting Greg's helping hand out of need. "No. I'll be fine." She said through gritted teeth.

Savagely she wiped the wetness off her face with her forearm before setting off towards the school. The other Hufflepuffs were quiet as she passed them, but she was trying too hard to get a grip on her temper and keep her mouth shut that she couldn't worry about them at the moment. She could hear the Head Boy right behind her but she didn't slow down until she reached the main doors. They were closed. Stopping she waited for him to open them for her.

The Head Boy barely had the door opened before Taylor pushed through and raced across the Entrance Hall. Running up the stairs as fast as she could, she ran down the second floor corridor to the girl's lavatory. She could hear the Head Boy hurrying after her. He even called for her to stop once but she didn't.

Turning her body she slammed into the washroom door with her shoulder, causing it to smash into the wall and toppling a first year onto the floor. Taylor mumbled her apologies as she waited to make sure the girl was all right, before heading deeper into the lavatory. Breathing hard Taylor stared at her reflection in the mirror. The glasses Madame Pomfrey had found for her surrounded her over bright eyes. Wheeling Taylor kicked the wastepaper basket. Anger, fear, pain and frustration warred in her as she noticed her robes were soaked from where she had fallen. Hauling her foot back she kicked the wastepaper basket again.

"I don't think it's going to get up again," A deep voice, that most definitely didn't belong in a girl's lavatory, said softly from the doorway.

"Hufflepuff just…" Taylor began.

"It's alright to be scared you know." The Head Boy said gently as he came up behind his witch.

"Is that what you think I am?" Taylor asked, wheeling to glare up at the tall Hufflepuff.

"I know you are. I can see it in your eyes. I can also see your frustration." The Hufflepuff said gently as he put his hands on the witch's shoulders.

* * *

><p>AN I know another cliff-hanger but when I was writting this chapter I had to find someplace to end it and this was where I did it. Poor Taylor! Her hands are useless and she is missing her wand... NOT a good thing in a magical world! ;) So what did you think of Taylor going to Greg's classes? I always wanted to explore some of the other classes that were offered at Hogwarts and this was how I came up with doing it. Ancient Runes always seemed like it would of been a neat class to take. This sequence of events is just getting started... :D Yeah I know I am evil! I will try to post another chapter soon so you don't have to wait too long!

Thank you to all those who left a review! I LOVE to hear what you readers think of this story! Thanks as well for those who added this to their Favorites and Alerts! ANd if you made it this far into this massive story then THANK YOU! Cause you must like it some or you wouldn't read like 248000 words or what ever it is now! ;) Thanks to my wonderful beta, barbc these updates are possible because she just rocks at getting me the corrected chapters back! Well until next time, cytpotter.


	59. Caught Unprepared

If I owned Harry Potter I would be able to afford a better computer! So nope I don't! Just this crappy old clunker that can still be called a computer!

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter Fifty-nine<strong>

**Caught Unprepared**

Taylor closed her eyes. How had she become such an open book? How was it that this Hufflepuff could read her so easily? Could he also see her pain? How terrified she was for her brother and friends?

An unbidden thought whispered, what if she lost her brother? And Hermione. And Ron. And Ginny. What if she couldn't get her wand back? Terrible images passed by her closed eyes causing unwanted tears to leak out from under her eyelashes.

"Hey, it's going to be alright," the Head Boy whispered as he brushed a tear from his witch's face, before gathering her in his arms and holding her tight. He could feel the sobs as they wracked his witch's body and his heart constricted in his chest. It hurt to see his brave witch like this. Normally so fearless and bold, he had seen the fear that lurked in her hazel eyes at times today, and the pain in her hands that she tried so hard to hide.

"Shh," he whispered as he sensed that it was more then just fear for her safety that was upsetting her, but fear for the other Gryffindors in the hospital as well, a fear that had lurked in her eyes the past two days. "They're going to be alright Taylor, they are." He knew he was right as his witch held on tightly and cried harder.

Greg didn't know how long his witch cried, but soon the sobs that had wracked her body subsided and she stood quietly in his arms, though she still held him tightly with her arms, carefully keeping her hands away.

"Hey, look at me," Greg said softly after a while, as he looked down at the witch in his arms. Slowly she lifted her head to look up at him and he saw her tear stained face and he was struck by how vulnerable she looked. "It's going to be okay. Harry and the others are going to be okay. You're going to be okay. I'm not going to let anything happen to you."

He watched as raw emotions played in her hazel eyes, before she closed them again. Bending his head down, he kissed her gently on the forehead. "I love you, Gryffindor. We'll make it through this. You'll see." He slid his hands up and tenderly cupped her face in his hands as he lowered his head to brush his lips over hers softly, tasting the salty tears as well as the essence of his witch as he deepened the kiss. With a shuddering sigh his witch kissed him back.

A few minutes later, breathing heavily, he leaned his forehead against hers. He'd have loved to keep kissing her all night but he knew that at any moment some witch could walk into the bathroom and find them.

"Come on, we'd better get going. Madame Pomfrey will be waiting. We can eat there if you want."

Taylor shook her head. She couldn't let her fear rule her. Just like she hadn't let the fear of the dark keep her prisoner, neither would she let her fear that something _might_ happen rule her. "No, I'll eat in the Great Hall." She wished her voice hadn't sounded quite so watery but the Hufflepuff smiled at her and nodded.

A half hour later, the two walked into the Great Hall and sat down at the Hufflepuff table.

"Well, it's about time Greg! Do you know how hard it's been keeping Derek from eating all your favorite pickles?" Sally-Anne asked as they sat down.

Taylor watched as the Head Boy bantered back and forth with the other Hufflepuffs easily. She found it hard not to smile when he looked at her and winked before covertly levitating a pickle off Derek's plate and onto hers. The ensuing magical tug of war by both seventh years over the pickle had her rolling her eyes and laughing.

"So Taylor, are you going to come to study with us tonight or what?" Sally-Anne asked a little while later.

Taylor hesitated. She really hadn't thought about it.

"I think that's a great idea. I have late patrol tonight so I can take you back before I go on patrol if you want." The Head Boy suggested as he smiled encouragingly.

"Well, with an offer like that how could I refuse?" Taylor asked.

So after the Hufflepuffs and lone Gryffindor witch finished their supper they all got up and headed out of the Great Hall.

"Hey Porter!"

At the sound of her name being called Taylor turned and saw Dean, Seamus and Neville walking towards her. "Hi guys." She offered as greeting.

"What have ya done? Switched houses on us?" Seamus asked teasingly.

Taylor shook her head as she held up her bandaged hands. "Not switched houses, just been demoted to hanging with the Head Boy until I get my dukes back."

"I heard that Gryffindor!" Greg teased lightly. "Though I'd say you've been elevated not demoted. Why there're plenty of witches that would die for a chance to be _stuck with me_!"

Taylor just rolled her eyes.

"Well the common room just ain't the same without you all. I hear the others are doing better?" Dean asked sincerely.

Taylor nodded and forced a smile as she said, "Yeah they are. Harry and Ginny are both doing much better and Ron and Hermione should be awake in another day or two." Taylor felt the Head Boy's hand as he put it on her back reassuringly.

"Well that's good, really good." Neville said shyly.

A few minutes later Taylor watched as the three seventh year Gryffindor boys walked across the Entrance Hall and up the marble staircase. A funny feeling in her stomach. Was what she was doing seen by others as switching houses? Before she could dwell on it the Hufflepuff beside her asked if she was ready to go and then guided her toward the other side of the Entrance Hall and the corridor leading to his common room.

"I think Sally-Anne and the others are in here." The Head Boy said when he came to the Hufflepuff study and opened the door.

Taylor nodded and went in to find the Hufflepuff witch and the others with their books opened already. For a while Taylor contented herself with helping the Head Boy with a potions essay that they had due this Friday.

"Taylor? Could you show me that wand movement again?" Sally-Anne asked a little while later.

Taylor nodded and showed the witch again by slowly moving her hand through the air. It wasn't long before Macmillan asked her about it and one thing led to another and soon she had a half dozen Hufflepuffs practicing disarming spells. Taylor became absorbed in helping them and it didn't seem like very long before the Head Boy had to leave for his patrol.

"You have a natural ability to teach you know. Quite like Potter when he was doing it in our fifth year. You're a whole lot prettier though." Greg said lightly as they walked up through the castle.

"Gee thanks Hufflepuff. I'll be sure to tell him that when he wakes up." Taylor said sarcastically and heard the wizard chuckle.

They walked for a while in silence. As they reached the fourth floor Taylor's steps faltered and she stopped.

"What's wrong?" Greg asked as he glanced around.

Taylor looked down the hallway toward the Hospital Wing.

"You know it's alright if you want to go see them," the Head Boy said softly, and putting his arm around her shoulders he added, "Come on, let's go."

A half hour later Taylor knelt on the floor, alone, between her brother and Ginny as they lay in their hospital beds. She knew she could have asked the Hufflepuff to conjure a chair for her before he left but she couldn't bring herself to ask. Not for something so simple that she should be able to do herself.

She was trying to be brave like her brother always was, but she had let her fear get the better of her yet again, when she had gone to Madame Pomfrey just a few minutes ago and asked if she could spend the night here instead of in her dorm room. The cowardice of it galled her but not as much as the fear of being alone there, without her friends and brother.

"Minerva do you really think it was wise to let Miss Porter go back to class today? I understand that she went with the Head Boy and while he is a decent enough boy, with what we know did you believe it was safe?" Lupin stood in the Head Mistress' office alone with her.

"Remus, I fear sometimes what _I think_ is _safe_ and what _Miss Porter does_ are two very different things!" the Head Mistress said in a tight voice. "The last two weeks are clear evidence of that! Besides as Madame Pomfrey pointed out to me there was nothing more she could do for Miss Porter and that the distraction might even help her deal with the pain better. I also had someone from the Order keeping a close watch on her as you well know."

Remus sighed. He had been watching James' daughter on her way from the greenhouses and had seen her fall. He'd nearly lost her too when she had stormed off but then he'd heard her crying in the girl's lavatory… He'd wanted to check on her but he knew the Head Boy was there with her… He could see how she was beginning to trust the Hufflepuff, something so dangerous in these times.

"I do believe that Miss Porter will be safe enough with Mr. Hunter as long as we keep an eye on her." Dumbledore's voice said from his painting on the wall. "If I'm not mistaken, a fair number of other Hufflepuffs seem to have gathered around the Gryffindor as well."

"She is walking around completely helpless! She doesn't even have a wand to try and protect herself! Do you really think a bunch of Hufflepuffs stand a chance if Voldemort were to try something?" Remus asked angrily.

"Are the Hufflepuffs any different than the bunch of Gryffindors she usually hangs around with, if indeed Voldemort should try something, as you put it?" Dumbledore's painting asked curiously.

"You know what I mean!" Remus muttered, unwilling to get drawn into a debate like that with the Head Master's painting.

"That is beside the point. What concerns me the most is what Miss Porter and the others are going to get up to next! She met with a Death Eater, blew up Honeydukes and landed herself and the others in the hospital in little over a week!" McGonagall said in a firm tone. "I had a very difficult time you know convincing Arthur Weasley that this was some kind of accident."

"I'm afraid, Minerva, that is exactly what it was; a very unfortunate, unforeseeable, accident." Dumbledore's tone was very somber.

"Albus how can you be so sure? I have let both Porter and Potter have a lot of leeway this year on your suggestion but if the Ministry or Board of Governors should come investigating…"

"You are going to have to trust me on this Minerva. Things rarely happen for no reason. In time I hope to be able to answer your questions, for now it is just too dangerous." The Painting said solemnly, the painted blue eyes piercing as they regarded his replacement in this office.

Remus had excused himself a few minutes later, and he was left with the same feeling he always was when he talked with Dumbledore, whether it was his painting or when he was alive, the wizard knew more then he was telling and he had a plan. Somehow the great wizard was reaching beyond his grave and influencing what was going on. He had his doubts at times, but he trusted Dumbledore, so he would continue to do as the great wizard asked.

Remus met the Head Boy on his way down through the castle and after inquiring as to Miss Porter's whereabouts, headed for the Hospital Wing. He was just about to the door to the hospital, when his over-sensitive ears picked up the voice, soft and pained. Stepping into the hospital quietly, he saw the Gryffindor witch, on her knees beside her brother's bed, head bowed as if she were praying.

"What am I going to do, Harry? I am _so_ scared. I've never been brave like you. I even bawled all over Greg earlier today. I just feel so alone, so helpless… It hurts so much to see you, and Ginny, and Hermione, and Ron all lying here while I… Pomfrey tried giving me pain potion, but it didn't work. She's too afraid to give me the sleep potion you guys have, in case… well you know. The last few days have been so hard. I don't know what I would have done without Greg. I know you don't like him but Harry he's been here for me when I've been all alone. He's been so kind and understanding. I love you, I'll always love you, but it's like my heart is getting bigger and every day I love that Hufflepuff just a bit more. It's scary and exciting all at the same time… I miss you though, I miss you so much…"

Silently backing out of the door to the hospital, Remus turned and walked away. This was a private conversation that only his ears, with only one day left until the full moon, could hear.

The next morning, Taylor was up and with Madame Pomfrey's help, ready and waiting for the Head Boy when he came by the hospital to get her for breakfast. He had offered to stay the night with her, like he had each night prior, but she had said no. She was okay and he needed his sleep. He hadn't said a thing about her staying in the hospital with her brother and friends instead of returning to her dorm like she should have. Just another thing that endeared the Head Boy in her heart. She could have sworn he even somehow sensed her reason for staying.

After breakfast the Head Boy had Care of Magical Creatures out on the grounds near Hagrid's hut. The Hufflepuff draped a heavy winter cloak around her shoulders and tied his scarf around her neck before pointing his wand at her and levitating her a few inches off the floor.

"_What,_ may I ask, are you doing Hufflepuff?" Taylor asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Making sure you don't fall," he answered with a smug smile as he put his arm around her back and floated her out of the castle and across the snowy grounds.

"You are enjoying this way too much, you know!" Taylor griped half-heartedly.

Professor Hagrid greeted them with a big smile before starting his lesson.

This was another class Taylor would have loved to have kept taking if… Giving her head a little shake, she listened as Hagrid explained the differences between the deadly Chimaera, equally deadly Manticore, as well the lethal Nundu. Taylor was fascinated and despite herself ended up asking a few questions. At the end of class Hagrid assigned a one foot long essay due Friday before dismissing them.

"Feelin' a bit bett'er ar' ya, Taylor?"

Taylor looked up at the huge professor and nodded.

"How's Harry an' the others doin'?"

"Better. Ron and Hermione will hopefully be awake tomorrow or the next day. Harry and Ginny… they're doing better too." Taylor answered as she looked away from him uncomfortably.

"Well, tha's good to hear. You enjoyed me class did ya? Never did understand why ya gave it up." Taylor could hear a bit of hurt in his voice as she looked down at the ground.

"I dunno. When in Rome, you know." Taylor mumbled. It hadn't been her idea to give up Care of Magical Creatures. She brightened as she glanced up at Hagrid and said. "I really did enjoy your class though. I thought it was fascinating! Imagine one hundred wizards to bring down just one Nundu!"

Hagrid smiled at her as his beard twitched. "Yeah, James Potter never took much interest in Care of Magical Creatures either. Though it was a different story for Miss Evans. I always did think Harry took after his mum more than that though." Taylor stared at the huge professor for a few seconds. 'Well, ya bett'er be off. Don' want to be late for your next class!"

Giving her head a little shake, she turned to see a confused look on the Head Boy's face but he gave his wand a wave and levitated her again and they set off up across the grounds towards the castle.

"What was that all about?" the Head Boy asked curiously when they were halfway to the castle.

"Oh, Ha… er Professor Hagrid has always been a really good friend of Harry's and when he dropped Care of Magical Creatures after fifth year… Professor Hagrid was a little hurt I think." Taylor answered.

"So why didn't you continue with it if you enjoyed it so much? Just because Potter dropped it didn't mean you had to." The Head Boy looked at her quizzically.

Taylor shrugged her shoulders, "Well you know when in Rome…"

"Yeah, that might be so but we are at Hogwarts. Besides what difference does it make what Potter's parents did in school?" The Head Boy asked as his eyes narrowed curiously.

"You ask a lot of questions Hufflepuff." Taylor said lightly.

"And you are one _big_ mystery Gryffindor," Greg replied as his eyes searched her face before she looked away out over the grounds.

Their next class was Transfiguration and even without her wand Taylor could see that the Hufflepuff was better at it then she was.

After lunch they had Charms and then a study period.

Taylor was just sitting down in front of the fire in the Hufflepuff study room when Sally-Anne came in and asked Taylor to help her with her defense wand work again. By the time the bell went to end the last class of the day, Taylor had four Hufflepuffs that she was helping with defensive spells, including the Head Boy.

Wednesday was much like the two previous days. The Head Boy barely left her side, except for at night when she stayed in the hospital with her brother and friends.

Thursday morning, when the nurse checked Taylor's bandages, she said that her hands were finally starting to heal and although her right hand was still heavily bandaged, her left had the tips of her fingers sticking out and the pain was finally receding to a dull throb. When the Head Boy came by to pick her up, she met him with an easy grin.

"Hey beautiful, you're looking happier today." Greg said as he kissed her on the forehead.

"You still need glasses Hufflepuff, but yeah I do feel better this morning. I finally have a few fingers back!" Taylor answered showing him her fingertips and wiggling them.

"Ah, most definitely progress. I was thoroughly enjoying scratching all your itches though. I'll miss that." The Hufflepuff pouted making the witch roll her eyes.

After breakfast, where Taylor picked up a few bits of toast to feed herself, though she had to allow the Hufflepuff to help her with most of it still, they had double Charms and then double Herbology.

They were just heading back to the castle in a group, the Head Boy letting his witch walk after the sun had melted most of the snow and ice the day before. The Hufflepuffs were discussing the essay they just had been assigned, a nasty three foot long one on the different properties of the plants they had looked at that week. Taylor was listening, as Ernie gave his take on one of the plant's medicinal properties, when movement caught her eye and she turned her head to look.

Directly down across the grounds, just on the edge of the Forbidden Forest, almost hidden in the trees was a dark shape. Taylor stopped walking to get a better look.

"Hey Porter!" a cold voice called softly.

Taylor whipped her head in the other direction, instinctively flicking her wrist to palm her wand, only she had no wand. Greg had stopped beside her but the other Hufflepuffs had kept walking, caught up in their conversation and were still moving away from them unaware of what was happening behind them. The Head Boy shifted so he was in front of her, but she had recognized the voice immediately. It was Parkinson's.

"Oh _poor_ Mudblood. Did you lose your wand?" Parkinson called, just as softly from behind a bush that they had been walking by.

The first spell hit Greg with a jelly legs jinx, but it hadn't come from Parkinson. Taylor dove sideways as several spells hit where she had been standing. Rolling she heard the startled yells from the other Hufflepuffs. There was no cover for her to roll behind so leaping to her feet she ran towards the group of Hufflepuffs. She could see that several had their wands out and were firing spells of their own. It only took a few seconds to reach the safety of the group but it felt like a lot longer as she weaved this way and that trying to avoid being hit by spells from behind her.

It was over as fast as it had started. Once Taylor reached the safety of the group of Hufflepuffs, the Slytherins took off.

"Taylor, are you all right?" Sally-Anne asked as soon as she saw the Slytherins hightail it.

"Yeah, I'm fine." Taylor bit out, as anger replaced the fear and her hands throbbed painfully. She'd let her guard down, become lax and the Slytherins had exploited it. Berating herself for not paying more attention, she hurried back to the Head Boy. "Greg, are you all right?" She asked as he performed the counter jinx to stop his legs from jerking out of control.

"Yeah, fine." The Head Boy said as he stood up, anger evident in his voice and face. "Are you okay? Did you get hit?" He could see his witch's hands trembling slightly and knew they were paining again.

Taylor snorted but before she could say anything, a voice called across the grounds as a witch raced towards them. It was Tonks.

"Taylor, are you okay? What happened?" The older witch demanded as she stopped in front of them breathing hard.

"Parkinson and a couple of others decided it'd be funny to make the muggle-born run!" Taylor said in a cold, hard voice ignoring her hands.

"It was Parkinson? Are you sure?" Tonks asked.

"Yeah I'm sure, but I can't prove it." Taylor said as she met the older witch's eye.

"Here, I'll dry you off." And waving his wand Greg dried the Gryffindor off, as well as vanished the mud off her robes and hair, before he repeated the spell on himself.

"Okay, let's go you lot. I'll walk back to the castle with you," Tonks ordered as she waved for them to start walking.

"So let me guess. Parkinson gets off free again?" Greg said but it really wasn't a question. His blue eyes were like chips of ice.

Tonks sighed, "There's not much I can do. I just caught sight of the end of it and I couldn't see any of them from where I was. You were in a better position than I, Hunter. You can always deduct some house points." The auror suggested.

Greg ran his hand through his hair in agitation. There wasn't much he could do either. Though he was fairly sure it had been Parkinson's voice, he hadn't seen the Slytherin witch or any of her friends. The jelly legs had pretty much assured the Slytherins that he would be incapacitated, unable to help his witch or likely to get a good look at them. By now he knew they would be holed up with a bunch of other Slytherins all ready to swear that Parkinson and the others had been with them for hours. "It's not house points I'd like to take from them." He growled in a low menacing voice as they reached the castle doors.

Taylor glanced at the Head Boy and admitted he looked fairly intimidating when he was pissed. "No? Well at least it is something." She offered.

All through lunch, the Hufflepuffs sent dirty looks over at the Slytherin table, but Taylor didn't pay much attention, she was thinking. As soon as the Head Boy finished his soup Taylor asked, "Care for a little stroll before next class?" She saw his eyes narrow a little but he nodded. Getting up they walked out of the Great Hall.

"So what's your next class?" Taylor asked.

The Hufflepuff raised his eyebrow as he answered, "Ancient Runes, why?"

"Oh good, we won't be late if we hurry." Taylor said as she set off up through the castle, taking every short cut that she knew, until puffing she arrived at the Fat Lady with the Head Boy right behind her.

"Kneazle whiskers!" Taylor said and then climbed through the portal when the portrait swung open.

"Taylor would you please tell me what we are doing in Gryffindor Tower?" The Hufflepuff asked as he followed his witch in.

"I need to get something. You wait here. I'll be right back down." Taylor called over her shoulder as she headed up the staircase on the right. She was at the top when she heard…

"That's the boy's dormitories!" The Hufflepuff yelled surprised and bounded up the steps after his witch.

Using her left hand, Taylor opened the door to the seventh year boy's room and headed straight for her brother's bed and the trunk sitting at the end of it. Dropping to her knees she opened the trunk as she heard the Hufflepuff enter the dorm room.

"May I ask what you are doing in a boy's dormitory?" The Hufflepuff asked, a little perturbed.

"I told you, getting something." Taylor said as she looked through her brother's trunk.

"Taylor, that's not your stuff! You can't take somebody else's things!" The Head Boy cried in an astonished voice.

"It's fine. He won't mind," Taylor said from inside the trunk as she mumbled about how messy the trunk was.

"Hold on. Is that Potter's trunk?" The Hufflepuff demanded.

"Ah here they are," Taylor said, as she found the small bag of things she was looking for and thankful her brother hadn't decided to put them back into Hermione's handbag. Without her wand she wouldn't have been able to get them out of it. Sitting back on her heels she pushed the things back into the trunk and shut the cover.

"Taylor!"

Looking up she could see a muscle twitching in the Hufflepuff's jaw as his eyes snapped in anger. Holding up the small bag Taylor explained. "In here are some things from the Weasley twin's joke shop, or more precisely from their line of defensive products. You know darkness powder, smoke bombs, and exploding rocks, stuff like that. It won't help me in a duel, but it should help give me a better chance to get away when the Slytherins try something again."

"But that isn't yours!" The Hufflepuff said in a hard voice.

Taylor glanced at the trunk beside her. She'd been borrowing stuff from her brother for over a year. "Harry won't mind. We bought this stuff way back in the summer in case we needed it. He just keeps it in his trunk along with the invisibility cloak and other stuff."

"The invisibility cloak is his too?"

Taylor sighed. She couldn't very well tell the angry Hufflepuff that it was her brother's and as such hers too. "He lets me borrow it. Look if he were awake he'd be mad if I didn't have these. I should have come got them sooner. I'm not stealing them Greg, if that's what you think."

"So Potter just let's you waltz right up here and get whatever you want, whenever you want it?" There was steel in his voice.

Taylor sighed again. Ginny got that there was nothing between Harry and her, why couldn't the Hufflepuff? "Look Hufflepuff, it's not like that at all. If I need something of Harry's I usually ask for it, but I can't right now. What happened earlier was too close for comfort for me. Another few feet and I wouldn't have made it to the others. You might not have noticed but they were not firing jelly legs jinxes at me." Taylor got to her feet so she could look the Hufflepuff in the eye better, as the bell to end lunch rang. "Right now I am defenseless. It's a very uncomfortable feeling and running scared is not something I do well. These won't protect me, but at least they might give me a fighting chance to get someplace safe. I might not be as lucky to have a whole group of Hufflepuffs to run and hide behind next time!"

Greg was not impressed with the ease that his witch had walked into a boy's room and rummaged through Potter's stuff. It smacked of a familiarity that made him uneasy. Still though, he heard the anger and disgust in his witch's voice, not directed at him but at what had happened earlier. With an effort he concentrated on what she had said.

"You think they will try to attack you again?"

"Do Hippogriffs fly?" Taylor asked.

* * *

><p>AN So Taylor had another run in with Parkinson... That witch was just really fun to pick on! ;) Taylor got to go to Care of Magical Creatures with Hagrid... something that I myself would of taken given the chance! :) Also we heard from McGonagall about her thoughts and some from Dumbledore... It is Dumbledore's influence that had McGonagall giving Taylor the punishments and seemingly light ones that she did.

Thank you to all of you who reviewed! Alerted or Favorited or just read this far! As well thanks to my beta barbc! Until next time, cytpotter.


	60. From One to Two

Nope same crappy computer and I still don't own Harry, just borrowing him for a while. I will try to put him back but he may not be the same! ;)

OMG can you imagine chapter 60! For me writting this much... well if you knew I started out typing with two fingers to have written this much... let's just say it was amazing! Espeacially when I first started writting this I thought it would be around 25 chapters! LOL!

Well hope you enjoy this one!

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter Sixty<strong>

**From One to Two**

The rest of the day passed without incident, though Taylor was sure the Head Boy was still upset about her going into her brother's room. She didn't know what to say to make him understand, not without telling him the truth and that just wasn't possible. That night Hunter had early patrol, so Taylor stayed in the Hufflepuff study with Sally-Anne and the others. She enjoyed Sally-Anne's sense of humor and she was getting used to Ernie's always right, pompous attitude. Even Justin had started to speak to her, especially since her run-in with the Slytherins earlier that day.

She was sitting at a table with Sally-Anne and Justin working on Charms homework when the Head Boy returned.

"Hey,"

Taylor glanced up at the tall Hufflepuff and he smiled at her, before conjuring a chair and joining them. Taylor enjoyed the normalcy of the moment, just sitting and doing homework. Of course hers was very messy, she was a horrible writer with her left hand. Still it was nice to be able to do that much.

That night she stayed in the hospital again. She was running out of excuses for herself but she couldn't seem to be able to make herself go to her dorm for the night.

The next morning Hunter had a double study and they ended up working on defensive spells the whole time. Taylor knew the Head Boy wasn't impressed with being taken out so quickly yesterday by the Slytherins. They made some real headway, with a couple of stunners and his shield charm.

After double Transfiguration, Taylor wanted to go up to the hospital to check in and when she walked through the doors a very welcome voice called to her.

"Well there you are! I was beginning to think you weren't going to make it until supper!"

"Hermione!" Taylor yelled as she ran across the room and hugged her friend sitting in the bed. "Oh Merlin! It's so good to see you awake! How are you feeling?"

"Really good actually." Hermione said with a smile.

"So I'm just chopped liver am I?" Ron asked with a bit of a smirk.

Taylor glanced over at the red haired wizard and grinned. Getting up, she went and hugged him too. "It's really good to see you too! How are you feeling?"

"A right sight better than you have been I expect." Ron said a bit awkwardly as his ears turned red.

Taylor sat back and cocked her head, "What do you mean?"

"Well, when we woke up this morning and you weren't here, Hermione got a bit… cheeky with Pomfrey,"

Hermione added, "I wasn't the only one threatening to go looking!"

"…so she told us about you, and your hands… and well…" Ron trailed off as his face turned red also.

"She told us that she kept us sedated so long because your wounds on your hands were so painful and no pain potion worked and she didn't want to wake us until our wounds had healed enough so they wouldn't cause us uncontrollable pain." Hermione said in her matter of fact voice.

It was Taylor's turn to turn red. "It wasn't…"

The Hufflepuff interrupted her. "It _was_ very rough for a couple of days."

Taylor sent the Head Boy a dirty look before turning back to Hermione. "Yeah, well, I survived."

"So how are your hands now?" Hermione asked.

Taylor glanced down at her bandaged hands. They didn't hurt all that much anymore. Her right one was still fully bandaged but her left had most of her fingers sticking out and her thumb. "They are getting better."

"It must be hell to use your wand with your hand bandaged like that, or are you trying to use your left?" Ron asked half jokingly.

Taylor froze for a second before catching her bottom lip in her teeth and started chewing on it.

"Taylor, what's wrong?" Hermione asked quietly, her voice full of concern.

"I ah, I lost my wand." Taylor whispered.

"You what? When? Where?" Hermione gasped.

"Bloody Hell!" Ron exclaimed.

Taylor looked up into the witch's eyes. "Last Saturday."

"You mean to tell me you've been wandering about this school all week wandless!" Ron demanded. "Bloody Hell Taylor! Are you nuts?"

"No Ron, I think I'm still as sane as I ever was!" Taylor snapped.

"Taylor, you do realize how dangerous that is, don't you?" Hermione whispered, looking at her friend horrified.

"Yeah I think I figured it out somewhere between falling flat on my face and getting attacked by a bunch of Slytherins!" Taylor said sarcastically.

"You were attacked? Where was Hunter during all this?" Ron demanded as he glared up at the Head Boy.

"I wasn't far, Weasley!" Greg said coldly, but Taylor cut him off before he could say anymore.

"Ron, put a sock in it! Greg's been with me all week. He's been there to pick me up more than once!" Taylor glared at the redhead.

"Maybe you should tell us what all has happened." Hermione said in a firm tone.

The bell rang then to end lunch break.

"I've got to go. I'll see you after class." Taylor said as she stood up.

"Why don't you take my wand, at least then you'll have one." Hermione offered.

Taylor shook her head. "It wouldn't work right, and I'd rather have no wand than one that doesn't do what I want it to, if I need it. I mean I'd have to try and use it in my left hand too. I'd just end up jinxing some poor first year or something."

"Well, that would be something!" Ron said forcefully.

"I have something," Taylor pulled out the bag of Weasley's defensive concoctions. "It'll have to do for now."

"Taylor…" Hermione called fearfully.

"I'll see you at supper time. It's so good to see you guys awake!" Taylor called back as she started out of the hospital with the Head Boy.

Once outside, the Hufflepuff said, "You should have taken Hermione's wand. Weasley's right, it would have been some help."

Taylor stopped and looked up into his blue eyes that were clouded with worry at the moment. "Yeah but that something would have come at an awful price wouldn't it? I'd have left my best friend defenseless."

The Hufflepuff's eyes widened. "You think she will be attacked in the hospital? The Slytherins wouldn't dare! Not with Pomfrey there."

"I'm not thinking of the Slytherins, well not the ones still in school at least."

"You mean Voldemort or his Death Eaters?" The Head Boy asked. He'd gotten better at saying the name, the courage of the witch in front of him helped.

"Look, it's not like I think he is going to attack the school today or anything, but I just couldn't… I know what it feels like… and I can't do that to my friend."

The Hufflepuff could see the shadow of fear that flickered through the witch's eyes before it was chased away by a determined glint. Slowly he nodded his head. He might not agree with his witch's reasoning but he could understand where she was coming from. "Alright Gryffindor. I'll agree with you for now, but tonight we go to McGonagall about getting you a new wand. Your left hand is good enough to hold a wand and I'll feel better knowing that you can at least jinx a first year."

Taylor rolled her eyes a little as she said sarcastically, "Look out Voldy here we come!"

Hunter shook his head exasperated. "Do you really have to make fun of his name? I mean saying it is one thing but…"

"What? Voldy? How about Ol' Voldy? No? Well how about He-Who-Can-Be-Named-Because-He's-Nothing –But-A-Big-Bully!"

The Hufflepuff sighed as he rolled his eyes in complete exasperation. "You know it's times like these that I'm not sure if you're brave beyond belief or completely off your rocker!"

"Now that you mention it I haven't seen that darn rocker for a while, have you?"

The two set off through the school debating the witch's sanity.

That evening, after first grabbing something to eat in the Great Hall, having missed lunch completely, the two headed for the hospital again. The Hufflepuff had quidditch practice that evening so he was going to drop the witch off before heading for the quidditch pitch.

After greeting the two Gryffindors, the Head Boy left saying he'd be back after quidditch and his patrol.

Taylor noticed that her brother was finally getting his color back and seemed to be breathing a little easier, more like he was just asleep instead of the more mechanical deep breathing of the powerful sleep potions Pomfrey had been giving him. Ginny too seemed to be doing equally as well, a fact Taylor mentioned to the other two.

"Madame Pomfrey said Harry and Ginny are most definitely out of critical condition and that the healing potion is really starting to work. She wants to wait a couple of more days before bringing them around, but all in all they are going to be alright." Hermione told Taylor before bringing up the topic that had been bothering her all afternoon. "So what happened to your wand?"

Taylor glanced around and Ron put up a silencing charm before she told them what had happened to her wand and what had happened the past week.

When she was done Hermione was the first to speak.

"I can't believe you took such a risk."

Taylor shrugged her shoulders, "What was I supposed to do, hide in here all week?"

Her two friends stared at her for a moment before finally Ron said, tongue in cheek. "That might have been the smartest choice with only a bunch of Hufflepuffs to keep an eye on you."

The next morning, which was Saturday, Hermione and Ron were released from the hospital, much to Taylor's relief.

The three Gryffindors and lone Hufflepuff made their way down to the Great Hall for breakfast. Ron was teasing Taylor about her stay in the Hospital Wing the previous night and she smacked him hard on the arm, and then shook it as she grumbled about putting him back _in_ the hospital. The whole school seemed to look when they entered the Great Hall and numerous people called out a hello as they made their way to their normal seats at the Gryffindor table.

Taylor had paused at the doorway unsure what to do, but Greg had put his hand on her back and gently guided her after Ron and Hermione. She'd glanced up at him but he had just winked and smiled down at her.

The conversation at breakfast consisted mostly of well wishes and enquiries as to how her brother and Ginny were doing. Greg had told her quietly about going to McGonagall earlier that morning, about getting a new wand but in the current state of things new wands were hard to come by, so she'd have to stay wandless for now.

They were almost done eating when Greg excused himself and stood. Taylor went to get up too but he bent down and whispered.

"Stay here, I'll only be a few minutes. I've just got to see Justin about something."

Taylor sat back down as she nodded, "Say hi to everyone for me, and tell them I'll drop by the study room later." The Head Boy gave her a cheeky grin and winked before heading for the Hufflepuff table.

"… yeah it was like she'd changed houses or something! Wouldn't even give us a how to!" Seamus' voice was complaining jokingly as Taylor turned back to the table.

"What are you on about now Finnigan? Just because I decided to spread my much sought after company around doesn't mean that I've forsaken Gryffindor! Come on now, the Sorting Hat put me here just so I could bug you!" A few laughs and quite a few snickers followed Taylor's statement and wise cracks flew around the Gryffindor table the rest of breakfast.

The Head Boy caught up to Taylor, Hermione and Ron in the Entrance Hall and all four headed for Gryffindor Tower for a quick shower and change of clothes. Pomfrey had given them their school uniforms to put on that morning, and as it was Saturday the three decided that some more casual clothing was called for.

The Gryffindor Common Room was mostly empty when they arrived, as most of the students were still in the Great Hall finishing breakfast. The Hufflepuff took a seat on one of the sofas in front of the fire, while the three Gryffindors headed up to their respective dorms.

The Hufflepuff stretched out his long legs after picking up a quidditch magazine off one of the nearby tables to read while he waited. The common room slowly began to fill as Gryffindors made their way back, and other than curiously looking at the Hufflepuff sitting in their common room, didn't bother him. Seamus and Dean flopped down in the other seats by the fire and struck up an easy conversation about quidditch.

The Head Boy just happened to glance over by the stairs as the red haired witch he was waiting for came down. Warmth spread through him at the sight of her in worn jeans that showed off her shapely hips and thighs without being too obvious, a loose fitting dark green jumper and dark red hair that was still damp from her recent shower. In his mind she was perfect. Then she saw him and her face lit up, as well as her eyes, as she grinned at him and his heart gave a stutter because he knew that beautiful smile was just for him.

Taylor paused on the last step as her eyes collided with the blue ones of the Head Boy. Smiling she went to join him on the sofa to wait for Ron and Hermione. A few minutes later Ron joined them with his bag slung over his shoulder. He'd only just sat down when Hermione came down.

"Well, I think we need to head for the library. We have a lot of work to catch up on." Hermione said as she stood waiting expectantly.

As Taylor, Ron and the Hufflepuff stood, Seamus asked. "I'd've thought you'd've had the whole library memorized by now!"

Taylor caught Hermione's eye before saying in an off hand sort of way. "We do but we found numerous spelling and grammatical errors and we have decided to fix them, lest you poor less ed-je-ma-cated students fall prey to them."

Ron and Greg's snorts of laughter lasted until long after they excited the portal. Hermione rolled her eyes at the younger witch but couldn't quite keep the grin off, as they headed down the corridor in the opposite direction from the library.

Ten minutes later they arrived at a long blank wall opposite the tapestry with the dancing trolls.

"So Taylor what exactly did you say to seal the room?" asked Hermione briskly reminding the others of McGonagall.

Taylor repeated her request to the Room of Requirement, "_Hide them, keep them safe until we can come get them, please!_"

Hermione pursed her lips as she thought mumbling, "That could make things problematic."

"You don't say." Taylor muttered back sarcastically. The bushy haired witch didn't even glance sideways at the other witch.

Several hours later very frustrated and getting short tempered, the three Gryffindors and Head Boy finally called it quits and left the still sealed Room of Requirements empty handed. They had tried every possible combination of words that they could think of, and though they had gotten the room to show itself a few different times, neither Taylor's wand nor any of their other things were in it.

"We'll just have to wait until Harry and Ginny get out of the hospital and then try again." Hermione said as they made their way towards the Hospital Wing.

"So you think that the Room of Requirement took Taylor literally when she said _we can come get them_?" The Hufflepuff asked curiously. "What is _them_?"

Taylor glanced at the other witch before looking up at the Hufflepuff who was walking beside her as she said quietly, "Them… the Horcruxes."

The Hufflepuff stopped walking as his eyes grew wide. "You… you were trying to…!"

"Shhh!" Hermione hissed as she glanced around at the deserted corridor and with a wave put up a silencing charm.

"You were trying to destroy a Horcrux!" Greg asked in a disbelieving voice. "But I thought you said that was really dangerous."

Taylor nodded. "It is but we were trying the idea you had…"

"So that was what you five were up to? Are you nuts!" Greg asked getting angry.

"What the hell did you think we were doing Hunter? Painting pansies?" Ron growled as he glared at the Hufflepuff.

"Greg, listen," Taylor started and then gave a shortened and condensed version of what happened in the Room of Requirement. When she was done she could see a muscle twitching in his jaw. "What did you think happened to land all of us in the hospital?"

Gritting his teeth, his voice was low and angry. "I don't know but I sure as hell didn't think you were all foolhardy enough to mess with something like that!"

Taylor put her left hand on her hip and glared at the Hufflepuff. "It needed to be done. We took all the precautions we could…"

"Let me guess, this was Potter's idea?" The Head Boy demanded.

Ron stepped toward the other wizard as anger flashed in the Gryffindor's eyes.

"Look you two! Quit it! Greg, it doesn't matter whose idea it was, we needed to try." Taylor looked up into his angry blue eyes pleading for him to understand, before she looked at Ron. "Ron, it's my fault I didn't tell Greg sooner. So just give him a break okay?"

Irritated at the Gryffindors, as well as himself, Greg ran a hand through his hair. He had suspected deep down that's what the Gryffindors had been up to. Somehow he had just known but he hadn't allowed himself to dwell on it. Not when his witch had needed him so much the past week and he knew it would just piss him off. Needing to just get away for a little while to cool down and think, he invented a need to go to his common room and left. Though he hadn't missed the hurt look in his witch's eyes when he left her standing in the corridor with the other two Gryffindors.

Greg didn't return to his common room though. He did what he had always done when he needed to think and that was walk. That's how he had ended up discovering four hidden passageways in the castle. Of course they were all sealed now but he had found them exploring the castle while he was thinking.

The mystery around his witch, and in extension Potter and the others, just seemed to get bigger the more he found out. One thing that was bothering him was why hadn't McGonagall questioned Taylor more? Did she too know what the five Gryffindors were up to? It only made sense, otherwise by the amount of school rules that they _all_ had broken the past couple of weeks, they would have _all_ been expelled. He included himself in that number.

Deep in thought, the Hufflepuff wandered the corridors for hours, not heading back to rejoin his witch, instinctively knowing where she would be, until it was curfew time and he had patrol.

The dim lights in the Hospital Wing seemed to cast an eerie glow as lightning lit up the sky outside the high windows and thunder rumbled over the grounds. The uncommon winter storm seemed to bring with it a feeling of unease that the three Gryffindors sitting around their two friends in the hospital beds just couldn't shake. Rain lashed against the windows and even inside the stone walls of the castle, the sound of pounding rain prevailed.

Taylor couldn't seem to shake the feeling of impending doom that had settled on her shoulders since Greg had walked away angrily earlier that day. She had made to follow him but Hermione's hand had stopped her saying, "Just give him a little time alone. I think he needs some time to think." Taylor had nodded and reluctantly followed her two friends to the hospital. The Hufflepuff hadn't been in the Great Hall for supper, something that hadn't gone unnoticed by either the Gryffindor table or Hufflepuff.

Lightning once again lit up the large hospital, imprinting the room and its occupants boldly on the retinas of the three Gryffindors sitting in the chairs, before the room was once again plunged into relative darkness, before thunder crashed overhead shaking the windows.

Coming to her feet, Taylor began to pace. The storm and everything that had happened recently making her uncharacteristically edgy and restless.

Hermione watched her friend but when she glanced back at Ron he motioned with his head. Looking closer she could see him glance at the underage witch pacing restlessly at the end of the bed then back at her and giving his head a tilt toward the doors. It took a moment to catch on that he was telling her to go. She looked at him curiously but he just repeated the motion with his head. Making the excuse that she needed to use the lavatory she left.

Ron watched his witch walk out of the doors before getting up himself and moving in front of the underage witch's agitated pacing. She almost ran into him before she stopped, looking down into her worried hazel eyes. Her face was thrown into stark relief as another flash of lightning lit up the ward. She jumped slightly when the thunder reverberated through the castle. With a small smile he put his hand awkwardly on her shoulder and rubbed it.

"What's wrong?"

Taylor didn't know what to say. It was like the storm, with every bolt of electricity that came streaking down from the heavens, charged her emotions. Worry changed to fear, changed to her brother, and Greg and her wand and the Horcruxes and…

"You know I'm here for you right? You might not like the way I look out for you sometimes but until your brother wakes up, I've got your back…"

Taylor's jaw dropped as she stammered, "My-my-my brother?"

"Yeah, your brother. So that makes you my honorary little sister."

Taylor was shocked as her mind reeled. She asked astounded, "You know…? How? When?"

With a little shrug he said, "Harry told me when you and Hermione were taken by… Well he was really upset, understandably, and he told me."

"So you know… but why…?" Taylor couldn't seem to complete her thoughts, let alone her sentences.

"Harry… he blamed himself about you and Hermione getting caught. Well I kind of, maybe, accused him of… well, you know how I get about Hermione. I'm sorry for being… for accusing you and Harry of… well, now that I know that you're his little sister… You know." He shrugged self-consciously.

Taylor couldn't help but laugh at Ron's attempt at an apology, while telling her about when her brother broke his number one rule of never telling anyone. "You're forgiven, Ron. It's what big brothers do isn't it? Look out for their little sisters? Thank you for telling me." Taylor gave him a quick hug before backing up a step again. This really did explain the reason Ron had been acting differently towards her since getting back from…

"No problem. I shoulda maybe told you sooner but I thought Harry might have already."

A few minutes later, Hermione came back as lightning once again lit up the ward, but it was like when Lupin had figured out who she was, it helped assuage her raw emotions, making them easier to deal with. The three Gryffindors headed back to their common room as the curfew bell rang.

* * *

><p>AN Well there you have it... Ron told Taylor that he knows Harry and her are sister and brother. I know Ron might be a bit out of charactor here, but I tried to make him as close to charactor as possible, or how I seen him in my mind anyway. So Greg is upset again... and I know some of you will start to think he is a bit of a drama queen or something but I hope you will give the guy a bit of a break he has found himself in the middle of a very dangerous circle of friends who have bad things happen to them VERY often! I also thought back to when I was in high school(I'll not say any dates as I don't want to date myself for how long ago that actually was! LOL!) and I remember boyfriends and girlfriends always seemed to be have a spat over this or that so I don't think I am too far off for two teenagers. Hopefully this will let you know where some of this is coming from at least. Enough A/N rambling for this chapter! ;)

I want to thank those who left a review! And Alerted and Favorited this story! Plus thank you to my wonderful beta barbc who has made this story readable! Well until next time, cytpotter.


	61. Gravity, Mostly

Ok so FF is acting a little hinky today so hopefully this works! So if I was actually JK Rowling do you think I'd be posting my story here were I might loose a chapter? I think not! Anyway enjoy... hopefully! :D

* * *

><p>Chapter Sixty-one<p>

**Gravity, Mostly**

Two days later Harry and Ginny finally woke up. Taylor was so relieved to finally see her brother awake. She threw her arms around him and hugged him before hugging Ginny and then in her euphoria hugged Hermione and Ron, before doing a happy dance at the end of her brother's bed.

"Well, I guess I needn't ask if you've missed me, hey, Taylor?" Harry asked with a grin as he watched his sister's outlandish display.

"Missed you? Whatever do you mean, Potter? I just had an over infestation of Wrackspurts!" Taylor tried to say with a straight face before it pulled again into a huge grin.

Ron snorted but Harry just rolled his eyes.

"Well, that's better than having too many Nargles in your tangles." Ginny piped up with a grin of her own.

It was lunch break and Ron, Hermione and Taylor had decided to check in at the hospital before heading for lunch, only to discover that indeed the other two were awake. After a few more minutes, and promises that they'd be back after last class that afternoon, they headed for the Great Hall and lunch.

Taylor had gone back to her regular class schedule that morning. Her left hand was completely healed and she could use the tips of her fingers on her right. Plus with Ron and Hermione with her, she was fine. Well, as fine as a wandless witch could be.

Taylor missed the Head Boy though. She had quickly become used to being around him almost constantly. Yesterday he had been uncommonly quiet and had said that he needed to go study after supper last night. She tried not to read anything into it, even told herself that he deserved a break after being at her side constantly for a week, but she couldn't help but wonder if maybe finding out what they had been trying to do in the Room of Requirements might have been the straw that broke the camel's back. She shook her head sadly, not even one of her uncle's foolish sayings could make her smile.

Then after breakfast that morning, she'd had to leave him again to go to her own class.

With a sigh Taylor followed the rest of the Gryffindors from their last class of the day, which happened to be Charms, along the corridors. She was hungry but looking forward to seeing Harry and Ginny again, as well as the Head Boy.

There was no warning, when a spell smashed into the floor in front of Taylor causing chips of stone to go flying. Diving for the opposite wall, her hand was already in the pocket of her robes, fingers closing over one of the Weasley's defensive concoctions and she threw it in the direction from where she thought the attack had come from. Loud pops and smoke filled the corridor as the defensive ball exploded upon contact.

Screams and yells echoed down the corridor as spells rained down on the passing group of students.

"Taylor!" Ron yelled as he drew his wand and wheeled searching for the younger witch as Hermione did the same.

Taylor looked around but the corridor was chaos, as students ran, some returning spells, others just running. Pulling her legs in close to the wall Taylor pushed up, fear of being trampled hurrying her along.

"Porter! Hey Mudblood! I'm going to get you!" a derisive voice called from behind a statue.

Taylor had two choices. Look for Ron and Hermione, she could hear them calling but couldn't see them through the confusion and smoke, or run and hope she picked the right direction to reach them. A spell slammed into the wall inches from her face making her roll away and race down the hall in the opposite direction.

"Ron!" Taylor yelled as she pushed through the thinning crowd, and then she heard him call to her again, from the direction she had just come from. Skidding to a stop she was going to run back towards him when out of the smoke she saw two figures step out from behind a tapestry. Her blood ran cold. They were two of the Slytherins who had attacked her and Greg before Christmas.

Wheeling, Taylor took off. She could hear them giving chase. "We're going to have fun this time Mudblood!" "You are going to pay!"

Taylor already had another of the Weasley's defensive concoctions in her hand, but she held on to it as she skidded around the corner and tore down a different corridor, weaving as spells smashed into the walls and floor. It was only a matter of time before they hit her in the back with one of them. Then things went from bad to worse as two more figures appeared at the end of the hall she was running down. She was going to be caught between them.

Diving for the floor and rolling she threw the Instant Darkness Powder from her hand and as the corridor plunged into pitch black, she leaped to her feet again springing for the opposite wall and a tapestry that hung there hiding a hidden passage.

"We're going to kill you this time Mudblood! There's no escaping us!"

Taylor slammed into the wall and started following it praying she was headed in the right direction this time. Her hand came in contact with the cloth and wasting no time she slipped behind it and started to race up the stairs taking two at a time. A spell hit the wall to her left as she reached the top and pelted out of the hidden stairs and took off down the empty hallway.

She had to give the Slytherins credit, they had thought this out, by forcing her to run in this direction they had essentially cut her off from help. This part of the castle didn't have any classrooms and so few students.

Skidding around another corner she pulled another Weasley's defensive concoction from her pocket. The corridor here split into two, barely hesitating a half a step, she threw the Decoy Detonator in her hand down the one hall and raced down the opposite, hoping to draw the Slytherins down the wrong corridor. She almost made it to the next corner when a spell hit the floor to her right.

"You can't run from us, Mudblood!"

Not slowing, Taylor careened around the corner. There was a staircase; one that went up and one down.

Taylor's lungs were burning as she gasped in huge breaths of air and her legs were starting to tire, but she didn't slow down one bit as she raced down the steps. She had just reached the next landing when Parkinson's smirking face appeared as she stood on the next set of steps, raising her wand at Taylor. Taylor leaped off the landing towards the startled Slytherin, pushing the wand tip up with one hand, as her shoulder impacted the other witch's stomach. In a tangle the two tumbled down to the next landing.

Taylor was lucky enough to land on top of the other girl and she staggered to her feet. Chips of stone flew from the hand railing as Taylor started to race down the next flight of stairs. She could hear them pounding down the steps behind her but she didn't waste time looking. Her goal was to get down one more flight of stairs to the ground floor and then head for the Great Hall and help.

Gravity was starting to help as she raced down the stairs, but if she lost her balance, if she fell… Chips of stone and even splinters of wood flew around her, the Slytherin's behind her firing on the run.

As she reached the bottom step she fell skidding on her bare knees across the stone floor. A spell ricocheted off the stone wall in front of her face as she leapt to her feet and took off again.

"You're dead, Mudblood!"

Forcing her leaden legs to run, she pounded down the corridor and around another corner. She knew where she was, another two corners and she would be at the Entrance Hall and safety. Spells rained all around her and she dropped the last Weasley's defensive concoction hoping to give her some sort of cover. She never turned to look but she could tell the corridor behind her became extremely bright from the shadow of her racing body. Reaching the last turn she skidded into the wall, actually rolling along it a couple of times as she struggled to stay standing. Pushing off the wall, she started to run down the last long corridor. As four figures stepped out from behind a portrait.

"Taylor! What?" Greg's voice reached her ears as another volley of spells whipped past her.

"Dive!" The Head Boy's voice bellowed as he whipped his wand out, the other three Hufflepuffs doing the same.

Taylor didn't need to be told twice and she dove for the floor rolling behind a large stone bust of a badger. Gasping for air, Taylor could hear the spells being shouted and then they died away and there was quiet. It only lasted for about a second.

"Taylor! Are you all right? Justin, make sure they don't come back! Sally-Anne, go get a teacher!" The Head Boy instructed as he hurried towards the clump of robes lying on the floor. Dropping down he looked down into his witch's sweating face as she breathed heavily, too winded to even speak. He could see thin cuts on her face, her one hand was bleeding and her knees below her skirt, exposed as her robe lay open, were skinned and bleeding.

"Are you hurt? Were you hit?" he asked and was relieved to see her shake her head.

"Mr. Hunter! What is going on?" Shacklebolt's deep voice filled the corridor as he came hurrying along it, followed by Sally-Anne and a tired looking Lupin.

"Taylor was attacked!" Greg said angrily as he met the Professor's eyes. Shock was quickly being replaced with boiling anger.

"Attacked? By who?" Shacklebolt demanded as he reached the Head Boy and saw the witch lying on the floor.

"I didn't exactly see their faces!" Greg growled, "They didn't stick around long when someone was firing back but I'd say it was a bunch of Slytherins!"

Shacklebolt nodded solemnly as he spoke, "I do not suppose you have any proof?" When the Head Boy shook his head he returned his gaze to the witch. "Miss Porter, are you all right?"

"I will be… when I can… catch my breath." Taylor panted.

"What happened?" Lupin asked as his worried eyes found hers.

"We were coming from… Charms. I got separated from… Ron and Hermione when the spells started flying. So I made a hasty trip… down through the castle." Taylor answered as her breathing slowly came back to normal.

"Do you know who it was?" Shacklebolt demanded.

"Not that I can prove. Though I must say Miss Parkinson might be black and blue for a few days." At their curious looks she explained. "She was kind enough to allow me to land on her after we tumbled down a flight of stairs. I don't suppose any of you know where Ron and Hermione are, do you?" Taylor asked worried that maybe her two friends might be in trouble.

"Lupin! Have you seen Taylor?" Ron's voice called from the end of the corridor, growing steadily closer, from where Taylor had just come from. When he saw her lying on the floor he sighed, "Thank Merlin! Bloody Hell, Taylor, following you is like following the path of destruction!"

"Oh Taylor, are you okay?" Hermione asked worriedly.

It took about fifteen minutes to tell Shacklebolt and Lupin both their versions of the story, though Ron's and Hermione's was more about following 'the path of destruction' as Ron had put it to get to Taylor.

"Miss Porter, I suggest you go see Madame Pomfrey. The rest of you had better get to supper." Shacklebolt said in his deep voice, effectively dismissing them.

"I'll go with Taylor up to the Hospital Wing." Greg volunteered as he put his arm around his witch. Ron and Hermione both agreed reluctantly as they headed for the Great Hall, saying they'd be by as soon as they finished eating.

Taylor rolled her eyes but nodded. It felt like she'd just endured the worst _research session_ ever. She knew tomorrow she would be black and blue as well. She hadn't gone very far when she realized that she must have rolled her ankle somewhere along the way and now it was painful to walk on. The Hufflepuff's supporting arm was needed.

Limping, the two set out for the hospital and the Hufflepuff didn't say much until they had reached the first landing. Where he bent, caught his witch behind the knees and lifted her into his arms.

"I can walk Hufflepuff!" Taylor cried indignantly.

"Sure you can, but I want to reach Pomfrey before I have to go on late patrol." Greg said easily as he headed up the stairs.

Taylor let out a huff but she didn't complain again. Deep down she loved how safe she felt in the Hufflepuff's arms but she'd never tell another living soul that. An impish smile crept across her face as she let her head rest against his warm chest.

They were almost to the hospital door when his deep voice rumbled in his chest next to her ear. "I'm really starting to hate this place, you know."

Taylor grinned as she said, "Not half as much as I am! You can put me down you know. I _can_ walk."

"Look Gryffindor, stop complaining. Besides what sort of gentleman would I be to make you hobble any further?" Greg asked with a chuckle.

"I wasn't hobbling! You big buffoon!" Taylor grumbled half heartedly as they went through the door to the hospital.

The Hufflepuff had only gone half a dozen steps before Harry's startled cry.

"Taylor! What happened? Hunter, what happened to Taylor?"

Taylor groaned. In the excitement, she'd completely forgotten her brother was awake. She went to twist so that she could see her brother from the Hufflepuff's arms but he tightened them and held her still.

"She was attacked! What do you think?" Greg's voice was hard and cold as he sent a glare at the Gryffindor wizard.

Taylor was surprised at the Hufflepuff's tone and tried to wiggle in his arms again as she called out, "I'm fine Harry! Don't let this buffoon wind you up!"

"Taylor! What happened?" Harry demanded as Madame Pomfrey's heels clicked across the tile floor.

"Mr. Hunter, what has happened to Miss Porter?"

"Among other things she fell down a flight of steps. Likely sprained her ankle and cleaned the skin off her knees and hand." Greg answered the nurse, turning so that Taylor still couldn't see her brother.

"Put her down over there please while I grab some healing potion. Potter, sit back down on that bed or I will tie you to it!" The nurse snapped.

Taylor glared up at the Hufflepuff but he ignored her as he carried her over to the bed and put her down. When he straightened up she caught the first glimpse of her brother and past him was Ginny staring at her.

"I'm fine! Really. This Hufflepuff just thought I lost the ability to walk!"

"What happened?" Harry demanded again as he leaned out of his bed towards her.

"Well I got clumsy and fell down some stairs." Taylor said in an off hand sort of way, knowing her brother was going to be pissed when he found out.

"_How_ did you fall down some stairs?" Ginny asked as she narrowed her eyes.

"Gravity, mostly." Taylor said in a serious tone.

"Miss Porter, please lie back so I can examine you." Madame Pomfrey ordered as she came back out of her office with a bottle of potion.

Taylor did as she was asked and looked up as the nurse set the bottle on the nightstand and began waving her wand over her tsking quietly. "Well Mr. Hunter was right. Your right ankle is sprained. As well I see you have managed to tear the skin off your hand again as well as your knees. I am afraid you are going to be quite black and blue for the next few days even with the potion."

"Great, my favorite colors!" Taylor said dryly. Pomfrey merely raised an eyebrow at her as she healed her ankle and then poured a large helping of potion into a glass and handed it to her.

"I want you to lay there until I come back to check on you again." The nurse ordered before heading back to her office, leaving the bottle of healing potion on the nightstand.

Harry waited until Pomfrey entered her office before grabbing his wand from under his pillow and putting up a silencing charm. "What the _Hell_ happened?"

Taylor opened her mouth but the Hufflepuff cut her off.

"I told you Potter, she was attacked!"

"Where? Who attacked you? How did you end up falling down some stairs?" Harry demanded as his eyes cut from his sister to the Head Boy, who was glaring at him accusingly.

"Hunter, will you shut up!" Taylor growled as she swatted at him with her hand but he easily sidestepped it.

"No. Hunter I think I'd like to hear what you have to say!" Harry challenged the Hufflepuff.

"Taylor was attacked by a bunch of Slytherins!" Greg ground out angrily.

Harry lifted an eyebrow in confusion. "How many? A dozen? Where are they? You didn't use Dark Magic on them did you?" His voice turned hard as he looked at his sister again.

Taylor was just about to answer when the Hufflepuff cut her off again.

"That'd be kind of hard without a wand!"

Taylor groaned as she put her hand on her face. "I'm going to hex your nuts off Hufflepuff!" she mumbled into the silence.

"What do you mean _without a wand_? What happened to your wand? Taylor! What the bloody hell happened to your wand!" Harry yelled as he sat up so he could glare down at his sister in the bed beside him.

"You just weren't satisfied were you?" Taylor glared up at the Hufflepuff, ignoring her brother for the moment. "I suppose you've never heard of telling someone when it's _the right time_! You just wait until I get my wand back!"

The Hufflepuff looked down at the witch but behind the bravado he could see worry lurking in her eyes. He felt a twinge of guilt. He'd let his anger at the Gryffindor wizard get the better of him. And he _was_ pissed at Potter, first for getting his witch to help him with something as dangerous as destroying Horcruxes, and getting badly injured doing it, and secondly for putting her in such a vulnerable position of not having a wand, even if it wasn't intentional.

"Taylor!" Harry practically snarled.

With a sigh Taylor rolled so she could see her brother better and put her back to the Hufflepuff. "I lost it." She watched her brother's eyes grow round as fear replaced the anger. "In the Room of Requirement. I think, well… hope."

"Maybe you should start at the beginning," Ginny offered as she suspected that there was a whole lot that they were missing.

With another sigh Taylor started telling a rather condensed version of all that had happened in the last nine days. The Hufflepuff interrupted her quite often though and added things, like her painfully bandaged hands and going to _his classes_ for a week, and also the first Slytherin attack. She was just finishing when Ron and Hermione walked in and hurried towards them.

Pomfrey came out and checked on her again and after giving Taylor some more healing potion returned to her office warning Taylor to stay in bed.

Taylor, Ron and Hermione then told Harry and Ginny what had happened earlier that day.

"Sweet, holy Merlin, Taylor!" Harry breathed as he looked over at his sister, shaking his head slowly, fear and worry written on his face.

Taylor looked down at the floor. She felt that somehow she had just let her brother down. She felt a warm hand touch her back and knew the Hufflepuff was trying to make her feel better in his own quiet way.

"We are getting out of here tomorrow morning and going to get your wand. First thing!" Harry said into the silence that had settled over them, each pondering the gravity of what had just happened and what could have happened.

"Taylor?" Harry asked softly as he swung his feet out of the bed and stepped to his sister's and sat down. He ignored the glare from the Hufflepuff, as well as the hand that was rubbing his sister's back. When his sister finally looked up at him he could see the fear he knew she must have felt for over a week. "I promise we'll get your wand back, okay?"

Nodding her head, Taylor sat up and hugged her big brother. She had missed him.

The Hufflepuff's hand curled into a fist, safely hidden from view in his robes, as he watched his witch hugging another wizard.

* * *

><p>AN Well there... what did you think? First I have to say that this is another one of my favorite chapters... I just love to write action and there was lots of that in this chapter! Plus I love humor... and well I thought it was funny hopefully you do to! So Harry and Ginny are finally awake however the tension between my favorite Hufflepuff and Harry doesn't seem to be any less! :D There is no fun in writting everyone got along great and lived boring non exciting lives! LOL! Well let me say I can't write that way! So hope you enjoyed it. That little button there that reads "review" is a great way to let me know what you think! ;)

Thank you to those who left a review! I LOVE them! Thank you as well to those who Alerted and Favorited this story! And those who are reading this far need a BIG thank you as well! Cause goodness knows that if you made it this far you should be thanked! As well thank you to barbc my wonderful beta who made all this readable! Well until next time, cytpotter.


	62. Quidditch

I do not own Harry Potter nor am I making any money off this story. That is why I am poor! LOL!

* * *

><p>Chapter Sixty-two<p>

**Quidditch**

The next three weeks were relatively quiet for the five Gryffindors and Head Boy. Of course there were a few tense moments.

Harry and Ginny were released from the hospital Tuesday morning and even though the six of them missed their whole first class, they were able to get into the Room of Requirements, where the Horcruxes and thankfully Taylor's wand were found. Harry had been ready to seriously jinx any Slytherin who he suspected of attacking his sister and Ron, Ginny and the Hufflepuff were ready to back him up too! However Taylor, with a truly mischievous glint in her eye, talked them out of it. Making Hermione, who was also Head Girl, very happy until she saw the look in Taylor's eyes.

Then later that day, Ron confronted Greg and demanded to know what his problem was, and then proceeded to set the Hufflepuff straight that nothing was going on between Harry and Taylor. A dented wall and a broken sink later, the two seemed to come to an understanding.

The Hufflepuff admitted to himself that he _was jealous_ of his witch's and Potter's relationship, but after his _talk_ with Weasley, the green-eyed monster, that wasn't Potter, slunk away for a while. It helped that his witch made every effort to include him in everything she did, from studying to her incredible training room that she worked from in the Room of Requirements. It was like a fire was lit under his witch when she got her wand back and she threw herself into training, in private and in her _research sessions_ with Shacklebolt. In the Room of Requirements though, he was amazed as he watched his witch practice, the power and grace… of course his witch wasn't satisfied with letting him watch and soon he too noticed that he was getting better and faster with his defensive spells.

The funniest thing to happen was the Friday morning before the Gryffindor and Slytherin quidditch match. The Head Boy arrived in the Great Hall to find the three Gryffindor witches already sitting at their table. He had taken to sitting across from his witch because Potter and Weasley usually sat across from their girlfriends. This morning however, his witch motioned for him to sit beside her as did Hermione and Ginny do the same to their boyfriends. Breakfast preceded the same as usual. There was a lot of excited talk about the upcoming match, however when the morning post owls arrived there was a commotion over by the far wall where the Slytherin table was. Sitting where he was, he could look directly across at the Slytherins.

Suddenly every Slytherin from fourth year up was sporting bright neon pink hair and red writing across their faces that read 'Go Gryffindor Go!' The entire rest of the school was in stitches as they laughed at the Slytherins. The three Gryffindor witches glanced at one another and smiled knowingly. The best thing though, was when the Slytherins tried to get rid of either the writing or the pink hair. The more they tried to remove the writing the brighter it glowed. By noon some Slytherins could be seen in the dim corridors glowing red. With the hair, the more they tried to get rid of the color the longer it grew, still bright neon pink. By lunch many had pink hair almost to the floor.

The Head Mistress had walked down past the Gryffindor table glaring around but she couldn't prove anything and the three witches' innocent looks were rather convincing. When a few minutes later, Lupin walked down past, Taylor had lifted her glass of pumpkin juice towards him. "Long live the Marauders!" she called softly and winked.

The Gryffindor versus Slytherin match was what one would expect. Dirty. By the time a half hour had gone by, Gryffindor was up 90 to 30, forty of those points coming from penalty shots! Taylor and Hermione were screaming themselves hoarse as Ron made several spectacular saves and Ginny scored again and again. It was when Harry went into an impressive dive, the score 130 to 50, that Taylor truly thought she'd lose her voice. When her brother's hand punched the air triumphantly with the snitch firmly in his grasp, the Gryffindor stands went wild!

Taylor and Hermione had pushed their way bodily through the crowd and were some of the first onto the pitch to reach the Gryffindor team. Taylor threw her arms around her brother and hugged him in her joy, and kissed him on his cheek grinning from ear to ear! Then she turned and did the same to Ron who laughed and swung her around before sitting her back on the ground. Taylor hugged Ginny next and the two witches laughed and hugged again. It was only then that Taylor caught sight of the tall Head Boy standing at the edge of the growing crowd watching her. He had obviously seen her show of affection for her brother. His lips were drawn into a thin line and his blue eyes turning to ice. Taylor released Ginny and pushing her way through the crowd again. She stopped in front of the tall Hufflepuff, throwing her arms around his neck, she pulled his head down to her as she stood on her tippy-toes and kissed him on the lips. After a second he responded as his arms snaked around her and pulled her against him. It was only a few minutes before wolf-whistles were heard as well as repeated calls 'to get a room'.

The Gryffindor common room was filled with cheers and excited chatter, but after congratulating her brother and the others again, Taylor had pulled the Head Boy out through the portal and to an empty broom cupboard. Ginny and Hermione all too happy to keep their respective boyfriends busy enough not to notice.

It was a little over a week after the game at lunchtime, the Head Boy and Taylor sat at the Hufflepuff table, a common occurrence, when he turned to her and asked. "So what have you got planned for this Saturday afternoon?"

Taylor looked up from her plate where she was currently in a magical tug of war with Sally-Anne over a roll. "Ah…"

"Yes! Thanks Greg!" Sally-Anne said with a grin as she took a bite of the roll.

"Yeah, thanks Greg." Taylor griped. She couldn't help but grin as the Head Boy levitated another roll onto her plate with an exasperated look.

"So do you have any plans?" Greg asked again.

"Yeah, besides sneaking off to a broom cupboard!" Called Connor as he made a kissing motion with his lips.

"You have really mature friends you know," Taylor said as she rolled her eyes but then flicked her wand and vanished Connor's nose. The whole table laughed as his voice sounded funny as he asked what was wrong. She waved her wand again to restore it a few minutes later.

"You should get better control over your witch, Hunter!" Connor grumbled.

"I probably would have vanished something else! So consider yourself lucky!" Greg said in a warning tone as he glared at his roommate.

Later that afternoon, Taylor was sitting in History of Magic trying to stay awake as Professor Binns droned on and on. She was trying to take notes but as of yet her parchment was blank. It was a few minutes before she noticed the writing that had suddenly appeared on her parchment. With a bit of a start she read.

_So beautiful, what class are you in? You never did say what you are doing this Saturday?_

Taylor's grin grew as she dipped her quill into the ink and after muttering the spell began to write back.

_Hey Hufflepuff. I'm in History what about you?_

_Transfiguration. So what about Saturday?_

_Nothing special I guess. Why?_

_We are having a fun game of quidditch, you know to relax before our next game in two weeks. Thought you'd like to play. You do know how to fly don't you?_

_Me? Fly? Sure! On a Hippogriff and a Thestral. But I haven't been on a broom since first year._

_You've been on a Thestral? Cool! So what do you say? Play quidditch Saturday with me?_

Taylor thought for a moment, and then pointed her wand at her brother's parchment that was of course blank and after muttering the spell she took another piece of parchment and wrote.

_Potter can I borrow your Firebolt Saturday?_

Noting he was half asleep she flicked her wand and a few drops of water hit him in the face. Turning he looked at her and she motioned to his desk. She saw him read the note then glance at her again before filling his quill and writing back.

_What do you want with my broom?_

_Oh come on Potter, can I borrow it please?_

_Why?_

_Hufflepuff's are having a fun game and I want to play! And I don't want to use the slow, wobbly school brooms._

_You can but only if you promise to knock Hunter off his broom! Or the Hufflepuff seeker would do! _Taylor looked at the scratchy writing and recognized it as Ron's.

_Buzz off Weasley! So what do you say Potter? Can I please?_

_You are a right pain in the behind you know that Porter? But yes you can borrow my broom. As long as only you use it! I don't want any Hufflepuffs riding on it!_

Taylor grinned at her brother before pulling the other piece of parchment out and answering the Head Boy.

_You're on Hufflepuff! Just name the time!_

By Saturday Taylor was really excited. This would be the first time she'd been on a broom since first year and she'd never played quidditch, even if this was just a fun game. Her brother and the Gryffindor team had practice that morning so she ate quickly and she and Hermione headed down to the quidditch pitch to watch the last of the practice and to get her brother's Firebolt.

Standing outside the change rooms after the practice, Taylor fidgeted with her wand as she and Hermione waited for the team to conclude their meeting and come out. Harry had promised to give her a bit of a lesson before he left her his broom.

Still in his quidditch robes he finally came out, the rest of the tired, dirty team shouldered their brooms and headed for the castle, all except Ron and Ginny.

"Okay Porter let's go." Harry said handing his sister his Firebolt and keeping Ginny's Cleansweep so he could go up in the air with her.

Taylor grinned as she walked with her brother out onto the quidditch pitch.

"Now step on, that's it. You don't need a death grip. There that's better. Now remember, all you need to do is push off gently. Push down to go down and pull up to rise." Harry explained as he helped to adjust his sister. "Now this is a lot faster then any school broom, just be careful. Ready?"

Taylor looked over at her brother. The butterflies in her stomach were flapping around trying to get out but she wanted to do this so bad! Nodding she pushed off the ground gently with her toe and she rose up off the ground to hover about ten feet above her brother as he mounted Ginny's broom and joined her.

"Now let's just take it easy and fly around the pitch a few times."

The moment she rose into the air the butterflies vanished, and she instinctively leaned a little forward and the broom went forward. She was fascinated as she weaved gently back and forth and then up and down getting the feel of the broom. Her brother was watching her closely from a few feet below as if to catch her if she fell. The Firebolt seemed to respond to her lightest touch and she began to know why he loved this broom so much.

When they returned to where they had started Harry called, "Okay that wasn't bad. How does it feel?"

Taylor glanced down at her brother a big grin on her face. "Potter, now _this_ is flying!" And she leaned forward and sped off down the pitch flying much more erratically this time, the wind whipping past her face. She pulled up on the handle and began to climb high in the sky before pushing it and racing for the ground, pulling up just feet from the ground.

Harry let her just play for about twenty minutes, as he watched his sister on his broom. He had to admit she was a natural just like him. He could see her slowly increasing her speed and the difficulty of the moves she was doing and he wondered for a few moments if he shouldn't have given his sister a broom last year. She'd probably make a good quidditch player.

Lifting his whistle to his lips, he gave it a blow and when his sister pulled up in front of him he asked, "How about I grab a quaffle and we pass it back and forth? Get you used to steering with one hand?" Taylor's huge grin was answer enough.

The next half hour Harry patiently taught his sister how to throw and receive the quaffle, as well as carry it while flying.

Taylor was having a wonderful time! One of those rare moments, she knew even now, that she would treasure for the rest of her life. She'd always remember how her brother looked, in his quidditch robes passing her the quaffle and then she would catch it and off they'd tear up the pitch to throw it at a hoop.

Grinning, Harry pulled up beside his sister as he easily held the quaffle in his hand. "Not bad Porter. Not bad at all."

"Thanks. That was a lot of fun! We should do this again sometime!" Her brother just grinned back at her as he headed for the ground where Hermione, Ginny and Ron were waiting.

"Pretty impressive, Porter! How come you never tried out for the team anyway?" Ginny called as they landed.

Taylor just shrugged. "I never had a broom I guess."

The five-some headed up towards the castle talking about flying and brooms.

"Hey Porter! There you are! Hunter's been looking for you!" Sally-Anne called as soon as they walked in the large oak doors. "Hey Greg I found her!"

Taylor looked toward the marble stairs as the Head Boy trotted down glancing curiously at the Gryffindors. "Harry was just showing me how to fly." she explained.

"Oh… well the rest of them have already headed down to the pitch. Are you ready?" The Hufflepuff asked, a little put out that his witch didn't ask him to teach her how to fly instead of Potter.

"Sure!" Taylor said with a grin. "I'll see you guys later!" The others waved as they told her good luck and to have fun and that they'd be down to watch as soon as they grabbed a bite to eat and changed out of their quidditch robes.

The Hufflepuff and Taylor set out across the grounds again each balancing their brooms on their shoulders. They were nearly to the quidditch pitch when the Hufflepuff asked, "That's Potter's Firebolt isn't it?"

Taylor grinned up at the Hufflepuff as she asked, "Scared Hufflepuff?"

Greg rolled his eyes. "Not likely."

"So what do you fly?" Taylor asked curiously as she peered up at his broom

"Nimbus 2000. It's a good broom." The Hufflepuff said fondly as the witch nodded. "So here's how we are going to play. Josh Binns is our captain, you've met him. Anyway he thought we'd split into two teams and use a snitch as well as the quaffle. He has his own snitch, so we'd better not lose it! Anyway he thought we could play four chasers, a keeper and a seeker, and then rotate the other players in every ten minutes. That way everyone gets a turn, plus no one is stuck in one position for too long."

"So no Bludgers?" Taylor asked just to make sure.

"No! This is a friendly game, so no ones going to play beater."

Taylor nodded as they walked onto the pitch and saw a group gathered around the Hufflepuff captain, a stout sixth year who played keeper. He waved them over as he divided the people into two teams. He pointed Taylor over to the black team and Greg over to the yellow team. After he went over the rules, he released the snitch and then threw the quaffle into the air.

The two teams rose up into the air and Taylor found herself taking a turn as a chaser. Binns had split the teams up so that the black team had three regular players and the yellow had four, though to even things up a little Binns was on Taylor's team and he was playing keeper mostly. She didn't know a couple of the players very well but Connor she recognized.

"Hey Gryffindor! Do you think you can handle that broom?" Connor called as he caught the quaffle and made to pass it to her.

"I think I can manage!" Taylor called back as she caught the ball and tipped forward speeding up the pitch.

Taylor played chaser for the next little while before she was waved in to take her turn sitting off. When it was her turn to return to the play, the player she was replacing had been playing seeker. Taylor grinned as she mounted her brother's broom and pushed off hard, rising fast through the air. This was where she really wanted to have a turn and as she caught a glimpse of the other seeker on the yellow team she noted that it was, in fact, the Hufflepuff seeker. Racing up the pitch, she began looking around for the little gold ball. She stayed fairly close to the other seeker but she really didn't want to be too close. She could see Greg as he played chaser passing the quaffle far below.

Suddenly the other seeker wheeled and in a steep dive headed for the ground. Taylor copied the maneuver and threw herself flat on her brother's broom and the Firebolt responded, speeding up until the wind tore past Taylor's ears in a roar. She could see she was catching up to the other seeker as the ground was fast approaching. She was nearly level with them when they pulled up suddenly and Taylor realized it had been a feint to see if she'd follow. Pulling hard she was able to keep from smashing into the ground, but she went spinning off across the pitch as she over adjusted and nearly fell off. Clutching the handle tightly she righted herself and then rose up high in the air once more, noticing the satisfied smirk on the other seeker's face.

So much for a friendly game, she thought as she looked around. Then she saw it, a glint of gold at the far end of the pitch. Again Taylor threw her weight forward and shot off, gaining speed rapidly. She could see the other seeker doing the same out of the corner of her eye. Laying nearly flat on the Firebolt, she was amazed at the speed. The other seeker was starting to fall behind. Then Taylor realized she might have another problem, going as fast as she was, was she going to be able to let go of the broom with one hand and catch the snitch before she was by it? She didn't have long to ponder it when suddenly someone cut in front of her. Pulling hard she barely missed them but in her effort to avoid the yellow player she had pulled a little too hard and spun away in a tight barrel roll. Clinging to the broom for dear life, it was a few heart-stopping moments before she could get control again.

"Hey Porter! You okay?" Connor called as he looked up at her, impressed.

"Yeah, as soon as the world stops spinning!" Taylor answered back dryly waiting for her pounding heart to slow. It was time to change positions then and she went back to chaser.

Harry, Ginny, Ron and Hermione climbed into the seats to watch. They had finished eating lunch and changed, so Harry had wanted to come watch his sister and the others had wanted to as well.

Looking around the pitch, he found her right away, passing the quaffle to a teammate. With a practiced eye he watched, noting that she was a little loose on the broom at times, and her passing could use some work, but considering this was only her second time on a broom and first time playing quidditch… she wasn't half bad.

He grinned when she was able to throw it through the hoop and he could see her smile as she high-fived the other chasers. Then it was her turn to try keeper and he groaned as she let two easy goals in. The next one she saved and then missed the next three. Shaking his head, he decided a keeper she most definitely wasn't. The captain in him would have loved to go down when it was her turn to sit off and give her some pointers but he refrained, this was for fun after all. So he watched the players who he knew were the actual Hufflepuff team, taking note of their moves and trying to see if there were any holes he could use. The team players were, of course, the best ones out there, but with a surge of pride he knew his sister was a very close second.

When his sister mounted his broom again, he watched her as she kicked off, pleased to see that it was a smooth takeoff. A smile pulled at his lips when he realized she was playing seeker. He was curious to see if she was any good at his position.

Watching her as she rose high in the sky, he noted that the yellow seeker was the actual one, and he shifted closer to the edge of his seat staring intently at the two dots high in the sky. He saw how she followed the yellow seeker but not too closely and he nodded absently in approval. The yellow seeker looped back and forth over the pitch and his sister loosely copied the movements, then suddenly the yellow seeker dove and Taylor followed. His eyes darted ahead of the two streaking seekers to look for the snitch, but he couldn't see anything. Glancing back he saw his sister pulling up and wondered if maybe she wasn't comfortable in the steep dive but to his amazement she didn't actually pull up but veered sharply and headed up the pitch laying flat on the Firebolt, the yellow seeker in hot pursuit. So the yellow seeker had used a feint. He stored that little bit of information away.

His sister flashed past him and he watched as she headed for the opposing goal hoops getting closer and closer to the ground as the end stands loomed closer and closer. He couldn't see the snitch but… At the last minute Taylor pulled up and rose straight up in the air, the yellow seeker scrambling to turn and not run into the stands. He could have sworn his sister stuck her tongue out before going back to looping the pitch. A smirk spread across his face, his sister had pulled a feint from a feint.

"Come on Taylor. Come on, find it." Harry muttered as he watched her searching high above, keeping the yellow seeker within a close distance but searching herself.

A glint of gold at the far end of the pitch made the yellow seeker wheel, Taylor just a fraction of a second slower. It was a race, the yellow seeker was laying flat on his broom and had a good lead but his sister was lying flat too.

"Come on Taylor! Move faster Bolt, _faster_!" Harry called softly as he encouraged his broom to go faster. The distance between the two seekers was decreasing rapidly, and narrowing his eyes he could see that not only was his sister laying flat on his broom but she had slid her hands forward so she looked like she was diving. She was at the other seeker's broom tail, and then the shoulder and then neck and neck. Taylor's hand came off the Firebolt as she reached for the snitch that was darting just in front of the two seekers.

"Grab it! Come on grab it!" Harry muttered as he came to his feet to see better.

"Yes!" Harry's hand punched the air as his sister's hand closed on the snitch and he grinned looking over at the others to see them cheering and grinning. Extremely proud, he watched as the Hufflepuffs on the black team all congratulated his sister, before they released the snitch again and continued to play. Taylor flew past him a few minutes later and gave him a thumbs up before racing off after the quaffle. She was playing chaser again.

Harry stayed for the rest of the afternoon, and though his sister didn't catch the snitch again, he was thrilled to see that she was steadily becoming a more confident flier. She wasn't a half bad chaser, but he could see that her true passion, like his, was seeker. He didn't need to ask his sister if she was having fun. The huge grin that was on her face each time she flew past him, or the laughter he could hear from her at times, more than gave him the answer.

* * *

><p>AN So there Taylor got her wand back and got to play a game of quidditch, even if it was just a fun game. I always wanted to write about Taylor playing quidditch and when I first started this story many years ago I thought that as I wrote the years I would put her in... then I realized that I wasn't very good at writting the years that were already written so I just started with the seventh year that wasn't out yet... well at the time it wasn't. So Taylor quiditch playing kind of got cut so this is my outlet for wanting to write those scenes! ;) I really had fun writting about Taylor getting back at the Slytherins as well... she is after all James Potters daughter so I could see her pulling a prank or two given the chance! Hope you enjoyed!

I want to thank those who left a review! Love them! As well thank you to those who Alerted and Favorited this story! And again thank you for just reading! Thanks to my wonderful beta barbc for making this story what it is. And I seldon do this but we are just about to start another whirl-wind roller coaster ride of a sequence of events... so hope you are ready to hang on! :D Well until next time, cytpotter.


	63. Pain

I do not own Harry Potter or anything that you recognize. I do however own this plot and the charactors that you don't recognize! ;)

As I alluded to in my A/N from the last chapter we are resting on the very top of a roller coaster once again! So sit down, grab a hold of something and hopefully you will enjoy the ride! ;)

* * *

><p>Chapter Sixty-three<p>

**Pain**

At nearly five o'clock the Hufflepuffs called it quits and headed back for the castle. Taylor had seen her brother and the others wave before heading off too, about ten minutes ago.

"Hey Taylor want to fly a little longer?" The Head Boy asked grinning before waving at his friends who turned to see if the pair was coming.

"You just want a race, admit it Hunter!" Taylor joked as she returned his grin. She was sitting on the bench where the spares had sat during their game.

"A race? Now that is an interesting proposition. What does the winner get?" he asked wagging his eyebrows suggestively.

Taylor laughed as the last of the Hufflepuffs disappeared from sight on their way back to the castle. And then she put her finger on her chin pretending to think. "How about a big juicy kiss?"

"A kiss hey?" Greg said as he stepped closer his eyes darkening.

"Only if you win," Taylor whispered as her heart sped up but to her disappointment he didn't kiss her, instead he touched the end of her nose with his finger before saying.

"Okay, twice around the pitch and no cheating, witch!" his voice was husky and low.

Taylor's heart seemed to do a stutter step as she whispered back, "Gryffindors don't cheat, not like you are now."

"Me, cheating? How am I cheating?" he said in the same husky tone.

"You are making my heart race and my brain all foggy," Taylor answered softly.

"I am, am I? Well it's working then." The Hufflepuff grinned wickedly before stepping back from the witch and saying. "Come on let's race!"

Taylor watched as the Head Boy hopped on his broom and soared up into the air, shaking her head as if to clear it she yelled, "Ohhh! You! You just wait!"

Mounting her brother's Firebolt she rose up in the air to meet the Hufflepuff giving him an evil glare as he laughed.

Flying to where they were going to start, Taylor adjusted her grip just a little waiting for the flag that the Hufflepuff had charmed to drop. The seconds ticked by and she could feel her heart pounding as anticipation surged through her. When the flag dropped she tipped forward and the Firebolt shot away from the starting line. For a few moments she just enjoyed the rush of racing through the air, but then she noticed the Hufflepuff and moved a little closer. He was the better flyer and could take the turns just a little tighter and smoother, but the Nimbus just wasn't the broom that the Firebolt was and on the long straight-aways she easily caught him again. He'd pass her in the turns, and then she'd catch and pass him on the straight-aways. She knew that if the start hadn't been in the middle of the long pitch that she would have lost. As it was she just flashed past the finish a little ahead of the Hufflepuff.

Slowing she turned and grinned at him. "Too bad Hufflepuff! Maybe next time!"

"Maybe next time we put the finish line closer to the corners!" He called before flying closer as his face stretched into a warm smile. "So is today really only the second time you've flown a broom?"

Taylor nodded as the Hufflepuff said, "Wow, that's very impressive, you know Gryffindor! You'd have made one hell of a quidditch player!"

Taylor laughed, "I don't know if it's me that you should be complimenting. The Firebolt did all the work."

"Yeah that is a mighty fast broom, but if you weren't such an instinctual flyer, you'd have crashed or fallen off it at least twice today that I saw. I'm a little surprised Potter let you ride it, as inexperienced as you are."

Taylor just grinned cheekily.

"So what do you want to do? I could transfigure us a quaffle and we could throw it around," The Hufflepuff offered. He hadn't meant to make that last comment about Potter. He'd seen the Gryffindor captain watching his witch closely all afternoon and he hadn't missed the look of pride on the Gryffindor's face when his witch had caught that snitch. Of course he'd been very impressed himself and knew that Murphy, the Hufflepuff seeker was going to get quite a bit of ribbing over it. Still though, it had been a risky move on the Gryffindor captain's part, lending Taylor his Firebolt.

"Yeah that sounds like fun!" Taylor said and Greg flew down to the pitch and picking up a small stone, transfigured it into a quaffle.

Over the next hour and a half, until it became too dark to see properly, the two flew around the pitch, tossing the quaffle back and forth or chasing one another over this or that, and sometimes they'd just fly side by side and hold hands. All the time laughing and having fun.

As they landed, Taylor was thinking of what a special day it had been. She'd been able to fly with her brother and play with him for a little while and then she'd had this special time with Greg.

As if neither wanted the day to end, they sat down on the bench in the quiet of early evening, and as the sky darkened from dark blue to black Taylor received her reward for winning the race earlier. One she enthusiastically reciprocated.

The moon was just starting to come up over the Forbidden forest when the two finally decided to head back to the castle.

"I'm going to have to raid the kitchens! _I am starving!_" Taylor said as she stood and lifted her brother's Firebolt onto her shoulder. "Then I think I'm going to need a shower or maybe I might try sneaking into the prefects bath and having a nice long soak in their tub!" she added as she rolled her shoulders and stretched. She was really going to be sore tomorrow!

Greg laughed, "I agree with you one hundred percent! About raiding the kitchens and then the soak in the tub…" he wiggled his eyebrows at her suggestively and she smacked him on the shoulder.

"You prat! You _are not_ joining me in a tub!"

"Well it _is_ a prefect's bathroom and you are not a prefect nor a head, so how do you know about it?" He teased in a mock serious tone.

Taylor grinned up at him mischievously as she said evasively, "Oh I have my ways, don't you worry! You are not the only one who knows this castle _very_ well!"

"Why witch, are you toying with my sensibilities?"

Taylor snorted and started to laugh, as she struggled to get out, "I haven't touched _those_ yet!" The Hufflepuff stared at her for a second before he joined her in laughter.

Laughing, the two continued up across the dark grounds lit only by the moonlight.

Taylor was finally getting control of her laughter when something made it die away suddenly and she stopped. The feeling that something was wrong made her turn and look towards the Forbidden forest not far away.

Still chuckling the Hufflepuff turned back to look at the witch, wondering why she had stopped, "Hey what's…" his voice died in his throat as a loud howl echoed across the grounds.

Taylor's heart nearly stopped, as out of the woods a huge animal raced towards them. She recognized it immediately, it was a werewolf!

"Taylor!" Greg yelled as he jumped in front of her.

There was no time to run, no time to even scream, as in the next huge leap the werewolf was on them.

The front paws of the werewolf knocked the two teens to the ground, but its jaws caught the Hufflepuff's arm and gave a mighty shake throwing the wizard like a rag doll.

Taylor rolled as soon as she could and came to her feet. She'd been pinned partly beneath Hunter's body and had seen the werewolves teeth sink into his arm inches from her face. With a flick she had her wand in her hand as the werewolf turned towards her. She knew very few spells worked against werewolves. Thinking fast, she fired the first one that came to mind, a whip-like spell that hit the creature across the face and made it howl in pain, but it did stop. Snarling the werewolf bared its teeth and Taylor used the spell again to make the creature back up a few paces.

A breath of air passed over the grounds but it was enough to bring the smell of the Hufflepuff's blood to the werewolf. In horror Taylor watched the huge creature turn its head towards where Greg was lying on the ground. In the next instant it was bounding towards him.

Taylor fired twice more as she raced after the werewolf, the sight of it on top of the Head Boy biting almost made her sick to her stomach. Without thinking she felt the calm fill her up, as her necklace burned hot against her neck and the ancient language fell from her lips in a powerful spell blasting the werewolf off the fallen Hufflepuff. Racing to him she had to blast the werewolf back repeatedly as it kept coming back to attack again and again. Until it finally backed off a ways snarling, watching for a time to attack again.

Keeping her wand pointed at the werewolf she dropped to her knees and put her other hand on Greg's body and heard him moan weakly. When she lifted it up she could see it was covered in blood. She knew she didn't have much time before the werewolf decided to attack again.

Then another spell, a truly powerful and dark one came to her. She could hurt the werewolf, probably even kill it. She'd be able to get Greg to help and she wouldn't have to worry about the werewolf ever hurting anyone again! She could even feel the ancient words starting to form on her tongue when another image flashed before her eyes, an image from four years ago. As she had stood not far from where she was kneeling on the grass now and she had watched another werewolf materialize, from Remus Lupin's body.

The spell died on her tongue, as much as she wanted to, she knew she couldn't kill the werewolf. It was a person and she couldn't live with herself if she did.

"Go away!" Taylor screamed, knowing that it wouldn't do any good as she tried desperately to think of another way to get away. She was too far away from the castle for anyone to hear her and she didn't dare try to conjure a Patronus to send for help. She'd never have time to do the spell before the werewolf attacked again. Then she thought of the Firebolt. She could Accio it and then still be able to use her wand on the werewolf if she needed to, but then what? She'd never flown with someone else on a broom and how would she be able to lift Greg up off the ground to get him on the broom? He was bigger and heavier then her brother.

"Greg? Can you hear me?"

She heard him moan. "Greg if you can, I need you to answer me! Now!"

"Ohh… yeah…" he whispered feebly.

She wanted to look down at him, to see if he was looking at her, to see if his eyes were open but she didn't dare take her eyes off the werewolf. She suspected it was going to attack again soon, as its snarls became more menacing.

"Can you get up? If I summon the Firebolt do you think you can get on it?" Taylor asked quickly.

"The werewolf… where is…?"

"It's not far, but _can you get up_?" Taylor demanded her voice getting more desperate as she watched the creature preparing to attack again.

"Tay'lor jus' go… go… get away."

"No! I need you to get up! Can you?" Taylor asked and the werewolf tipped its head back and howled. Goose bumps stood up all over her body. Coming to her feet, the necklace seared scorching hot as she bellowed the ancient spell. The creature charged and it was blasted backwards. It jumped to its feet and came again. Each time the werewolf charged it came at a different angle as if trying to find a weakness in her defenses and each time she drove it back with the power of her spell. It must have tried a half dozen times or more before it stopped and stared at her, snarling.

Slowly, keeping her wand pointed at the creature, she crouched back down by Greg. She was on his other side now, having moved around him to keep between the bleeding wizard and the werewolf's attacks.

"Can you get up?" she asked again as she touched him again with her left hand. She felt him grab her hand in his.

"I don' know… just go…"

"Listen Hufflepuff! You are too big for me to lift! Now when I count to three, I am going to Accio the broom and you need to get up! Do you hear me? Get up and get on the broom. I'll keep the werewolf busy until you do. Now are you ready?" Taylor's voice was hard and clipped. There was no more time to waste. She could feel the strain the repeated Dark Magic spells were having on her and she knew that she couldn't keep them up indefinitely.

"Yeah…"

With an effort she pushed the fear and worry away, at the sound of weakness in the Head Boy's voice. She couldn't think about how badly he was hurt right now. She needed to think and be ready to react.

"Good! Now on the count of three get up! One… Two… Three! Accio Firebolt!" Taylor swung her wand from where it had been covering the werewolf to where her brother's broom lay on the grass some fifty feet away. Out of the corner of her eye she could see the Hufflepuff struggling to get to his feet. She caught the broom in her left hand and swung her wand back at the werewolf racing towards her again.

Once again her necklace burned as the ancient language rolled off her tongue and the werewolf was again blasted off its feet and driven backwards with the force of her spell. She moved around the staggering Hufflepuff as he took the broom from her and tried to mount it as she fired again and again at the werewolf. This time the creature seemed incensed, as if it knew its prey was making a bid for escape.

Breathing hard from the effort, Taylor saw her chance when the werewolf paused once again. Turning she jumped onto the Firebolt behind the slumped Hufflepuff's body and grabbed the handle pulling up desperately, trying to gain enough height to get out of the werewolf's reach.

The Firebolt rose up in the air but Taylor was immediately aware that it didn't respond as well with the two of them on it. However, they did get high enough so that even as the huge werewolf below jumped it couldn't reach them. Taylor pushed her wand into its holder as she adjusted her hold on the Hufflepuff and steered the broom still higher. Her first impulse was to race to the school as fast as the broom could go but she quickly dismissed that idea, as the Hufflepuff swayed dangerously and she tightened her hold on him. If he started to fall she wasn't strong enough to hold him up.

So carefully, she tipped forward and flew slowly towards the school. She could see the werewolf following along below. It only took a couple of minutes to reach the school, but in that time she could feel the Head Boy start to wobble as if he was fighting to stay on the broom.

Then a new problem presented itself. How was she going to get into the castle without letting the werewolf in? Glancing down she could see the werewolf right below them, so landing was out of the question, or trying to go down low enough to open a door. Looking around at the castle she could see numerous windows but what one should she try going through? She needed to find help, but to go crashing through the wrong window could only make matters worse. The Great Hall would be empty by now and the ground floor was out of the question. Gryffindor tower… but it was so far from the hospital wing and tricky to get in, with only its small windows. The Hospital Wing, where she desperately wanted to go, had reinforced wards on its high windows making them shatterproof. Then she knew. Turning, she rose higher and headed around the castle searching for the tall dark windows of the library and praying they weren't as highly warded as those of the hospital.

Stopping the Firebolt, she grabbed her wand, as she held on tight to the Hufflepuff and balanced precariously on the broom without any hands. Carefully she aimed her wand at one of the dark windows and with a silent spell blew it out. She could hear the glass falling to the marble floor and shattering as she quickly put her wand back in its holder and flew through the window opening. To her it seemed that was all the Hufflepuff had been holding on for, as he went limp in her arms and started to fall off the broom. Taylor couldn't hold the heavy Head Boy and steer properly and they went crashing to the floor between a row of books.

Wriggling out from under the Hufflepuff she flicked her wrist again and with her wand bellowed, "Expecto Patronum!" The white doe burst from her wand as she yelled at it to go for help.

Forcing herself to think, to act, she levitated the Hufflepuff off the floor and grabbing the Firebolt she hurried through the dark library and out into the corridor. Running down the hall she guided the Hufflepuff with her wand. She hadn't learned the spell for a stretcher yet so she made do with keeping the Hufflepuff in the air.

She made it to the next corner that forced her to slow down to carefully guide the floating Head Boy so he didn't bump into the wall, when a welcome sight raced towards her.

"Porter! What's happened?" Shacklebolt's deep voice demanded.

"It's Greg! He's been attacked by a werewolf! It's out on the grounds! You need to seal the castle!" Taylor yelled hurrying towards her professor.

"A werewolf!" He exclaimed before pulling his wand and sending his own Patronus off with the message about the werewolf and sealing the castle. Turning back to her he demanded, "Porter, are you alright?"

Glancing down she could see the blood that covered her clothes… Greg's blood. She could feel her hands starting to shake and she grit her teeth. She couldn't fall to pieces just yet. "I'm fine, it's… it's Greg's blood."

Shacklebolt only nodded as he conjured a stretcher and put it under the Head Boy. Taylor released her levitation spell and hurried after her professor. She had to jog to keep up with his swift strides as he quickly made his way through the castle towards the Hospital.

Madame Pomfrey and McGonagall were waiting outside the Hospital Wing doors, as well as one of the aurors that were there for security.

"The boy has been attacked by a werewolf, Poppy." Shacklebolt told the school nurse gravely, as he drew near enough to speak. Taylor saw the nurses eyes widen and her hand go over her mouth. McGonagall gasped before turning her worried eyes to Taylor.

"A werewolf? Where did it happen?" the auror demanded.

Taylor watched as Pomfrey took the stretcher from Shacklebolt and went in through the doors. She made to follow but Shacklebolt's hand landed on her shoulder stopping her.

"Porter, what happened?" Shacklebolt asked firmly.

Now that Greg was in the nurse's care, now that there was nothing more for her to do, she could feel her hands starting to shake again. Looking down at her brother's Firebolt still gripped in her left hand she could see the blood on the shiny black handle. Shacklebolt's hand on her shoulder gave a squeeze and she started to speak, her voice hoarse and strangled as she fought to keep it together just a little longer. In halting sentences she told them about playing quidditch and then staying to fly a little longer with the Hufflepuff. How they lost track of time and were heading back to the castle when the werewolf attacked. Here she paused, even as devastated as she felt, she knew she needed to be careful. She couldn't say she had used Dark Magic, so she just said she drove it away with the whip like spell. Then she told them about getting the broom and flying into the library. When she was done she stood looking at the floor.

"Miss Porter, have you been bitten?" the auror asked looking at the Gryffindor witch. She shook her head.

McGonagall sighed sadly as she looked at the young witch. She could tell that the girl was very upset. She was just about to ask Kingsley to take the Gryffindor to her common room when she saw her brother and her other friends coming down the hall. She wondered briefly how Potter knew his sister was in trouble.

"Taylor!" Harry called hurrying towards his sister and the adults. Then he caught sight of her blood soaked clothes and he broke into a run. The others did also. "What's happened? Taylor, are you alright?"

Skidding to a halt he looked from Shacklebolt's solemn face to McGonagall's white face and knew what ever had happened wasn't good.

Taylor looked up at her brother's worried face as she started to tremble again. "Greg… he was attacked… by a werewolf!" The pain and the anguish she had been keeping at bay escaped and she threw her arms around her brother as a sob tore up from the bottom of her soul.

Harry wrapped his arms around his sister as she cried. Shocked he looked up at Shacklebolt who just nodded his head.

Hermione gave a fearful cry and turned to Ron as he put his arms around his witch hugging her, then he released her with one arm and draped it over Ginny's shoulder and hugged her too.

"Potter, I need to go. You will look after Miss Porter? She is going to need someone to stay with her tonight," McGonagall's voice was gentle and filled with concern as she watched the young witch's shoulders shake.

"Sure Professor." Harry said quietly.

"You can tell Poppy that I gave you my permission to stay here if you wish." The Head Mistress said in a more natural tone, before she headed down the hall with Shacklebolt and the auror.

Ron conjured them all some chairs and they sat down. Harry held his sister tightly as he waited for her to cry herself out, knowing that there wasn't anything he could say to make her feel better. Even though he didn't know the actual story behind what happened, he could guess and knowing his sister, he knew that she wouldn't be this upset if it wasn't really bad.

When his sister finally quieted in his arms he didn't let her go, but hugged her tighter and kissed her on the top of the head. Then in a thick voice, she told him what had happened, in halting sentences. It wasn't long after that that Madame Pomfrey came to the door.

"Miss Porter, please come in here for a moment. I'd like to check you over for any cuts," The nurse's voice was gentle but firm. "You may come as well Potter, but the rest of you please wait out here."

Standing, Harry put his arm around his sister and walked with her into the Hospital Wing and the nurse motioned them to the opposite side of the ward from the screened bed.

Taylor felt wooden. How could such a perfect day end so horribly? She laid down on the bed Pomfrey pointed at as her brother sat on the edge of it holding her hand comfortingly.

The nurse waved her wand over the prone witch and then nodded, satisfied that she was indeed fine physically. Mentally though, she knew the witch was struggling to come to grips with what had happened. With another wave of her wand she vanished the dried blood from the witch.

"All right Miss Porter, you may leave. You are extremely lucky."

"Madame Pomfrey? Is… Is Greg going to be alright?" Taylor asked in a shaky voice as she looked up at the nurse.

The nurse pursed her lips but after a moment she said, "Mr. Hunter has lost a lot of blood. He was lucky he got here when he did."

Taylor met the nurse's eyes and could see the truth to the question she couldn't bring herself to ask. So she asked another. "May I see him?"

"He is heavily sedated at the moment… but I suppose it won't hurt. Only for a few moments though."

Getting up from the hospital bed she glanced at her brother who put his arm around her shoulders and walked over to the bed hidden from view by the screen. She was glad her brother was with her when she walked around the screen and caught her first glimpse of the Head Boy. Her hand flew to her mouth as she turned into her brother's chest as he hugged her gently. She could feel tears running down her cheeks as, after a few seconds, she made herself turn around and look at the Hufflepuff again.

The white hospital blankets only covered his lower half, but his whole torso was covered in bandages, as was his left arm. He was so pale. Only his deep breathing told her that he was alive.

Taking a deep breath she stepped out of her brother's arms and walked over to the bed and knelt on the floor on his right side so she could take his hand in hers. She knelt there for a while before gently brushing his dark hair off his forehead with her fingers. She was so used to seeing him so strong, his quiet strength always there when she needed it. Now he needed her to be the strong one, to be there for him.

"Miss Porter…" Madame Pomfrey prompted gently as she came to check on her patient.

Taylor nodded and got up reluctantly. She bent down and kissed the Hufflepuff on the forehead before letting go of his hand and walking to the end of his bed where her brother put his arm around her shoulders again.

Silently the two Gryffindors walked out of the hospital.

* * *

><p>AN Wow... First I want to say that this chapter caused me a lot of debate I questioned for quite a while if I should put this in here. It is a gamble I know adding this to my story... and one I did not do lightly! I guess I should explain that I love werewolves... not the fact that they kill people but the darkness(for lack of a better way to put it) that it gives to the charactor. I also feel that Greg had escapted the brutality of the war that was waging on outside of the castle and as such my story has lacked the sevarity of what is going on outside the safe walls of Hogwarts so this was how I decided to drive home that things are not all hunky-dory. So I hope you will not hate me for this... give it a chance things do happen for a reason!( and there is more forshadowing here then I've ever said in any of my A/N ever before!)

I am going to forgo my usual Thank-yous... not because they are not needed but because I want to say this... the more reviews I get the faster I will post chapters for this story! Keep hanging on! The ride has just excited it's first loop and there are lots more to go! ;)


	64. A Test of Loyalty

No I don't own Harry Potter just this plot and the charactors that emerged from my own imagination.

* * *

><p>Chapter Sixty-four<p>

**A Test of Loyalty **

It was nearly midnight before Taylor convinced Ron, Hermione and Ginny to return to their common room and their beds. She told Harry to go with them but he refused point blank.

Through the long night Taylor sat staring absently down the long dim corridor. She glanced over at her brother different times, thankful for his presence and support. Even if he was tipped back in his chair sound asleep.

She kept going over and over in her mind what she should have done differently. The biggest thing was, she should have noticed the full moon. She knew what it could bring. She had seen it first hand even in her third year. The thing that seemed to haunt her the most was where had the werewolf come from? She was almost positive it couldn't be Lupin. Professor Slughorn always made the Wolfsbane Potion for him unless… it was the _unless_ that bothered her.

The sky was paling to blue and the sun just about to make it up over the horizon when Taylor heard footsteps heading in her direction and looked up to see three people walking towards her. She rubbed a tired hand over her face as she sat forward in her chair, a lead weight fell into her stomach as she recognized two of them. One was the Head Mistress of course and one of the others was the Head Boy's father.

Taylor came to her feet as they drew nearer and heard her brother's chair come back down on its front legs with a thump as he stood up beside her.

"Taylor, I guess I'm not surprised to see you here." Mr. Hunter spoke in a tight voice.

"Mr. Hunter…" What could she say? She was sorry? It sounded hollow even in her own mind.

The Hufflepuff's father stopped in front of her and she could see the heavy lines of worry etched into his tired face. "The Head Mistress told me that you were with… that you… brought him here."

Taylor could see that he was struggling and an unwanted tear slid down her cheek. She didn't know what to say.

"Thank you, Taylor. Thank you for saving my son." Mr. Hunter said thickly as he patted her on the shoulder. Then he headed in through the hospital doors with McGonagall and the other wizard, that looked to be his brother.

Taylor felt her bottom lip tremble and was thankful when her brother put his arms around her and held her once again.

Greg's father stayed in the hospital for a couple of hours. Occasionally she could hear their voices but she could never make out what they were saying. Ron, Hermione and Ginny arrived shortly before Mr. Hunter and who she figured was his brother came out.

Mr. Hunter stopped again and looked down sadly at her as he shook his head slightly. "Thank you again Taylor… I hope… well I hope that you can…"

Taylor spoke up as she lay her hand on his hand, that he was gesturing hopelessly with, "Mr. Hunter, I'm not going anywhere. I will not leave him just because of last night. Greg means _way more_ to me than that."

Mr. Hunter nodded his head but he couldn't seem to speak. The other man spoke up gently as he put his hand on Mr. Hunter's shoulder. "Thank you, Miss Porter. Greg is going to need his friends now, more than ever." His eyes swept past Taylor to the other Gryffindors standing there and nodded before the two continued down the corridor.

Taylor backed up a step and dropped into the chair. Leaning forward she put her head in her hands.

"Taylor…" Hermione whispered as she sat down by her friend and put a comforting hand on her back. Taylor nodded. She knew Hermione felt now, like she had before, not sure what to say.

A few minutes later McGonagall and Madame Pomfrey came out of the hospital doors and Taylor stood up to ask her if she could go see the Hufflepuff. White dots swam in front of her eyes as she swayed on the spot.

"Hey!" Harry cried surprised as he reached out and steadied his sister, helping her sit back down before she fell down.

"Miss Porter, when was the last time you've had something to eat?" the Nurse asked concerned as she waved her wand over the woozy witch.

"I want to go see Greg." Taylor asserted but her stomach gave a loud growl.

The nurse sighed, "Go get something to eat and I will let you in to see him when you get back, for a few minutes."

Taylor looked up at the nurse and nodded.

"Mr. Potter, keep an eye on Miss Porter. I do not need another patient today!" The nurse said in her usual brisk tone before heading back in through the door.

Taylor was surprised that she could eat, nothing really had any taste but she did start feeling less lightheaded. She was eating her third piece of toast when Sally-Anne and Justin came into the Great Hall and seeing the Gryffindors sitting there, hurried towards them. Taylor groaned and Hermione put her hand on her arm.

She knew she had been very lucky so far, as it was still fairly early Sunday morning and there weren't very many students in the Great Hall at this hour, especially the older students.

"Hi Taylor." Sally-Anne greeted the one Gryffindor, though she smiled at the rest before looking back at Taylor. "Have you seen Greg? Justin said he didn't come back last…" The Hufflepuff's voice trailed off at the look on all the Gryffindors' faces. "Oh Merlin! What's happened?"

Taylor swallowed. She knew these were Greg's friends but she didn't know what to tell them. It wasn't really her place to tell them what had happened out on the grounds last night. But she knew she couldn't lie either. "Greg… he…" Taylor glanced over at her brother before looking up into Sally-Anne's concerned face. "Greg was hurt last night. He's in the Hospital Wing."

Sally-Anne gasped as she dropped down onto the bench beside her Gryffindor friend. "How…? Is he going to be all right?"

Taylor looked down at the floor. "I don't know. Madame Pomfrey didn't let me see him." Well that was partly true. The nurse hadn't let her see Greg that morning.

"How did he get hurt?" Justin asked his voice dropping down dangerously.

Taylor knew what the Hufflepuff was thinking. He still really didn't trust her. Looking up into his angry eyes she said, "That isn't for me to say."

The Hufflepuff glared down at Taylor before he snarled. "What do you mean it isn't for you to say? What did you do to him?"

Harry and Ron both came to their feet, as Harry said dangerously "I think you had just better be very careful what you say, Justin. Maybe it would be a good idea for you to head along. If Taylor can't say, then she can't say."

Taylor looked into Sally-Anne's suddenly frightened eyes and she shook her head sadly. Justin was already out the oak doors as the Hufflepuff witch jumped up to run after him.

"I hope you know what you are doing, Taylor," Ron warned, "because you have just stirred up a beehive by not telling them."

"It's not my place to tell them that." Taylor said simply, but she noticed her brother's face was a little worried, as were they all.

By the time the five Gryffindors arrived back at the Hospital Wing, most of the seventh year Hufflepuffs were gathered outside and they didn't look none too happy to see the Gryffindors walking down the corridor.

Ernie stepped forward, "Potter, what do you know about what happened to Greg?"

Harry glanced quickly at his sister before answering, "Like Taylor told Flinch-Fletchly in the Great Hall, it isn't something we can say."

"But you _do_ know?" someone called.

Harry didn't answer but he met their angry looks without flinching.

"You're protecting Porter again aren't you? It's something she did!" Flinch-Fletchly challenged as he joined Ernie in the front.

"I've already warned you once Flinch-Fletchly, I will not repeat myself!" Harry's voice dropped into a dangerous tone.

"Harry!" Taylor warned as she moved out from behind her brother. He had stepped protectively in front of her. "I did not do anything to hurt Greg. You should know me better than that by now! If you don't, then you never will. But I also won't betray his confidence just to appease you of your curiosity. So if you want to blame me, then go ahead! I couldn't give a hairy Hippogriff's ass! But _do not_ blame Harry or the others, because they weren't there!"

Taylor had called them out and most turned away grumbling but unwilling to openly question her anymore. Flinch-Fletchly was one of the exceptions as he continued to glare at her but he didn't say anything.

Madame Pomfrey came to the hospital doors then and said briskly. "Mr. Hunter is under my care and he is not well enough at this time to have visitors! You are welcome to come back tomorrow or the next day and I will let you know then if you can see him. For now I want you all to move along. This is a Hospital and my patients need rest."

Taylor decided the best thing for them to do would be to go too, so she tugged on her brother's sleeve and headed back down the corridor away from the Hospital Wing. Ron grumbled under his breath and Taylor heard words like git and prat. When they were one floor up, she stopped.

"I'm going to see Greg. Pomfrey said I could and I'm going to. Why don't you guys just go study or whatever? You don't need to sit down there with me."

Harry looked into his sister's hazel eyes and saw the worry and fear there, and he knew if something like that had happened to Ginny… A shiver traveled down his back. "Here take the mirror. If you need us, all you need to do is call, okay?" His sister nodded and he gave her a quick hug, before she turned and hurried off towards the Hospital Wing. He caught Ginny's hand and gave it a squeeze and she smiled up at him and squeezed his back.

Taylor wasn't long getting back to the hospital doors and she knocked softly and waited for the nurse to open it.

"Come in Miss Porter," The nurse said softly when she saw who it was. "He is resting more easily now that the moon has waned, but he is still asleep."

Taylor stared at the nurse not fully comprehending what she was saying.

"Hunter was bitten early in the evening just as the moon was coming up. A person infected at that time of night starts to suffer before the moon goes down. That is why I had to sedate him so heavily last night."

Stunned Taylor only nodded before she walked over to the screen and the bed hidden behind it.

Greg looked a little better this morning she noted. He wasn't as pale and his breathing was more natural. She went and knelt beside him again, brushing his hair gently off his forehead. She noticed that he stirred slightly and she lowered her hand. She didn't want to disturb his sleep.

Pomfrey seemed to not mind the witch there, as she came out of her office to check on her patient periodically. Taylor was content to just sit by the sleeping Hufflepuff and even hold his hand for a while, when she noticed it was moving a little in his sleep and stilled when she put her hand in his.

The shadows were growing long when he finally started to stir and she saw his eyelashes flutter before his eyes opened.

"Hey," She whispered as she moved so that he could see her. Recognition appeared in his eyes and he smiled a little before his blue eyes clouded and she could see him trying to remember what had happened. Suddenly his eyes grew wide and with a heavy heart she knew he was remembering.

"I… the werewolf… Oh God, Merlin, Nooooo!"

Taylor's heart broke as she knew he realized the full extent of what had happened, his voice full of fear and anguish. She could hear Pomfrey hurrying across the ward, as he sat up in the bed.

"What are you doing here!" Hunter cried his voice full of revulsion.

"I came to see you." Taylor said firmly, as Pomfrey rounded the screen.

"Mr. Hunter, lie back down in that bed this instant or I will tie you in it!" Pomfrey ordered.

"No! Go Taylor, go away!" Greg yelled.

"I'm not going anywhere." Taylor said in a hard voice.

"What is going on? Greg! There is no need to yell like that!" Mr. Hunter commanded, as he suddenly appeared around the screen, the other man with him again also.

Greg glared up at his father as he ground out angrily. "I want Taylor to leave! She shouldn't be around someone like me!"

Taylor could feel the pain, like a knife, piercing her heart at his words.

"Uncle Mike, make her go!" Greg yelled and she could see he was becoming more and more agitated.

With a flick of her wand Pomfrey froze the Hufflepuff but his eyes continued to dart back and forth almost feverishly. Taylor nodded and backed slowly away. She didn't need Pomfrey to tell her that she needed to go. When she reached the end of the bed she turned and walked out of the hospital doors, but she didn't go any further.

With a shuddering breath she slid down the wall and sat on the floor, her head resting against her knees. She could hear Greg again, yelling at his father and uncle, they were hurtful words about not being fit to be around people anymore and being a monster. She wasn't really sure why Pomfrey didn't sedate him again, maybe it was better if he yelled himself out now. Even her name was yelled, always though about never wanting to see her again.

It had grown dark for quite some time before Mr. Hunter and his brother came out of the hospital doors. Greg had quieted down a while ago. She suspected that Pomfrey had finally given him some sleeping potion.

"Taylor?" Mr. Hunter asked softly when he noticed her sitting against the wall. "Oh my dear I hope you haven't been here all this time."

Taylor looked up at him but she knew by the way he sadly shook his head, that her face had answered his question.

Sighing tiredly, he held out his hand to help her up off the floor. "Come on. Up you get. Madame Pomfrey has given my son some potion to knock him out for a while. I know he said some very hurtful things but…"

Standing Taylor shook her head, "I'm not going anywhere, Mr. Hunter. I know he has got to be terrified right now, and he is just… He wants to try to push everyone away. But I'm not worried about that. I will wait for him to come to grips with it…"

The man Greg called Uncle Mike spoke up solemnly, "You do know _what_ Greg is…?"

Taylor met the man's eyes as anger coursed through her. "Yes, I know Greg is a werewolf now. That does not bother me at all," At his incredulous look, she ground out in a cold voice. "I happen to have a very good friend who is a werewolf! So _no_ it does _not_ bother me! I will be here for Greg when he calms down."

Mr. Hunter smiled faintly as he put his hand on her shoulder. "He is going to need you, desperately, in the coming days. My son was truly lucky to find you I think. He will come to see it as time goes on. However for now, why don't you go get a good night's sleep, Greg won't wake up again until morning."

Reluctantly Taylor left the hospital and made her way slowly up through the castle. She knew Greg was hurting, hurting in a way that she couldn't fix. All she could do was to be there for him, like he had for her. Muttering the password she climbed woodenly through the portal and walked over and sat down beside her brother and Ginny on the sofa. He took one look at her face and put his arm around her shoulders. Taylor leaned her head against him and gazed into the fire as tears trailed down her face unchecked.

Early the next morning, Taylor knocked on her brother's dorm room door before opening it, when someone called to come in. She could see Dean, Seamus and Ron's curtains were still pulled but her brother looked out at her and she went, and pulling the curtain aside, sat beside him on his bed.

"I want to borrow the cloak." She said without preamble.

"What happened?" Harry asked gently, he hadn't asked last night. He knew his sister had been really upset though.

"Greg kind of lost it yesterday when he woke up. He yelled at everyone, even his dad…"

"He yelled at you too?" Harry added.

"Yeah, he got really upset when he saw me. So I thought if I had the cloak… well you know I could be there for him, but maybe not upset him so."

Harry nodded slowly. He knew he'd want to do the same. "What about classes?"

"I can't think about classes right now, I just…. I need to _do_ something."

"Hey, I understand. Hermione can take notes for you. You have the mirror?" When she nodded he continued. "It's in the trunk. Make sure you check in at least once today okay?"

She thanked her brother and made her way down through the castle and, pausing for a moment, threw the cloak over herself. She went to the kitchens to grab a bite to eat before she sneaked into the Hospital and sat on the bed beside the sleeping Hufflepuffs.

Sometimes during that day she felt like a peeping Tom, as she overheard conversations that she knew weren't meant for her ears. Sometimes she would stick her fingers in her ears so she couldn't hear as well and shut her eyes. She knew what she was doing was wrong but she just couldn't seem to make herself leave.

Greg's father and Uncle came to see him and he was calmer, but when his father mentioned her name the Hufflepuff became angry and said he didn't want to see her.

McGonagall and Moody came to see him also and she highly suspected that the old auror could see her sitting there with his magical eye, though he didn't say anything. They talked about the likelihood of Greg being able to stay at Hogwarts and finish out his year and take his NEWTS. The Hufflepuff did little more then listen and glare off into open space.

She also heard Pomfrey asking him about seeing some of his friends but he had flatly refused.

Most of the afternoon she watched the Hufflepuff go from being angry and punching his pillow, to heartbreakingly sad. She wished she could go to him then, even just to hold his hand.

By the time it was getting dark outside Taylor was getting very stiff and when the Hufflepuff got up to go to the washroom she gladly stood up and using a silencing spell she pulled the mirror out to quickly tell her brother that she was fine and wouldn't probably be back tonight.

Pulling a biscuit she had saved from that morning, she ate it slowly and quietly as she watched the brooding Hufflepuff.

That night though, she was glad she stayed. It was sometime in the middle of the night when suddenly she woke up. She hadn't meant to doze off but she must have.

A moan from the Hufflepuff's bed carried her over to him. She was fairly sure he was dreaming, but he kept repeating her name. Pulling the invisibility cloak off of her head, she reached out and took his hand leaning down by his ear she whispered "Shh, I'm right here. Shh. I'm not going anywhere Hufflepuff."

A sigh fell from his lips as he held her hand tightly.

For the rest of the night she sat with him, whispering in his ear when he became restless and brushing his hair back off his forehead, and always holding his hand.

When the sky started to lighten and the risk of him waking up became too great, she retreated back under the invisibility cloak and waited for the Hospital doors to open for the day.

Completely exhausted but pleased that she had been able to sooth him a little, she made her way back up to her dormitory and fell sound asleep on her bed still covered by her brother's cloak.

* * *

><p>AN Well there you go... Greg is now infected with the lycan virus(or what ever the magical world may call it)... I thought long and hard about doing this... but in the end I know it had to be done(more on that in later chapters) I know Greg is acting like a idiot... and I don't blame you if you really don't like him right now... but please be patient he has just found out his life will never be the same and he isn't dealing very well with that news. Remember he isn't Harry or Taylor, he hasn't lived the past seven years dealing with all kinds of dangerous things like they have.

I want to THANK YOU all for not only reading my story but leaveing reviews(I have 97! :D ) and Alerting and Favoriting this story! With over 280 000 words so far that is very much appercaited by this writter! So THANK YOU ALL! Plus I would be remiss not to say a huge THANK YOU to my wonderful beta barbc who without all her help and excellent betaing skills this story wouldn't be what it is... nor posted at all yet!

Well until next time(and I promise it won't be a long wait), cytpotter.


	65. An Infestation of Nargles

Wow it's been _just_ over a year since I started posting this story, I was a little slow getting started... I have to admit I was very nervous about putting this story out there for you all to read but I wanted to take this oppertunity to **THANK YOU ALL** for reading! I just got my 100th review! ( I can't tell you how much that means to me!) and I want to tell you that it has been through these reviews, your kind words and encouragement that has kept me posting new chapters. So instead of a disclaimer this time I am going to say a very humble Thank you!

_A writters words are nothing but marks on a page unless someone is willing to take the time to read them! _So knowing this I am honoured!

* * *

><p>Chapter Sixty-five<p>

**An Infestation of Nargles**

Hermione found Taylor that night after supper still sound asleep on her bed. Harry had become very worried when he didn't hear from his sister all day and had checked the Map and saw she was in her bed. Hermione had gone up to get her.

Taylor was still tired and yawning when she headed for the showers and then to the kitchens to get something to eat. Harry and Ginny went with her and they filled her in on what had happened that day.

The whole school now knew that the Head Boy was in the Hospital Wing and that Taylor was somehow linked to it. The rumors about what had happened, of course, were wild and rampant. Not helped by the fact Taylor had missed the last two days of classes as well.

"So what are you going to do when you are finished eating?" Harry asked leaning against the wall of the kitchen with his arms folded, as he watched his sister start on her fourth sandwich.

"I'm going back to the hospital so I can get in before Pomfrey shuts the doors for the night." And then she briefly told them how angry the Hufflepuff had been yesterday.

"You know McGonagall isn't going to let you miss very many more days of classes." Ginny said knowingly.

"Yeah," Taylor said taking a drink of pumpkin juice before continuing, "but what I've been thinking, is that he doesn't need or want me there during the day, so I'm just going to go and stay at night. Maybe that's kind of crowdedness on my part but…" she shrugged her shoulders.

"I don't think that at all and neither does anyone else. It's going to take time for Greg to come to terms with what happened. You know Bill still struggles with it at times and he doesn't have the transformations to worry about." Ginny said gently. She was of course speaking about her oldest brother Bill who had been attacked at the school at the end of last year. "Fleur helps him I guess, however I still can't see what he sees in her."

Taylor couldn't help snorting, "She is your sister in-law now you know."

"Don't remind me! I thought Mum was going to jinx her into a puddle before the wedding last summer! Though now… Did I tell you Fleur is pregnant?"

Taylor looked up in surprise and through a mouth full of food mumbled, "Really? 'ow'd tha' 'appen?"

Harry stared open mouthed at his sister for a moment before snorting in laughter, "You really don't know?"

Taylor swallowed and stuck her tongue out at her brother, "Of course I know _how_ it happened! I did grow up on a farm you know, you prat! I meant when."

Ginny was snickering herself but managed to say, "I just found out last week. She's due in September."

They talked some more and then Taylor thanked the house elves and they left, parting when they reached the corridor for the Hospital Wing. Taylor had brought her brother's cloak with her and when she was alone, pulled it over her head and walked down to the hospital doors and silently let herself in.

The Hufflepuff was sitting up in his bed. When she tiptoed around the screen and he glanced in her direction, she froze. For the first time in three days she looked into his eyes and saw his anger and another emotion, one she recognized from her own self, self-loathing. Her chest tightened painfully and she wanted to go to him and wrap her arms around him, anything to take his pain away. How long he sat and stared at where she was standing she didn't know, before he turned and stared out the dark windows. Moving as quietly as possible she walked to the next bed beside his and sat down on the floor between it and the next one. She'd make too much noise if she sat on the bed plus he might see the bed move.

Sitting there in the silence, Taylor thought about what Ginny had said about her brother Bill. He had a job, he was a curse breaker for Gringott's and the goblins there didn't care about his affliction, as Ginny had put it. Now Bill was going to be a father. Taylor smiled. She knew Mrs. Weasley would be thrilled about that.

Then her smile faded as she looked over at the Hufflepuff sitting in the bed. He didn't have a job yet and she knew that many people didn't trust werewolves. Life was going to be a lot more difficult for him. She didn't know if, after Voldemort was gone, he'd still be able to become an auror or not. She hoped so.

Taylor froze as she realized the significance of her last thought. For the first time she had looked beyond the end of the war, beyond Voldemort, and _wanted_ something. She knew what she wanted too. She wanted what Bill and Fleur had. A life together with Greg and she even wanted to have a family with him. The realization hit her like a ton of bricks, making her breath catch in her throat. Sometime over the last few months the Hufflepuff had made her want something more, more then just the end of Voldemort and his terror. It scared her. She knew how likely it was that she wouldn't live past the end, would gladly die to bring Voldemort down. Now though, she had more to fight for, more to _live_ for.

She returned her gaze to the Hufflepuff brooding in his bed and knew that somewhere along the way he had become as important to her as her brother. A very scary thought indeed.

It was sometime after midnight when the Hufflepuff started to moan again in his sleep, twisting and turning restlessly in his bed. Taylor went to his bed and conjuring a pillow she sat on the floor. "Shh, I'm here." She whispered as she took his searching hand in hers. "I'm here. Shh, I'm not going anywhere, Hufflepuff."

"Taylor," The word sighed from him as he stilled and his breathing deepened and slowed.

Taylor smiled sadly as she brushed a tendril of hair off his brow.

The sun was just starting to lighten the eastern sky when she got up and vanishing the pillow, kissed him on the forehead before carefully pulling her hand from his and moving away. She stayed a little longer but when he started to stir she left, slipping out through the door Pomfrey had just unlocked once again.

That day was hard. A lot of people stopped her and asked about the Head Boy and what had happened. None were satisfied with her answers and her refusal to say anymore than she had told the Hufflepuffs Sunday morning. After each class that she knew the Hufflepuff had, she asked for his homework, deciding that she'd stop by and see him after last class. He might as well start getting used to the idea that she wasn't going anywhere.

When the lunch bell rang, Taylor packed up her potions ingredients and put them away.

"You are not up to your usual standards today, my dear." Slughorn chided as he vanished the less then perfect potion in her cauldron and he wrote down her mark.

"Sorry Professor, I just have a lot on my mind right now." Taylor sighed. She could see Parkinson snickering in the corner.

"You need to try harder. NEWTS aren't far away you know."

Taylor just nodded as she grabbed her bag and headed out of the class with Harry, Ron and Hermione. She hadn't quite reached the end of the corridor when Parkinson said quietly from right behind her.

"Poor Mudblood, you're going to have to keep that half-blood traitor on a leash from now on!"

Taylor wheeled so fast that she had Parkinson by the throat and shoved against the wall before the Slytherin had time to react.

"Parkinson you really _do not_ want to piss me off today!" Taylor snarled as she pushed her wand into the side of the Slytherin's neck hard enough to leave a mark.

"Taylor…" Harry's voice had a clear warning in it.

"You'd best go crawl in a hole, Parkinson. But if I _ever_ hear a single whisper that you had _anything_ to do with what happened to the Head Boy… Then I will come looking for you…" Taylor's voice was low and dangerous, as fear clouded the Slytherin's eyes. "and _no one_ will stop me until I find _you_!" Shoving the Slytherin witch harder into the wall, Taylor stepped back. Fury had her trembling, wishing that the Slytherin would be stupid enough to try something.

With one last fearful glance at the furious Gryffindor, Parkinson took off, racing down the hall. Taylor watched her go, fighting the urge to hex the Slytherin in the back.

Harry waited for a few more seconds after the Slytherin was lost in the crowd, heading for the Great Hall, before he put his hand on his sister's arm. He was surprised to feel the tremors in her arms. "Come on, let's go get something to eat. She won't be bothering you anytime soon."

Taylor glared up at her brother before stalking off.

Ron let out a very low whistle, "She's _down right scary_ when she's that pissed mate!" he looked over at Harry who only nodded.

"I'd be careful if I was you Ron, I don't think it'd take too much to set her off right about now." Hermione warned. The last thing they needed now was for Ron to start teasing Taylor.

"Warning duly noted witch," Ron said with a grin as he threw his arm over her shoulders and they set off down the nearly empty corridor after Taylor.

Taylor had only gone down one floor when she heard her name being called and, though she'd rather ignore it, she recognized the voice.

"Hi Taylor, I just thought maybe we should talk," Lupin said as he stopped in front of her. Then he slowly took in her expression before adding, "Something happen?"

"Nothing I can't handle!" Taylor ground out, glaring up at her parents' best friend.

Lupin sighed before saying, "Come with me please. I _know_ we need to talk." He pointed down the corridor and Taylor started walking. She saw her brother and his eyebrows rose when he saw she was going with Lupin, but he let her go without comment, waving to the two of them.

Lupin led her to a room he and Moody were using as an office of such, and pointed to a chair as he pointed his wand at a teapot and then proceeded to make tea and waving his wand over a empty plate on the desk it filled with sandwiches. After he poured the tea he sat down in the other chair and studied her for a long moment before he finally spoke.

"I hear you've been sneaking into the Hospital to see Greg."

The sentence caught her off guard and it took a few seconds for her to respond. "Oh, well… uhm, how?"

Lupin smiled gently, "Moody told me. He can see through invisibility cloaks you know."

Taylor could feel her face heating up and dropped her gaze to the floor.

"He let it go because he knew you were only trying to be a good friend to the boy. I hear he has refused to see anyone, including you." It was said gently but Taylor still flinched. "He will need time, Taylor."

Taylor nodded.

Lupin sighed again and Taylor looked up at him. She could see how tired he looked and the gray in his hair seemed even more prominent against the bare gray walls. "He has a very difficult time ahead of him. It will not be easy at all."

"I know. But there is the Wolfsbane Potion now and…" her voice trailed off.

"It's not a cure, Taylor! He will always be extremely dangerous. You know this first hand." Lupin's voice was hard and clipped.

Taylor stood and began to pace. "I know that, but I don't care. I'm not going to leave him just because of his _furry little problem_!" Taylor knew that was what her father had always referred to Lupin's lycanthropy as.

"We are not talking about school friends here Taylor and you know it." His voice softened a little as he asked, "Do you love him?"

Taylor paused in her pacing and looked the werewolf straight in the eye. "Yes. I love him."

Lupin sighed and ran his hand up through his graying hair. "I'm not sure that is a good thing." He held up his hand to stop her from interrupting as he continued. "I know what he is going through, what he will go through for the rest of his life, and it is not an easy thing to deal with. Sure the Wolfsbane Potion helps. It keeps me from becoming a dangerous monster, but I still become a werewolf once a month. He is going to find it very difficult to find work. People are always going to look at him differently. It is not easy. Your brother and you are different Taylor. You are like your dad and mum. They could see the good in people like me, but you are the exceptions in our world, not the norm."

Taylor resumed her pacing as she thought about what he said and then a question that had been lurking in the back of her mind since that night of the attack voiced itself. "Who was the werewolf that attacked us?"

Lupin's expression became pained. "It was a student." Taylor gasped as her eyes became wide. "A Ravenclaw fourth year. Minerva and Kingsley allowed him to go home after Moody found him the next morning. They made up a story of course to cover his disappearance. We figure it had to be his first transformation, but they couldn't find out exactly how he became infected."

Taylor shook her head sadly. So there was another who would have to suffer for the rest of their lives as well. A shiver ran down her spine as she thought how close she had come to using the Dark Magic spell to kill the werewolf. She rubbed a hand tiredly up over her face. The werewolf had been a student, for crying out loud.

After a few more minutes Lupin asked her to sit and have some tea and sandwiches. They talked some more about the Ravenclaw and his sudden infection, speculating on what it meant. She told him about using the Dark Magic spell on the werewolf, but she was too ashamed to tell him about almost using the one that would have killed a student. When the last sandwich was gone Taylor asked something that she'd been meaning to ask the werewolf since Sunday.

"Moony, are you going to talk to Greg about, well you know, all of this?"

Lupin smiled a little as James' daughter called him by his old nickname before he became serious and answered. "Minerva, as well as Greg's father, have both approached me about speaking to him. I have agreed to do so. However I thought I should wait for a few days and allow him to come to terms with it first."

Taylor nodded. "Thank you Moony. He might not appreciate it but I sure do. Is there anything I can do to make this any easier on him? I asked Professor Slughorn once about showing me how to make the Wolfsbane Potion, before this happened I mean. I thought when I got out of school, you know maybe I could make it for you, if you wished. He said he would." Taylor added helpfully.

Lupin looked sadly at his best friends' daughter. It would have been so like Lily to make such an offer if the Wolfsbane Potion had been around back then. "I'm sorry Taylor, but he is going to have to suffer through the first transformation without it. It's not a widely known fact that it can't be given before the first one. I will talk to him and prepare him the best I can… though nothing I can say will truly prepare him. I'm sorry to say."

Taylor could see the deep sorrow in his eyes and impulsively went and gave him a hug. "Thanks Moony." A thought occurred to her. "What about if… well if you…"

Remus shook his head knowing what she was going to ask. "I can't go stay with him Taylor, I'm sorry. Werewolves aren't like regular wolves. They do not do… well with others of their kind. Male werewolves have been known to fight to the death. It's probably why the numbers don't escalate out of control." His eyes narrowed on the underage witch and he said in a menacing tone, "Don't you go getting any ideas about joining him either! What your father and Sirius did for me… well back then it was incredibly dangerous! Promise me you won't go and try to do something like that!"

Taylor grinned, but she said seriously, "Don't worry Moony. I'm not my father. And transfiguration is not my best subject! Just ask Professor McGonagall, she'll tell you. Besides alone I'd never be able to change into anything big enough to control the Hufflepuff. If you haven't noticed he is a lot bigger then me. As much as it's going to hurt, I'll stay away from him during the full moon."

Lupin could see that she had already given it some thought, though he couldn't blame her for that. "It will get easier after the first one. It will still be hard on him, but with the Wolfsbane it will make it a little easier."

The bell to end lunch rang and Taylor hugged her parent's best friend again, thanking him for talking to her about all this before heading out to her next class.

Later that afternoon after her last class, she gave Hermione her book bag to take to her room as she headed for the Hospital Wing, promising to meet the others in the Great Hall for supper shortly. She had kept the Hufflepuff's homework and the books the teachers had given her for him.

She wasn't sure what was going to happen when she went in to see him but she didn't care. Her mind was made up. The door to the Hospital was slightly ajar when she got there so she slipped in through it and walked towards the screened off bed. She was almost to it when Pomfrey came around it heading to her office. The nurse merely nodded and kept on her way.

Taking a deep breath she stepped around the screen. The Hufflepuff was sitting up looking off through the window towards the quidditch pitch and didn't see her right away. Pomfrey must have just changed his bandages, as his pajama shirt was lying on his bed. Standing quietly, she studied him for a moment, noting that the bandages were a lot smaller now, not covering much more than his ribcage and the one on his arm was reduced to just his forearm.

A vision flashed before her eyes of when the werewolf had a hold of that arm, it's long teeth sinking into it, only inches from her face. She took a shuddering breath and shook her head trying to get rid of the image.

"What are you doing here? I thought I told you to go away!" The deep voice was cold and angry.

Putting a smile on her face she focused on him. "Really? Nope, sorry, never heard you. Must have had an infestation of Nargles. I really should tell Pomfrey so she can see about getting rid of them." The Hufflepuff continued to glare at her. "Anyway I brought you some school work. I thought that where you are refusing to see anyone, you'd like to have something to fill your day with besides sitting there brooding."

"Why don't you go to hell!" Greg snarled as his hands curled into fists. "What would I care about school work for?"

"Well to quote most of the teachers, NEWTS are nearly here, and you don't want to do poorly on them!" Taylor's voice was forced light.

"What the hell do I care about NEWTS for? In case you've forgotten I AM A MONSTER!" The Hufflepuff bellowed.

Taylor's wand came out and she put up a silencing spell before he had finished his sentence.

"No! You are a _werewolf_ and there is one _hell_ of a big difference!" Taylor snapped back glaring at the Hufflepuff.

"Go to Hell!"

"You might not be a monster but you sure as hell are acting like a big git!" Taylor said with derisive snort. "Anyway like I said. Here's some schoolwork. I'll bring you some more tomorrow. See you then." Taylor had to force the smile to her face as she put the schoolwork on the end of his bed.

The Hufflepuff continued to glare at her, his voice was as sharp as a whip and cut just as deep. "I told you to go away. Don't bother coming back!"

It was all she could do to keep the smile on her face. "What's that? Couldn't hear a thing, must be the Nargles again," She turned to leave and a book nearly hit her as it went flying past. Her wand was in her hand and stopped the book before it hit the floor. She floated it back to the bed and put it back where she had laid it down. "I must mention to Pomfrey, I think she might have some pink-winged broom-hoppers too! See you tomorrow!"

With a wave of her wand she undid the silencing charm and walked out, tears flooding down her face. Once outside the hospital she started to run and she raced all the way up to the seventh floor to the Room of Requirements. The anger and the pain she was feeling made her spells incredibly powerful. By the time she finally slid down one of the walls crying, the room looked like someone had set an explosion off in it.

When she had finally returned to the common room a couple hours later, her brother's voice died in his throat at the sight of her face and he pulled her into a hug instead and sat on the sofa just holding her.

That night Taylor returned to the Hospital Wing under the invisibility cloak. So when the Hufflepuff started to twist and turn in his bed, moaning her name, she was there for him, whispering in his ear and holding his hand.

* * *

><p>AN Well Greg is really being a git eh? I am sorry if his emotions/actions seem a little over the top but life as he knew it has ended and wallowing in ones own self-pity doesn't tend to bring out the best in most people. On another note Taylor had a nice long chat with Lupin. I know I kind of made up the whole the Woldsbane Potion doesn't work on the first transformation thing but it doesn't state in any of the books that it does or doesn't so I took a little writters liscence. And sorry to disappoint anyone hoping Taylor was going to become an animagus... that just isn't going to happen. Well anyway hopefully you enjoyed this chapter and I promise Greg will not be a git forever!

THANK YOU to all of you who have reviewed my story! WOW 100! As well thank you to those who have Alerted and Favorited this story! And to you who have read this far! I take it as a compliment that you have read this far! I would be very remiss if I didn't thank my wonderful beta barbc who has been with me from the very start and is the only other person to has read this whole story other then me! Well until next time, (a hint reviews always make me post chapters more quickly! :D) cytpotter.


	66. Brutally Honest

No I do not own Harry Potter but I do own the charactors that you don't recognize as well as the plot!

And because I recieved so many reviews yesterday I am posting another chapter today! Hope you enjoy!

* * *

><p>Chapter Sixty-six<p>

**Brutally Honest**

By the time the bell rang to end her last class Friday afternoon, Taylor was both physically and mentally exhausted. Putting her stuff in her bag she slung it over her shoulder and walked out of Charms with the others. Professor Flitwick had already given her Greg's homework.

Dread filled her. She dreaded walking to the Hospital Wing. She dreaded seeing the anger in Greg's eyes and the cutting remarks he threw at her trying to make her stay away.

Harry and Hermione had both offered to come with her but she had refused. She didn't think she could stand it if the Hufflepuff tried to hurt her friends like he did her. She never told anyone what he said to her. She just put up a silencing charm as she walked around the screen, every time. She was afraid Pomfrey might not let her back in if she heard what the Hufflepuff yelled at her.

She always returned each night and Greg always moaned her name. She had tried just watching him for a while but he just became more and more agitated. Besides she couldn't stay away and not take the opportunity to touch him and hold his hand.

Her legs felt like they were made of wood as she slowly approached the dreaded Hospital door. Saying a silent prayer she opened the door and went in. Forcing a smile on her face, she put up a silencing charm as she stepped around the screen.

The Hufflepuff was lying in the bed this time, but she could see, as his pajama shirtsleeve pulled up a little, that his arm was finally bandage-free, though the scars on it were still red and angry looking. She didn't realize she had been staring until-

"What the Hell do you want? Do you like this?" He yanked up his pajama sleeve to show her the full extent of the wicked looking scars. "Is that why you keep coming back? To fulfill some sadistic thrill?"

Her heart broke once more at his scathing voice. It took her a second to get a grip on the hurt and force her voice past the huge lump in her throat. "No, not really. I am glad to see that they are healing though. I just brought you some more school work."

"Why don't you just take that load of shit and shove it!"

Slowly Taylor closed her eyes and biting the inside of her lip hard enough to taste blood, she opened her eyes and continued. "Professor McGonagall announced today that the next quidditch match is going to be postponed for a week."

"What the HELL? Do you think I _care_ about _quidditch_? Go the hell away!"

Forging on with the things she thought he should know, her voice trembled dangerously. It was becoming harder and harder to ignore his remarks. "I was out and got your work from Professor Hagrid. He said…" Taylor caught her lip again because she knew this would start him ranting again. "…he said to say 'hi' and that he was looking forward to seeing you back in his class soon."

"You've got to be joking me! You have the nerve to stand there and think I'm going back to classes? Like this! God Porter! I always knew you were a little loopy but you just haven't got a clue!"

"Your Ancient Runes teacher told me what book you'd need from the library to do his assignment. I'll get it for you tomorrow." Taylor finished and wished her voice didn't quiver so as she put his homework on the end of his bed. She never went any closer than the end of his bed, not that she was afraid of him, but she wanted to give him some room and not feel like she was trying to get in his personal space.

"Don't bother! Just go! Go and don't come back! God witch, you are dunce!"

With an effort she gathered her courage. "Goodnight Greg. I'll see you tomorrow." Turning, she left waving her wand to release the silencing charm. Her chest actually hurt to breathe. Her hands shook so hard that it took two tries to reach the handle on the door as the tears, that she had managed to keep at bay while she stood in front of him, poured down her face.

"Taylor? What's wrong?"

She couldn't handle anymore right now, not him, not his accusations. "Just… look either hex me or leave me alone Justin. I can't do this right now."

Finch Fletchly stared at the Gryffindor as she held her hands up in surrender and then walked slowly down the corridor away from him. The raw look of pain on the witch's face made him speechless. It was a few minutes before he gave his head a shake and headed for the Hospital doors, but like always, the nurse met him there and turned him away saying that Greg wasn't up to having visitors.

Taylor made it to an empty classroom, just around the next corner and went in. Curling up in a tight ball on the floor she finally allowed her heart to pour out as she cried.

A shadow on the wall out in the corridor moved as a wizard stepped out from behind a statue, his face hard and cold as he turned and strode purposefully down the corridor that the underage witch had just walked up a few minutes ago. When he reached the Hospital he pushed the doors open and walked in, as the nurse came out of her office to see who had come in.

"Poppy, I need a word with Mr. Hunter." The voice had a dangerous, hard edge to it.

The nurse's eyes went wide as she looked up into the wizard's face. She had never seen him so angry. "All right, Remus."

The older werewolf just gave a jerky nod as he headed for the screen and the boy in the bed behind it. His wand was in his hand as he rounded the screen and it flashed angrily through the air as he put up a silencing charm.

"What…" The words died in the Hufflepuff's throat when cold pale eyes met his and pinned him with a furious look.

"I've been asked to talk to you, boy. And I think it is a talk long past due!"

Greg swallowed reflexively as he dropped his eyes away from the cold pale ones that seemed to be boring into his.

"What is the matter, Hunter? None of your snide remarks for me?"

Greg's head snapped up and he sent the older wizard an angry look.

"Do you think I don't know what you have been doing all week? Do you think I don't see your friends waiting out in the hall wanting to see you? Did you think I wouldn't hear about your little temper tantrum with your father?" Lupin's voice dropped low and deadly as he asked, "Did you think I wouldn't notice Miss Porter leaving this hospital every night so upset that she is crying?"

"I don't ask her to come back!" The Hufflepuff snapped venomously.

Lupin laughed but it made the hairs on the back of Greg's neck stand on end.

"You are a fool!"

"I'm a fucking werewolf! She's better off without me!"

"Look pup, you have a _hell_ of a lot to learn. About being a werewolf and about the scarce commodity called friendship!"

"Friendship! Like hell! She can't even stand to get closer to me then the end of my bed!" The Hufflepuff yelled.

Lupin laughed again, the same mirthless laugh, as he shook his head. "Boy you haven't got a clue about that girl! She's not the one who is pushing people away. Treating the only one who dares to come around like dirt."

"What do you want?"

"I came to tell you about being a werewolf. So here it is," the older werewolf's voice was cold and brutally honest. "Once a month you are going to turn into a man-eating beast. You will kill or try to kill anyone who you happen across. They could be your worst enemy, some poor muggle out for a walk, or your dearest loved one. You will not care because when the beast takes over _you_ have _no_ control. Two or three days before the full moon you will start hearing and smelling things that are impossible for other humans. The night of the full moon you will transform, an extremely painful transformation that can be likened to being Crucioed. The next morning you will wake up naked, exhausted and with numerous wounds and cuts all over your body, which you will have no recollection of how you received them. That about covers it I believe, oh I forgot the hardest part. Where people look at you suspiciously, as if you are going to attack them at any moment. No one will hire you, most won't even speak to you. You will be shunned by all in our world… for the rest of your life."

Greg stared open mouthed at the wizard standing at the end of his bed, the cold hard words sinking into his memory.

Several minutes ticked by in silence, then in a softer, gentler voice the older werewolf started to speak again. "That is the way it was. Before a very kind, wise wizard gave a young werewolf a chance, a chance at a normal life. To go to school, to learn and to do the unthinkable… to make friends. Something so precious, that it changed that young boy's life. Not only did he make friends, but those friends instead of turning away when they found out the truth, they became if at all possible, closer."

"These are dangerous times that we live in, even more dangerous for werewolves, because of the suspicion that we live under at the best of times. I have been more fortunate then most. I have made friends, good friends that can look beyond what I become once a month to see me as me, a man. I can't tell you how lucky you are. You have friends in those five Gryffindors that will never look on you suspiciously, never judge you because of what you become once a month. And then there is Taylor. She isn't scared of you because of _what you are._ She saved your life and she has refused to leave you when you have tried pushing her away by hurting her each day. I have been alone for many years, but I have a witch now who can see me for me. A treasure more precious than all the others and more rare than any of the others."

Silence again.

"She shouldn't have saved me. She should have let me die." Greg said heavily shaking his head.

"She couldn't. It's not in her to do that. You know she used Dark Magic to keep that werewolf off you?" The Hufflepuff's head came up and he looked the older wizard in the eye once again. "It was no accident that werewolf was on the grounds that night."

"What do you mean?" The Hufflepuff asked suddenly fearful.

"We figure that it was here to lure Taylor out. We aren't exactly sure what the plan was to get her out of the castle, but it ended up it wasn't needed. You two unwittingly played right into the master plan, and that was to discover who at Hogwarts could use Dark Magic."

Greg closed his eyes, as he said quietly, "So this whole thing goes back to Voldemort?"

"Yes, and now he knows."

"Does she know?" Greg's voice was barely a whisper and he cleared his throat and said a little louder. "Does Taylor know?"

"No, not yet. She's been dealing with enough this week, don't you think?"

Greg dropped his head into his hands. He was such an ass! He'd only been thinking of how his world had suddenly ended, he couldn't see anything past his own pain and fear.

"She will blame herself. She warned me you know… at first when I wanted to start seeing her. She told me that it was too dangerous, but I didn't listen. Merlin I have been such an ass! Oh God! The things I have…" Greg shook his head as his shoulders slumped.

"I don't doubt she will blame herself. She does already."

"She probably won't come back tomorrow, if you knew the horrible… I was just so scared and angry and…" Shaking his head slowly he dropped it into his hands again.

"She will be back. She's been coming twice a day all week."

"Twice? When…?"

"I think you know if you think about it. That spare pillow under your bed should give you a clue." Lupin pointed to a pale blue pillow that was under the Hufflepuff's bed.

Greg stared up at him, as his heart constricted in his chest. He had thought he'd been only dreaming all week that he heard Taylor's voice in his dreams and her hand in his. In the mornings when he woke up he could have almost sworn he could smell her light raspberry smell lingering in the air.

"She's been staying here all night? But how…?"

"She's been using Harry's cloak. I assume you are familiar with that?"

Greg nodded numbly. His witch hadn't been scared of him, he realized now. She had tried to give him time to come to terms with what happened. Checking in with him every day, but he had just been horrible to her, cruel, though every night, when he needed her, she had come. Not to hear a thank you and a smile the next morning, only to comfort him and sneak away before he could hurt her again.

"If you have any more questions I will gladly answer them if I can. Just tell Poppy that you wish to speak with me." Lupin said quietly before turning to go.

"How do I…? How can I…?" Greg didn't know how to ask what he needed to do to take away all the hurt he had made his witch feel.

"I'd start by apologizing. Good night Greg."

Long after the older wizard left the Hufflepuff sat and thought, really thought about what had happened to him. He had thought it was the end of the world, and he hadn't been able to see past his own anger and fear to listen to what anyone said to him. He had just wanted to make everyone hurt as much as he did. His father, and uncle, Pomfrey and even the Head Mistress had tried to tell him that things would get better, that he would adjust, that he could lead a relatively normal life with only a few changes, but he hadn't listened.

Then there was Taylor, he groaned out loud. He remembered her face from earlier, and how her voice had trembled. In his irrational anger he had thought it was because she feared him. What an idiot he was! His witch… the thought stopped there. His Witch. Merlin, he had been a fool.

Memories flooded his mind, of how he had treated her that week, of the little he remembered of the attack and his witch's refusal to leave him. Her voice that night asking him if he could get up, telling him he had to, had been _so_ fearless. She hadn't feared a werewolf on the full moon but her eyes had been filled with dread and pain as she faced him across his bed.

"Oh god, Taylor what have I done?" the Hufflepuff whispered into the empty hospital ward as he covered his face with his hands.

Later that night as the Hufflepuff lay silently in his bed he saw the shifting of the shadows as the door opened and then closed again, though even with his listening ears he couldn't hear anything. Closing his eyes he forced his face to relax as he slowed his breathing. He couldn't explain it but he needed to know… to know that his witch was coming to him at night, not the vague knowledge of his half asleep mind.

It felt like a long time passed before he heard anything and that was Pomfrey coming out to check on him again before she went to bed. He listened as the nurse moved around him, waved her wand over him and then headed back to her office, locking the hospital doors on her way. Then there was silence once again. He was finding it difficult to lie so still and pretend to be asleep, and in a moment of restlessness that he didn't catch in time his body moved on the bed.

He felt her presence more than heard it at first. Then ever so softly he felt her hand brush the hair off his brow. And before he could stop it, he sighed.

"I'm here Hufflepuff, shh, I'm here."

His witch's voice was soft and gentle as her hand found his and held it tight.

It was about the hardest thing he ever did, to lie there and pretend to be asleep. He was surprised she didn't notice his pounding heart. After a long while he chanced cracking his eyes open just a fraction and then they opened fully, as a tender smile covered his face. His witch had her head laid on the edge of his bed. It and only one shoulder were showing, the rest of her body was eerily missing hidden beneath the invisibility cloak. Her eyes were closed, and her glasses were pushed awkwardly askew, but he could tell she was sound asleep. He ached to reach out and touch her. In the end he didn't, he didn't want to possibly wake her up and have her go away.

He did however lay there for a long, long while just looking at her face. He could see the fatigue in her face even as she slept, and the dark circles under her eyes. The dim lighting made her face look pale. With a heavy sigh he could see that she had cut her hair again, it had been getting fairly long and she had started using a barrette or two to keep it out of her eyes. He remembered the last time she had cut it before Christmas break and wondered if she did it out of anger. He thought she had such beautiful hair, a deep mahogany that had gold highlights in the bright sunshine.

The school clock chimed two before he finally closed his eyes and at peace for the first time in a week he fell asleep.

Taylor's eyes flew open and she could see the first bright glow of the sun as it rose above the trees in the Forbidden forest. Sitting back from her awkward position against the Hufflepuff's bed, she saw that he was curled on his side facing her and that his head was laying only a few inches from where hers had been. The first tender feelings that he had been nearly cuddling with her fled, as fear and dread chased them away as the thought of what would have happened if he had awoken first and found her here like this raced through her mind. Quickly pulling the invisibility cloak over her she gently pulled her hand out from under his and stood kicking the pillow she had been kneeling on under his bed to use tonight. Quickly she backed away from the bed as he began to stir. She retreated to stand by the screen and wait for the Hufflepuff to wake up and for Pomfrey to unlock the door so she could leave.

She watched silently not daring to hardly breath as the Hufflepuff suddenly sat up and looked carefully all around, his eyes passing over where she was standing several times. Slowly he lay back down as Pomfrey came out of her office to unlock the door and check on her patient. Taylor took that opportunity to leave and quietly let herself out of the Hospital, unaware that a pair of blue eyes caught the slight shift in shadows and knew that she had left.

Taylor sat in the Great Hall eating her lunch with her brother and the others. The Gryffindor quidditch team had practiced that Saturday morning and were now sitting together at the long table eating, Hermione and Taylor were sitting next to them. The team was talking about quidditch of course but Taylor wasn't listening.

She had gone to the library from the hospital that morning to get the book Greg needed for Ancient Runes and then she had returned to the common room to see her brother and the rest of the team heading out to practice. She had been tired but she knew she couldn't sleep, so she had gotten her schoolwork and set about trying to get some of the backlog caught up. Her mind all week hadn't been on schoolwork and her grades were suffering because of it.

Absently Taylor played with the spoon in her soup. She was trying to find her courage to take the book up to the Hospital Wing. A thousand excuses popped into her head. She had more homework to do. She should spend some time with her brother and friends. The Hufflepuff might be resting. Finch Fletchly might be waiting outside the hospital doors again. Her shoelace was broken and she should fix it. All sounded hollow in her own mind and reeked of cowardice. A voice spoke quietly in her ear.

"Hey what's wrong? Are you okay?"

Taylor looked up from where she had been staring at her soup and saw her brother's worried green eyes not far from hers. She swallowed and tried to shake herself out of her own thoughts as she answered tiredly, "Yeah, I'm fine, just a little tired I guess."

Her brother's green eyes searched hers and she could tell he didn't believe her but he said, "Why don't you come down to the pitch after lunch and we can go flying again. I happen to know no one has booked it. Come on it'll be fun"

Taylor shook her head, as she fought the wave of memories that assailed her. "No, not today. I've got to take a book up to Greg."

Harry sat back a little more from where he had been leaning right down next to her and his eyes searched her face slowly. When he spoke his voice was carefully controlled, "I think the Hufflepuff can make out for the afternoon without you. What is going on any way? I've never seen you so… upset. You haven't been yourself all week. You can't keep going night after night without any sleep. He must realize you're walking around about like a zombie."

"I'll be fine really." She gave her brother a weak smile. "I just don't feel like flying today. Besides he needs me at night, I can't, not go."

Her brother could see the uncertainty in her eyes change to determination and knew there was no use arguing. "All right. Tonight then, we can play a game of exploding snap or something okay?"

Taylor could see her brother wasn't pleased but he was giving her some time. Tonight though she knew he was going to want some answers. She needed to go to see the Hufflepuff now, so that she'd have time to… compose herself before she faced her brother again.

"Sure Harry, that sounds like fun."

By the tightening around his eyes and the slight thinning of his lips, she knew she hadn't quite made her reply sound convincing.

* * *

><p>AN So Lupin had a "talk" with Greg... I could see Lupin being angry about the way the Hufflepuff was acting. Sure he could understand _what_ Greg was going through but he could also see that the way he was handling it wasn't doing anyone any good. Of course I think I'd be a little intimidated too if an angry werewolf came and snapped at me like that! (that would go for how Lupin talked to Greg and how Greg was acting as well) So what do you think? Was that enough of a kick in the butt to make someone see reason? Hopefully it is believable.

Poor Taylor though... I think the reason she has taken what is happening with Greg so hard is that(and it isn't really stated in the story) she blames herself for Greg being bitten... because he was with her. That is an awful burden to have to carry. So now Harry is going to want to know what is going on... good thing Taylor doesn't break down easily or she might do more then just cut her hair off! I could see her doing that, like she did before Christmas as a way to punish herself. I don't think Taylor has very high self esteem, sure she is confident in her magic but socially she struggles. Well hope you liked it or at least didn't hate it!

THANK YOU to all of you who took the time to review the last chapter! WOW! 5 reviews for one chapter! Made me grin from ear to ear! :D Thank you as well to those who Alerted or Favorited this story! And to those who read this far... THANK YOU! Thank you to my wonderful beta, barbc... as one of you commented that there were errors in my A/N well I will have to accept all those because I write them just before I post a chapter, but in the story, barbc and I try VERY hard to make sure there are no spelling and as few as possible grammer errors. If you see any please let me know! Thanks! Well until next time, cytpotter.


	67. A Hufflepuff's Need

Nah, I still don't own Harry. I'm just playing in his sandbox.

* * *

><p>Chapter Sixty-seven<p>

**A Hufflepuff's Need**

Taylor walked into the Hospital Wing after lunch dreading the coming confrontation. Her slow steps faltered half way across the ward and she called herself every form of coward. With her heart already pounding uncomfortably, she took a deep shuddering breath and forced her legs to carry her the rest of the way to the screen. Her wand flicked putting up a silencing spell as she stepped around the material that hid the Hufflepuff from view.

She caught her lip in her teeth and braced herself when she saw him sitting up in bed looking directly at her. The seconds dragged slowly by as her heart pounded loudly in her ears but all he did was stare at her. Knowing it was likely to set him off, though not sure what else to do, she said quietly.

"I brought you the book for Ancient Runes."

The Hufflepuff was trying hard to figure out the best way to try to apologize to his witch. He had heard her slow footsteps as she crossed the ward and had seen her wand flash as she put up a silencing charm. Now she stood waiting apprehensively, her voice had even been slightly hesitant. He could have kicked himself and he called himself every form of a fool.

"Taylor…" even though his voice was soft he saw her flinch and he had to close his eyes for a second to try to find the right words to say to her. When he opened them he could see that hers were suddenly wary and her hand was curled into a fist as if she were waiting for something terrible. He felt his heart break, especially knowing that this was all his doing.

After a long moment he spoke again keeping his voice soft. "Taylor, would you come here please."

He could see she was even more wary now, as her eyes became guarded, much like when he had first tried to get to know her and he wondered painfully if what he had done to her was irrevocable.

"I promise I am not going to yell," he added gently.

Slowly she stepped towards him until she stood in the space between the beds, though she didn't move much past the foot of his bed.

He sighed as he closed his eyes again briefly before opening them. "Would you please have a seat," he pointed to the bed beside him knowing she wasn't likely to sit with him on his bed, not that he could blame her. "There is something I need to say to you."

He saw her eyes widen fearfully briefly, before her face became extremely wary and her eyes became heavily guarded again. She did move forward a step though and then sat on the edge of the bed, her whole body tense.

Taking a deep breath he started. "I need to apologize to you. I have been incredibly cruel to you this past week. I really can't blame you if you don't forgive me. I've been a true monster. Wanting to hurt you, because I wasn't man enough to accept what happened to me… I know it isn't an excuse… What I did was inexcusable."

Greg looked down at the floor and waited for the witch to decide what to do. He wondered if she would hex him, he deserved that and more. The silence stretched on for an uncomfortably long time.

"I'm sorry too…"

Greg's head came up and he looked fearfully over at the witch, her voice was low but void of emotion, as were her eyes, though her face still looked wary.

"I should have accepted your wishes and… stayed away."

Shifting in his bed he saw the witch flinch again, so he slowed his movements and getting out of bed carefully, as if afraid she would suddenly run away, he knelt on the floor in front of her.

"Oh Taylor, you have nothing to be sorry for. You tried to be a friend and all I did was hurt you. I didn't want to accept what happened. All I could think about was _me_ and _my_ pain and how sorry I felt for _myself_."

The witch's voice was guarded, "It must have been… terrifying. I can only imagine how difficult it was."

Greg sighed, he wanted to reach out and touch the witch in front of him but the wariness on her face stopped him. He didn't think she would accept his touch at the moment. He had the distinct feeling she was waiting for him to try and hurt her again. Pain sliced through his heart once again.

"I'm not going to say it was easy but the way I handled it made it even worse. I pushed everyone, who only wanted to give me support, away. I was terrible to my father and uncle. The things I said to them…" he looked away ashamed, "well I'll be lucky if they ever want to speak to me again."

"Your father loves you Greg. He understands that this is a very difficult thing to try to deal with." The witch's voice was gentle, if still guarded.

"I hope you are right. Though I have my doubts about Uncle Mike."

"Your uncle loves you too. Just be honest with him, I'm sure he will understand."

Greg looked up at the witch in front of him. He had been unbelievably cruel yet here she was trying to comfort him, even as she looked at him still warily. With a hesitant hand he reached out and took her hand in his. She didn't try to pull it away, though the guarded look didn't go away.

He looked down at the hand in his, it was soft and warm. Gently he stroked his thumb across the back of it. When he continued his voice was suddenly thick and pained. "I don't know how I can ever make you see how truly sorry I am for the way I have acted and treated you this week. I was such an idiot. The only thing I can say is that I went crazy with fear and self-pity. Last night I got the kick in the ass that I should have gotten six days ago. It made me realize what I am truly afraid of…" Greg looked up into his witch's guarded eyes and he swallowed the fear that had consumed him all week, as he whispered, "I am terrified of becoming a… werewolf… but I don't think I can do it on my own. I need you Taylor. I need you so much it hurts to breathe."

Taylor's arms wrapped around the Hufflepuff's head and shoulders and she pulled him against her as his tears soaked her shirt.

"Shh, I'm here. I'm here for as long as you want me to be."

Greg slid his arms around her and held her tight, as he gave into the fear that had ruled him all week. Here, in his witch's arms, he knew he was safe to finally grieve the loss of his life the way it had been before.

"I'm not going anywhere Greg." The witch whispered into his dark hair as she rested her cheek against the top of his head.

It was a long time before either seemed willing to move. Finally the Hufflepuff was the first to break the silence.

"I'm _so_ sorry Taylor."

"Shh, it's okay."

Greg pulled back a little and looked up into his witch's hazel eyes, "It's not okay. It's so far from being okay… Somehow I will make it up to you, I promise."

"You have already made a good start." Taylor whispered softly as she cupped his face in her hand.

"You are far too forgiving Gryffindor," Greg said softly.

Taylor smiled sadly as she looked into his eyes. "No, I've just found it hurts far too much to be away from you."

Greg shook his head slightly as he laid it against her again. "I have nothing to offer you. I will be an outcast, unlikely to ever find a job. Once a month I am going to become a horrible monster, one that I will have no control over. I could hurt you, or even kill you. I can't give you the life you deserve." His voice was raw and full of anguish.

Taylor took a hold of his face in both her hands and pushed him back enough so that she could look into his eyes again, ignoring the wetness on his cheeks. "Do you think I care about what anyone else thinks of you? I have fallen in love with _you_. As far as you being a werewolf, that is only one night a month. There is no need of you becoming that mindless creature. I am going to learn how to make the Wolfsbane Potion, so you won't have to worry about that. I know that it isn't going to be easy. I'm not trying to say that it will be. What _I am_ saying is that _I_ will be there with you and _together_ we will get through it."

Greg searched her eyes for any doubt or fear and found none at all. His hand trembled slightly as he reached it up to brush his fingers across her cheek, before sliding his hand around behind her neck and gently pulled her face down to his. Hesitantly he brushed his lips against hers. An emotion, a combination of love, desire and something far more primitive rocked him to his soul as his witch responded to his kiss. He inhaled deeply and her scent intoxicated him. His lips moved over hers as he sought to deepen the kiss and when she willingly complied something savage and wild inside of him roared in triumph.

Soon they broke apart each breathing hard.

The Hufflepuff leaned back slightly so he could look into his witch's eyes and he could find no trace of doubt or fear in them now either.

The sound of a door being shut brought the two back into awareness of their surroundings, that being the Hospital Wing in broad daylight.

With a bit of an impish grin the Hufflepuff came to his feet and caught his witch's hand before stepping back and sitting on his bed, pulling her with him. He got under the covers and Taylor sat beside him.

Madame Pomfrey came around the screen a few seconds later. Her eyebrow rose slightly but that was all before she checked him over.

Taylor remembered the silencing charm and removed it as inconspicuously as possible.

When she was done the nurse turned to look at her patient, taking particular note of his more relaxed body language. "Mr. Hunter, I have been asked yet again if you are up to having visitors. There are several Hufflepuff seventh years who I think feel I am holding you here against your will."

Taylor glanced at Greg and saw him tense at the mention of visitors and she gave his hand a reassuring squeeze. He glanced at her before taking a deep breath and nodding slowly.

"Yeah, I… I think it's about time I see my friends."

Pomfrey nodded approvingly as she said. "I will be sure to let them know the next time they stop by." Then she left again and they heard her walking to her office.

The two were quiet for a few minutes before Greg sighed. "I guess I need to face them sooner or later." He glanced over at her before dropping his eyes away.

"If you want I can stay when the others come. You don't need to face them alone you know."

Greg glanced up at her and then down shaking his head a little.

"Hey Hufflepuff, you know you can tell them as much or as little as you feel comfortable with."

Greg's head snapped up and he looked at her sharply. "What do you mean? As much or as little what?"

Taylor smiled gently as she answered. "No one, other then the teachers and well Harry, Ron, Hermione and Ginny of course, know why you have been in the hospital all week. So tell them only what you feel comfortable with. You… well… if you are going to that is," Taylor said as her voice became unsure. There was a lot they hadn't discussed yet, "…finish school, you only have two more months left, so… just tell them what you want."

The Hufflepuff stared at her for a moment before he asked. "No one knows? But how…?"

Taylor met his eyes, "It wasn't my place to tell anyone. I had to tell Pomfrey, McGonagall, Shacklebolt and the auror that was with the Head Mistress, of course, when we got back into the castle. Harry and the others showed up a few minutes after we reached the hospital. I suppose my Patronus must have told them something was up. They will never tell anyone and they will never judge you either. We've known a werewolf since third year, so it's not a big thing for them. Plus Ginny and Ron's oldest brother Bill, was bitten at the end of last year by Fenrir Greyback, he's one of Voldy's Death Eaters. He is a real nasty piece of work. He will bite people at any time of month. Pomfrey figures that because he has bitten and killed so many people over the years that he always remains part werewolf. Anyway Bill, he doesn't have the transformations or anything, but he does have a few mild symptoms."

Greg was staring at her with a rather incredulous expression.

"What?"

"You've known a werewolf since third year?"

Taylor raised her eyebrows as she said slowly, "Well, yeah… That's the year Lupin taught us. Don't you remember? Snape took over his lessons and set us the essay on werewolves when we were only on, like Red Caps and Kappas. Anyway Hermione and I figured it out in first term. It wasn't until third term though that we had a run in with him as an actual werewolf."

"I remember all the hoopla about Black and of course the Slytherins spread the word about Professor Lupin… You were outside on the grounds that night?" The Hufflepuff asked disbelievingly.

Taylor grinned and then she told him most of the story from that night, leaving out only a few of the more private things about her brother.

They talked for a while about that night in third year.

Greg found it was easy to talk to his witch about even the scariest things. She had an incredibly open mind and there was never a hint of censure or distrust when she spoke of Lupin. As there wasn't when she spoke of him. Slowly he began to realize what Lupin had been talking about last night. This was truly a remarkable witch.

The sound of voices at the door made the Hufflepuff shift nervously.

Taylor took his hand and whispered. "Just tell them what you want. If you want to tell them more later, I know they will understand."

Greg tried to smile at her but it faltered and she squeezed his hand. "I'll be right here. They are your friends."

A few seconds later Justin, Ernie, Hannah, Sally-Anne and Connor walked around the screen.

Taylor shifted on Greg's bed so she could see the Hufflepuffs and also, with a little push the blanket covered their clasped hands, giving the Head Boy the option of either accepting her silent support or letting it be known.

"Well I'll be damned! You are alive!" Connor crowed loudly.

"We thought you must have been on your death bed. Pomfrey refused to let us in to see you all week!" Ernie said rather pompously.

"We've been really worried mate. How are you feeling?" Justin asked his eyes flickering to the Gryffindor witch and then back to his friend.

Greg swallowed and felt another reassuring squeeze. His voice was a little shaky as he answered. "Well, I ah… I haven't been myself all week." He found it hard to meet any of their eyes, fearing what he would see.

"What happened anyway Greg? Were you cursed or something?" Sally-Anne asked gently.

Greg felt his whole body go stiff, as some of the anger and fear he had felt all week returned. He didn't want to lash out at his friends and he closed his eyes fighting to get control over his roiling emotions.

"That would be a good way to describe it." Taylor spoke up softly, as her hand tightened on his. "He finds it really hard to talk about… with anyone. He is going to need some time to adjust to things." She glanced at the Head Boy and saw he was starting to relax a little, though the grip he had on her hand hadn't relaxed any yet so she continued cautiously. "When he is ready, I know he will tell you, but right now he needs all his friends to be here for him, to help him, like I've seen him help you when you need him."

The Hufflepuffs stared at the Gryffindor witch for a second before-

"Greg, you can count on us! You know that right?" Sally-Anne said warmly.

"Yeah mate, we are here for you. Whatever you need." Justin said with feeling as he looked at his friend in concern.

"Oh! You know I don't handle this stuff without getting all teary eyed! Can I give you a hug before I start to bawl!" Hannah asked in a stuffy voice as she waited for her friend to agree or not.

Greg looked up at his friends and a lump formed in his throat as he nodded slightly and Hannah threw her arms around him and gave him a big hug. He hugged her back with his left arm. His right hand he still held under the blanket holding on tightly to his witch's hand. After Hannah, Sally-Anne gave him a hug and then Justin stepped forward and clapped him on the shoulder.

"Aww… This is just too much! Isn't that sweet!" Connor said in a high whiney voice as he pretended to puke.

"Very mature Connor! Jesh what are you seven?" Taylor asked as she rolled her eyes.

"As far as I know yeah!" Connor shot back waggling his eyebrows.

The Hufflepuffs stayed for close to an hour just talking and joking good naturedly as if nothing had happened, before they decided to go, promising to be back tomorrow.

When they were gone the Head Boy was silent for a moment before he said softly, "Thank you. For… well for helping me…"

"Hey Hufflepuff, I told you, just what you are comfortable with. And I was only too glad to help. Besides it was nice to hear you laugh again." Taylor said with a smile.

"It felt good to laugh. Lupin was right about that too."

"Lupin was in to talk to you? When?" Taylor asked curiously as she settled her back against his headboard beside him.

"He was my proverbial kick in the ass I needed to stop acting like an idiot. He came to see me last night." Greg told the witch basically what the older werewolf had told him, especially the part about how precious friends were. He left out the part about Voldemort. He didn't want to do anything to upset his witch, not when he was stuck in the Hospital until tomorrow when his father and uncle came to see him again.

Taylor smiled, "Yeah Moony had some good friends." her smile faltered as she continued, "They are all gone now, though I suppose he has Harry, and the rest of us, but it has to be hard on him. He told you about finding someone special?" A huge grin spread across her face again. "I'm going to have to have a little talk with Moony. I think it's time to hear wedding bells with those two!"

They talked until Pomfrey came to check on her patient again and ask him what he wanted for supper from the kitchens.

After the nurse left Taylor stood up reluctantly, "I need to go to. I promised Harry I'd hang with them tonight. If I'm not at supper he's likely to come looking for me. I haven't exactly been myself this week either." Taylor glanced away from the Hufflepuff.

Greg caught her hand, "Hey, I… well I wanted to thank you for this afternoon…"

Taylor looked down at him and saw the uncertainty return to his eyes. "I'll be back."

He knew he had no right to ask her, not with her face already starting to show the first signs of fatigue, and especially after the hell he put her through that week, even knowing all this he couldn't help but ask, "Will you still come again later tonight?"

He watched as his witch became very still and she asked in a small voice, "You know about that?"

"Not until last night, well not for sure. I'd wake up every morning with the faint smell of your hair and a vague memory of you being here. I just thought I was imagining something I could no longer have," He paused to look up at the ceiling trying to get control of his emotions. "Last night Lupin told me, well he hinted at it, and I knew it hadn't been just wishful thinking. I… well last night I saw the door open when you came in… I didn't know if you would stay if I didn't pretend to be asleep. I know I have no right to ask, I…" Fear welled up in him, powerful and irrational. He didn't want to face the night alone.

Taylor wasn't sure if she should be angry or relieved, though when she saw the naked fear in his eyes she couldn't refuse. "I'll be back before Pomfrey locks the door. I promise, okay?" Leaning down she cupped his cheek in her hand and waited until the fear faded from his eyes. She kissed him on his forehead before looking to his eyes again. His blue eyes though were focused a little lower and she felt him touch the necklace that she always wore. He held it in his fingers for a moment before looking up and into her eyes.

"That's a nice necklace."

"My uncle and aunt gave it to me when I was just a little girl. It's one of the few things I have from them." She explained softly, as she saw something flicker in his eyes.

Greg nodded and looked away. "I… well I just always wondered why you never wore the one I gave you."

Taylor cocked her head slightly as she stared at him a little confused and then she smacked herself in the forehead with the palm of her hand, as she groaned. "Oh Merlin! I'm so sorry Greg. I… well I never _unwrapped_ _your gift_," She saw the hurt that sprung into his eyes and hastened to explain. "When I got back to our camp that night, well Hermione was pissed! I was late and well to make a long story short, so were Harry and Ron. Things were… a little tense for a couple of days. Plus, well…" Taylor could feel her face turning red, "I never had a present so nicely wrapped. I put it up, intending to open it sometime when I had a quiet moment, but well… with exploding restaurants, Death Eaters and getting caught, I just… I'm _so_ sorry I forgot all about it."

Greg smiled faintly. Only his witch would find a present wrapped too nicely to open. "That's okay," He saw she was going to start apologizing again and put his finger over her lips. "It's okay, really. I just wondered sometimes why you didn't wear it."

* * *

><p>AN Ah Ha! I know you thought I forgot all about the present Greg gave Taylor back at Christmas time didn't you? :) Well I didn't, but you will have to wait for the next chapter to find out what it is! LOL! I know I am evil! Well what did you think of Greg's apology? Was it good enough? Was it believeable? I know that Greg and Taylor can't go right back to normal... they will need to talk a lot more about what has happened but hopefully this is a good start! Please let me know what you think.

THANK YOU to those who left a review! I LOVE them! As well to those who Alerted and Favorited this story! PLUS a BIG THANK YOU for just reading(I know I say this everytime but as a writter knowing people are reading my story that is very gratifying in itself!) As well thank you to my beta barbc! Well until next time, cytpotter.


	68. Family Discussions

I do not own Harry Potter... but a girl can always dream! ;)

* * *

><p>Chapter Sixty-eight<p>

**Family Discussions**

An hour and a half later Taylor was crawling through the portal with her brother, Ron, Hermione and Ginny as well as a number of other Gryffindors as they returned from supper in the Great Hall. The main topic of talk was, of course, quidditch.

"Do you think the extra week of practice is going to help Harry?" Colin Creevey asked almost breathlessly. "We're going to win the Quidditch cup this year, right Harry?"

"With you as Captain and the best seeker there ever was, it should be a snap!" Dennis Creevey piped up.

"It's all going to come down to the score," Seamus said, "We have a perfect record just like the Hufflepuffs but they have more overall points. They beat Slytherin a lot worse then we did. So we are going to have to make sure we are leading them by about sixty points before Harry can catch the snitch."

"Their seeker isn't as good as Harry, but it will depend on if they need to replace Hunter as beater or not," the Gryffindor beater said, totally unaware that Taylor was behind him. "He's a crack beater and they'll be hurting if they need to replace him. They were just lucky against Ravenclaw when he didn't play."

Ron turned to look at Taylor but she just shrugged and continued over to a chair in front of the fire. The Gryffindor beater's face went red when he saw she had been behind him.

A few minutes later the other four joined her in front of the fire. The talk about quidditch died out between the friends, and then Hermione discreetly put up the Muffliato charm and then leaned forward. "How is Greg doing?"

Taylor sighed, suddenly glad that her friends hadn't asked her before. "It's been a really rough week. Though he is doing _much_ better today."

Hermione reached over and put her hand on Taylor's. "How are you doing?"

Taylor shook her head as she looked down at the floor, "It's been one hell of a week. I'll take losing my wand any day over how this week was. But today was better, a lot better."

"You look exhausted. Maybe you should get some sleep tonight instead of going to the hospital." Ginny said gently her brown eyes filled with concern.

The fearful look in the Hufflepuff's eyes flashed in front of her mind's eye, and she shook her head, "No, I need to go. It's harder at night. It's always so much harder at night…" Taylor stared at the floor not seeing it as her voice trailed off, as vivid images passed through her mind.

Hermione nodded as she gave her friend's hand a squeeze.

The five friends spent a quiet evening just talking mostly. Ron and Hermione had to leave for patrol at nine thirty and after they left Taylor turned to her brother.

"Is all our stuff still up in your trunk?"

Her brother nodded and she got up, "Mind if I go get something?"

When her brother said he didn't, she hurried up the boy's staircase and into her brother's room. Dean, Seamus and Neville were still down in the common room. Going to his trunk she knelt beside it and opened it, pushing his socks and things out of the way to get to the bottom where she saw Hermione's magically enlarged hand bag. Pulling it out of the trunk she opened it and peeked inside. It was crammed full of everything they had taken with them when they went searching at Christmas. Taylor scrunched her face up in thought as she wondered if the wrapped little box would still be in the tent or not. She rummaged around for a few minutes and then in a huff pulled out her wand and tried summoning the present. It didn't work. Taylor put the hand bag on the floor and started rooting through her brother's trunk again when she emerged a few minutes later, still empty handed, she noticed him leaning against a nearby bed post, arms crossed watching her.

"What are you looking for?" he asked with a bemused expression.

Taylor rolled her eyes at him before answering in a huffy voice, "If you _must_ know, I'm looking for a little wrapped present Greg gave me for Christmas." Taylor picked up the handbag and opened it again starting to think she was going to have to empty everything out in order to find it.

"It's not in there."

Taylor's head came up and she looked at her brother curiously. "Well where is it then?"

"It's in the other bag. I put it in the bag with the Dark books for safekeeping. I figured you'd want it some time." He looked at her intently as he spoke.

Taylor felt her cheeks turn red, as she mumbled her thanks before reaching into his trunk and pulling out the magical bag in which they kept the Dark Magic books that they had taken from Briggs Cottage. It was charmed and heavily warded so that only one of the four Gryffindors could open the bag. Peeking inside she saw the little wrapped box and carefully reached in and took it out. The ribbon was a little wrinkled, but other than that it was the same as when she had gotten it. Setting the present on the floor she put the bag and Hermione's handbag back in the trunk, as well as a couple pairs of socks and even a pair of underwear that had fallen out. Then with a wave of her wand she rearranged his stuff so it was all folded and neat before she closed the lid.

Standing she noticed her brother was still watching her.

"Come here and have a seat please." Her brother asked as he waved to his bed.

Thinking that this was twice today she had been asked to sit down on a bed, she wondered what her brother wanted.

He didn't move from his position against the bedpost as he asked, "What's been going on this week sis? And don't tell me nothing."

Taylor sighed and flopped back on his bed staring up at the ceiling. "I feel like I've been put through a wringer this week." She said honestly, turning her head so she could look up at him.

Harry sighed, that much he already guessed. "Did the Hufflepuff give you a hard time?" he asked shrewdly.

Taylor looked back up at the ceiling. "He took what happened to him really hard. In a way I can't blame him. His life is never going to be the same."

"Did he hurt you?" It was asked quietly but there was a hard edge in her brother's voice.

Taylor sighed and closed her eyes. She was still reeling from the pain of this week and hoping against hope that this afternoon wasn't some sort of cruel joke on the Hufflepuff's part. Deep down she knew he had been sincere in his apology, but still a part of her, the part that had been hurt so badly, was unsure and uncertain. She felt the bed shift as her brother sat down beside her. A tear squeezed out of her eye and ran down into her hair, a testament to how much she had hurt all week.

"Hey, come here," Harry said gently, as he pulled her up and hugged his sister.

"I'm sorry. I've just been a mess this week." Taylor whispered. "It has hurt so much to see him like that. Lupin talked to him last night and he was so much better today. He's just scared Harry. He's never been through things like we have. He just really lost it."

"And he took it out on you." Her brother said quietly.

Taylor pushed back from her brother and searched his green eyes. She could see he was a little angry but mostly concerned. "He's not the only one who has lost it before and been irrationally angry at me." She chided him gently.

A corner of his mouth pulled up slightly as he kissed her on top of the head. "Duly noted little sister, duly noted."

Taylor told him about how the Hufflepuff had improved that day and saw his friends, hinting towards him and the others coming to see the Head Boy tomorrow.

The curfew bell rang and Taylor jumped up, grabbed the present off the bed and said a hasty goodbye as she raced down to the common room and out through the portal. She had the invisibility cloak inside her robes and she pulled it out as she raced down the hall and swung it over her body as she hurried down a hidden passage out of sight of anyone. By the time she reached the Hospital Wing doors she was out of breath, and she was worried she might be too late. To her great relief the door opened and she slipped in as quietly as possible.

Trying to catch her breath as she headed across the ward when she heard voices and slowed, creeping the rest of the way. Peering around the screen she saw Pomfrey doing her evening check on her patient before turning to go. "Just let me know if you change your mind Mr. Hunter." Then the nurse left and Taylor heard her locking the hospital doors.

Moving quietly she walked to the end of the Hufflepuff's bed and then she stopped, suddenly uncertain. She could see him turning his head as if he was searching for her but his eyes passed over where she was standing. When the door to Pomfrey's office clicked he called out softly.

"Taylor? Are you there?"

She pulled the cloak off her head and smiled when he jumped a little at the sight of her.

"You know it's a little disconcerting to see your head floating in mid air."

Taylor grinned as she came up beside his bed and whispered. "Sorry I forget about that." She went to kneel on the floor but he grabbed her and pulled her onto his bed to sit.

"I realized today that the floor is rather uncomfortable." His arm was still resting around her waist and he rubbed his hand slowly in a circle on her invisible thigh. "I missed you tonight," His voice had gone husky and her heart responded by starting to race. "Did you have a good time with Potter and the others?"

Taylor couldn't help but grin as she caught the little hitch in his voice when he mentioned her brother. "It was a quiet evening. We just talked. Though I did find this." Taylor said as she pulled the little wrapped box out from under the cloak.

Greg smiled, as he reached put and pulled the invisibility cloak off of her shoulders, his eyes seemed to smolder as he glanced down over her body and back up to her face. "I like seeing you too much, even in a school robe and heavy sweater, to have only your head floating above me." His hand slid up her back to her neck where he pulled gently, bringing her face down to his. He inhaled deeply before his lips feathered across hers. "I want to kiss you witch." He breathed the words, and was rewarded when she kissed him back.

A few minutes later breathing hard, they separated.

"If I didn't know better, I'd say you were trying to distract me so I can't finally open your present," Taylor whispered with an impish grin.

"What can I say? I like to distract you." His voice was husky even as he joked.

She grinned at him and picked up the present from off his bed where it had been forgotten during their kiss. Carefully she began to untie the ribbon and then unwrap the box. Slowly she opened the top and she gasped when she saw the necklace inside. It was a fine intricately woven gold chain with a beautifully carved pendant of a winged horse standing nose to nose with a dragon.

"Oh Greg! It's beautiful." Taylor whispered as she took it out of the box and held it up close so she could see it better in the dim lighting.

"Would you like me to put it on you?" He asked sitting up and when she nodded he took the necklace from her and carefully fastened it around her neck.

That night the young werewolf slept soundly curled up on the hospital bed with his witch, his arm possessively around her holding her protectively against his body. If anyone had happened to look they might have noted his odd position, but they wouldn't have seen the underage witch lying beneath her brother's invisibility cloak. With his eyes closed the werewolf didn't care either. He could feel her and smell her and that was more then enough to keep his fears at bay.

Slowly Taylor woke up and for a long while, part way between being awake and asleep she lingered, too content and comfortable to move. Slowly though she became aware of the warm body curved around hers and the arm wrapped around her front. The slow deep breathing told her he was still asleep, and her mind wavered in that direction again too.

The sound of the Hospital doors opening as well as voices caused her eyes to fly open as awareness of where she was and what she was doing flooded her mind like a bucket of ice water.

Scrambling to get out of the bed, she elbowed the Hufflepuff hard in the ribs and heard him grunt as he let go of her. She barely had time to get out of the bed and look down to make sure she was completely covered before three people stepped around the screen.

"Good morning son. Sorry to have to wake you." Greg's father said in a solemn tone.

Taylor was frozen in place standing beside Greg's bed, too scared to move in the bright sunlight that was pouring in through the hospital windows. The sun was already above the tree line of the forest.

Greg looked up at his father as he rubbed the sleep from his eyes. Even as groggy as he felt, he realized that he'd almost been caught. "That's fine dad." Embellishing a stretch he glanced sideways where he knew Taylor had to be.

Pomfrey glanced at her patient and then back to the two wizards before saying briskly. "I shall be in my office if you have any questions or need me for some reason."

After the nurse left Greg's father spoke again in a serious tone. "I thought it would be better if we came early. There will be fewer students about."

Greg slowly sat up in his bed as he realized what his father was talking about. In the wake of all that had happened Friday night and yesterday with Taylor and his friends, he had somehow completely forgotten.

"Son? What's wrong?" Mr. Hunter asked as he saw the alarm on his son's face.

"I… I don't want to go home. I've changed my mind."

"Changed your mind? When? I was just talking to Alaster on Friday and he told me that you were still adamant that you wanted to leave." Mr. Hunter said in a clipped voice.

Greg could see the displeasure in his father's face and was fairly sure he knew what his father was thinking. "Look Dad, I know what I told Moody on Friday," He remembered all to well being very sarcastic with his father's friend, and yelling at Moody because he had to wait until Sunday before his father could come get him. Running a hand through his hair, he suddenly wished Taylor wasn't here to hear all this. "It's just that, I've changed my mind."

Mr. Hunter stared hard at his son, noting that he was more relaxed and instead of yelling insults, he seemed to be acting more like himself.

Greg sighed, and looking down at the floor he remembered what his witch had told him. "Dad, I'm sorry…" taking a deep breath he looked up at his father. "I'm sorry I acted like such an ass. I'm sorry to for all those things I said. At the time all I could think about was that I was now some monster." He snorted humorlessly, "I was a monster, but it wasn't the werewolf speaking, it was fear. All I can say is I'm sorry again, and hopefully you can forgive me. And you too Uncle Mike."

Taylor wished she could melt into the floor. This was a very private conversation and not meant for her ears or eyes. She knew she could have tried closing her eyes and plugging her ears, but her time on Monday hiding taught her that it wouldn't do any good.

So feeling like some peeping Tom, she watched as Greg's father walked over to his son and hugged him.

"Of course I forgive you son. I've been so worried about you!"

"Thanks Dad. I'm sorry." Greg whispered thickly as he hugged his father back.

When his father released him and stepped back his uncle moved into his place.

"You sure had us worried, Greg." His uncle hugged him too.

"I'm sorry Uncle Mike. I really am."

When his uncle released him he sat on the bed beside his nephew.

Taylor was so relieved she had been on the left side of Greg's bed and not the right where his father and uncle now were. Slowly, inch-by-inch she started to make her way out from between the beds and around the screen. She wanted to give the three of them the privacy that they deserved. She'd wait by the door until she could get out.

"What happened to bring about this change?" His uncle asked seriously.

Greg looked down at the floor as he began to speak. "If Mum knew how I acted this past week she'd have my hide. I was a real git."

"Yes, we heard, so what happened?" Mr. Hunter asked firmly.

"Remus Lupin came in and talked to me. Friday night. He was brutally honest with me, and it didn't hurt that he scared the be'jeebers out of me. I think he was a little mad at me actually. Maybe more than a little." Greg looked up at his father as he talked.

"Why was he angry at you?" Uncle Mike asked.

Greg glanced at his uncle and then ran a hand through his hair. He knew he was going to disappoint his father and uncle with what he had to say next. He had been brought up to behave better. "Moody wasn't the only one I said things to that I shouldn't have. I… I was terrible to Taylor, all week. I thought she couldn't stand to be near me, as it turns out she was only trying to help."

"I see." Greg's father said sadly.

Greg felt ashamed. His father didn't need to shout, the disappointment in his father's voice was harder to bare.

"Son?" Greg looked up at his father. "A man takes responsibility for his actions. I hope you have apologized to Miss Porter."

"Yes sir. She accepted my apology, though I know I have a lot of things to make up for. She has allowed me to start trying at least." His father nodded at him. Greg told his father and uncle about what Lupin had said, and the three of them talked for a long time about what had happened to him and what they knew would happen the next full moon. By the time they were done Greg felt like a huge weight had been lifted off his shoulders. His father and uncle, though very worried about him, weren't appalled or disgusted.

Taylor had made it to the door finally and wondered what she should do. She remembered what the Hufflepuff had told her about seeing the door open, so she didn't dare go out. Here by the door she only caught the odd word that was being said and a new idea began to take shape.

Straightening the wrinkles from her robes with a spell and doing her hair, she pulled off the invisibility cloak and opening and shutting the door, as if she had just come in she walked towards the screen and the three wizards behind it.

"Oh sorry," she said as she came around the screen hoping she was convincing. "I didn't realize you had visitors, Greg. I can come back." She knew if Greg really wanted her to go, so he could speak some more to his father, he would say.

"Taylor!" The Hufflepuff couldn't keep the surprise out of his voice. "I… ah, good morning." He grinned sheepishly at her. "Oh ah, you've met my father but this is my Uncle Mike. Uncle Mike, this is Taylor Porter."

Taylor smiled, "Good morning Mr. Hunter, and ahh Uncle Mike." The two wizards greeted her warmly, Greg's uncle continued on with, "You're more than welcome to call me Uncle Mike, all Greg's other friends do."

"I can come back, I didn't mean to interrupt." Taylor offered again.

"Oh no, please we were almost done." Mr. Hunter said with a smile.

"No, please stay," Greg asked as he waved at her to come closer. "We were just talking about… what would happen when… the next full moon came."

Taylor met his eyes and saw the fear in them. Sitting on the foot of his bed she asked. "Has Pomfrey talked to you about it? You mentioned Lupin explained some of what would happen."

"No, I told her I didn't… care because I wouldn't be here."

Taylor felt panic rise up in her as she asked worriedly, "You're leaving?"

"No! Not now." Greg hurried to reassure his witch, "I wanted to at first, well all week, but… not now." He met her worried hazel eyes and tried to reassure her even more with his eyes.

The sound of the hospital doors opening and then the sound of muffled voices stopped any further comments as the witch and three wizards turned to see who came around the screen.

"Alastor! Good morning, I wasn't expecting to see you here." Mr. Hunter exclaimed as he stood to shake his friend's hand before turning to the other wizard who had walked around the screen with Madame Pomfrey. "Remus, it's good to see you again. Thank you for talking to my son." Greg's father said gratefully as he shook the older werewolf's hand. Greg's uncle also welcomed the two men, before sitting back down.

"Miss Porter, I see you are up and around bright and early this morning," Moody said in a gravely voice as he gave her a hard look with both of his eyes.

Taylor felt her face heat up but she managed a snappy reply, "I always was a morning person. Growing up on a farm you just get used to getting up with the sun."

Moody's only answer was a grunt before he turned to Greg and asked gruffly, "Poppy tells me that you are thinking of staying here at Hogwarts, is that right, boy?"

Greg met the old auror's searching gaze as he said firmly. "Yes, I've decided to stay. I want to finish the school year and sit my NEWTS."

The old auror grunted but nodded his head. "Then I believe there are some things we need to discuss."

Taylor glanced at Lupin and saw his serious expression and then glanced at the others quickly before looking at Greg. She knew Moony was about to tell the Hufflepuff the rest about what was going to happen, every thing that he hadn't told the Head Boy Friday night.

Standing, Taylor said gently as the Hufflepuff met her eyes, "Well that's my cue. I'll see you later okay?"

"No wait!" Greg exclaimed as he sat forward. "I want you to stay." He glanced at his father quickly and then back at his witch. He could see the indecision in her eyes and he added, "If you want to, I mean. You should know what's going to happen to me too."

Taylor could see the fear in his blue eyes, as they searched hers and she knew he was asking her not only to stay with him here for the talk but also if she was going to stay with him as his girlfriend.

Taylor smiled tenderly as she said softly. "I've told you before Hufflepuff, I'm not going anywhere. I'll stay now too, if you want me to."

The room had shrunk as if it were only them in it as he nodded his head. He didn't see any doubt or fear in his witch's eyes, and he said thickly. "I want you to stay."

Moody picked that time to clear his throat and Taylor felt her cheeks heat up, knowing that the adults had been watching this very personal exchange, the spoken and the non verbal as well. Stepping forward a few steps she sat on the Hufflepuff's bed again, much closer to the headboard that the young werewolf was leaning against, turning so she could see the adults better. She slid her hand closest to him behind her and felt his fingers close over hers.

Over the next hour Lupin explained in great detail what was going to happen to the Hufflepuff come the next full moon. He also explained about not being able to use the Wolfsbane Potion for that first transformation and how Greg would be taken to the Shrieking Shack, where he would be unable to harm anyone, except himself.

Greg was quiet for the most part, allowing his father and uncle to ask the questions.

Taylor could feel how some of the things upset the Head Boy as he held her hand tightly squeezing it, even painfully at times.

They then went on to discuss the transformations that would follow and the Wolfsbane Potion that would help him to keep his mind after the transformation. Plus numerous other things that could be expected now that he was a werewolf. Pomfrey was able to answer some of the questions, as well Moody had several things to bring up, the most important being Voldemort and his desire to recruit werewolves.

"So, my son will be able to lead a mostly normal life except for his transformations on the full moon?" Greg's father reiterated when Moody and Pomfrey had finished.

"Except for the suspicion that most of our kind have for werewolves, yes." Moody said heavily in his gravely voice.

"I have heard of a werewolf harming someone even when it wasn't the full moon… what about that?" Greg asked a little nervously.

"You're talking about Fenrir Greyback, and yes unfortunately that is true, however Greyback is an exception to the rule. We believe that is because he is a killer in either form. You do not need to worry about that." Pomfrey explained kindly.

Greg nodded and then he voiced another concern he had, one that had tormented him ever since he first realized he was a werewolf. His face turned red as he asked, "What about… well what about if I want to… get married. Is that still safe? Or possible?"

Taylor's face went bright red and she looked at the floor. The men's faces all turned a little pink but the nurse spoke up in a kind professional tone. "Yes that is most definitely possible and I have never read anywhere that there is any danger to the wife or subsequent children. Other than during the full moon of course."

"Uhm, thanks," Greg mumbled embarrassed, but greatly relieved.

Taylor shot a look part way between mortification and exasperation at the Hufflepuff and saw the apology in his eyes but also the relief.

Greg's father cleared his throat as he stared at his son intently for a moment before speaking again, "Well that clears that up, I suppose. Is there anything else we should know?"

Moody stared at his friend, as he said, "No, I think that about covers everything on werewolves." The old auror was watching the two young ones on the bed, had been since he walked into the Hospital with his magical eye. He had seen the invisibility cloak on Porter immediately and suspected the witch had more than likely spent the night in the hospital ward again. His suspicion had been proven correct when he saw through her little lie about getting up early.

Moody flicked his magical eye over to the boy on the bed, noting that the pair was still holding hands. His lips thinned. He was going to need to warn Dan about the dangerous nature of the witch, though he doubted that the man would be able to sway his son away from her at this point, not when he could see how physically attracted the boy was to the witch, as well as emotionally.

A few minutes later the ex-auror and older werewolf excused themselves and left. The nurse went to her office and returned right away, "Here you go Hunter you will be wanting this back then, where you are staying at the school." She said as she handed him his wand. "I wish to check you over once more before I release you, so just let me know when you are ready." The nurse then turned and went back to her office.

"Pomfrey took your wand?" Taylor asked as she swiveled on the bed to look at the Hufflepuff better.

The Head Boy's face turned a little pink as he answered her, "Yeah well, everyone thought it was for the best. They didn't want me to hurt anyone."

Greg's father spoke up in an apologetic tone. "I'm sorry son, but we thought it was for the best. We were worried you might do something stupid."

Taylor couldn't stop her snort of laughter or the sarcastic remark that fell from her lips. "I wonder where you'd _ever_ get an idea like that?" and she made a face at the Hufflepuff and he returned it.

"Look witch, I just might have to teach you a lesson!" he joked twirling his wand in his hand.

Taylor snorted again louder this time as she rolled her eyes at him, "You and what army, Hufflepuff?"

"Little cocky this morning aren't we?" Greg asked cheekily.

Taylor grinned at him and was about to reply when Greg's father cleared his throat, again bringing the two teenagers' attention to the fact that they weren't alone.

"Taylor, would you mind excusing us for a few minutes? I'd like to have a private word with my son. You too if you don't mind, Mike."

Taylor glanced at the Head Boy and saw the laughter fade from his eyes as he glanced up at his father, "Sure Mr. Hunter, no problem." She stood from Greg's bed and started out as Greg's uncle joined her and the two walked across the hospital ward and stepped outside to give father and son some privacy.

Greg's father's face was somber as he stared at his son, waiting until he heard the doors close before quickly putting up a silencing charm.

"What's up Dad?" Greg asked. He knew that look. There was something very important his father wished to discuss with him.

"I want to know how serious your feelings for that witch are."

Greg met his father's pale blue eyes, and didn't look away as he answered honestly, "I love her."

"I see. So you were thinking of her when you asked about taking a wife?"

"Yes Sir."

"Do you think this is a little…abrupt? You didn't even want her in the same room with you only a week ago."

"Dad! I had just found out I was a werewolf! I was terrified I might hurt her! As well as scared and…" Greg ran his hand up through his hair in agitation. He couldn't even begin to explain to his father all the things he had been feeling: disgust, revolt, terror, anger and loathing to name but a few.

His father sat on the side of his bed and put a hand on his son's shoulder as he watched him struggle.

"I love her Dad. If it wasn't for Taylor I don't think I could have handled this. She has been like a rock in a sea of emotions. She has been here for me even when I tried to hurt her. Even when I did hurt her, with what I said to her. She was still here. For some crazy reason she doesn't fear me, or what I have become. I have loved her since Christmas, even before…"

"There is a big difference between a school yard crush, gratitude and love." Greg's father said firmly. "A lot has happened in the few short months you have known this girl."

Greg met his father's eyes again as he said, "I am not a boy any longer. I know the difference between love and a crush."

"Okay son. I just don't want you rushing into anything. You are still so young. You're not even out of school yet and now you have to deal with being a werewolf… I just don't want to see you make a mistake you will live to regret."

"I'm not getting married tomorrow Dad! I haven't even brought it up with Taylor yet. I am not even a hundred percent sure if she feels the same way about me. I only asked Pomfrey because it was one of the things that was bothering me."

Greg's father studied his son for a long time before he said cautiously, "I'm glad to hear that." He paused for a moment again before he broached something that had been bothering him for a long while. "Greg, son… I like Taylor I really do, but there is just something… son, she has secrets and no past…" He saw his son glance away from him, a hint of color staining his cheeks as his son's jaw set.

"I know her secrets, Dad." Greg turned to look back at his father and didn't flinch from his father's intent gaze. "She told me a long time ago. It's not so different from my problem, really. I've accepted it. You are just going to have to trust me and Taylor."

Greg's father looked into his son's eyes and saw a man staring back at him, one who wasn't about to be budged from what he believed was right. Mr. Hunter prayed that his son wasn't making a mistake, but for now he would accept his son's trust in the underage witch.

"Alright Greg. Just be careful. These are dangerous times we live in and putting one's complete trust in the wrong people can be fatal."

"I know that Dad."

After a few tense moments father and son moved on to easier topics, mainly the Hufflepuff's mother and her concerns for her only son.

* * *

><p>AN Wow, so there was a lot that happened in that chapter! How did you like how Harry was there for his sister? Or the necklace that Greg gave Taylor? (I love horses and dragons so that was where the inspiration for that came from!) Then there was the talk with Greg's dad at the end... I could just see Greg worrying about stuff like that even if he hasn't mentioned it yet. Hope you liked this nice long chapter! :)

So with this chapter my story will be over 300 000 words! WOW! And there is still lots to come! :D

Thank you to those who have reviewed, Alerted and Favorited this story! As well THANK YOU for just reading this far! That in itself is a compliment! Thank you as well to my beta barbc... cause she has read this whole story once already and is re-reading it again as she is correcting my grammer and spelling errors! Well until next time, cytpotter.


	69. A Furry Little Problem

I haven't been able to make any Poly Juice Potion yet so I am still not JK Rowling so I guess I still don't own Harry. But a girl can always try! ;)

* * *

><p>Chapter Sixty-nine<p>

**A Furry Little Problem**

Taylor leaned up against the wall trying to look nonchalant, as Greg's uncle stood in front of the hospital door with his arms folded waiting patiently. They had already exchanged the normal idle chitchat between strangers. As time stretched on Taylor tried to think of something else to say.

Greg's uncle beat her to it. "My nephew in there thinks a lot of you."

Taylor glanced up and saw him regarding her shrewdly. She shifted a little uncomfortably under his gaze. "I like him a lot too." She said after a few seconds.

"You're muggle-born aren't you?"

Taylor felt anger course through her as she straightened up away from the wall and faced him squarely. "And what if I am?" She demanded her voice suddenly hard.

Greg's uncle unfolded his arms and held up his hands. "Easy Miss Porter, I didn't mean it like that."

Taylor glared at him and he continued. "I merely meant that by being from a non-magical family you probably aren't aware of our customs when it comes to marriages and such."

She felt her jaw drop open as she stared at the wizard. It was a few seconds before she could find her voice. "What in the _blue pixies_ are you talking about?"

Greg's uncle chuckled as he said, "Well for one thing you are wearing our family crest," Taylor looked down at the necklace Greg had given her and felt an odd jolt somewhere near her stomach. "Also I know my nephew fairly well and if he was troubled enough to ask the nurse about having a family then it was something that has been bothering him."

Taylor looked up into the wizard's astute gaze, "I think you are reading more into a question than there really is. Plus Greg gave me this necklace, way back at Christmas, we barely even knew each other then."

Greg's uncle smiled indulgently as he nodded, "A very interesting fact indeed." Then his face became serious as he continued. "I find it quite amazing really that you seem to have accepted what happened to him so readily."

Taylor felt her hackles rise once more. "I _don't_ happen to find it all that _amazing_. I have known someone with the same condition for a few years now. I consider him a very good friend."

"Remus Lupin right? He is a good man."

"I see we agree on that at least," Taylor said sarcastically.

Greg's uncle nodded, "Quite so." The wizard seemed to have said all he wanted to as he folded his arms and remained quiet for the rest of their wait.

Taylor leaned back against the wall, but she was anything but relaxed as she chewed over what Greg's uncle had said to her, trying to figure out what he had meant by it.

It was almost ten minutes later when Mr. Hunter came to the door and opened it.

"Ah Taylor, Madame Pomfrey is just checking Greg over and he will be out shortly. We need to be going but I'm sure I will see you again some time soon." Mr. Hunter offered kindly before his voice became grateful. "I want to thank you again for saving my son and then again for sticking it out with him this past week. It couldn't have been easy."

Taylor boldly met Greg's father's eyes as she said firmly. "I already told you I'm not going anywhere."

Mr. Hunter smiled warmly, "I'm glad to hear that. Goodbye Taylor. Stay safe."

Greg's uncle said goodbye also before they set out down the corridor.

Taylor watched them until they turned a corner and were out of sight. She didn't realize she was still lost in thought, staring off down the corridor, until a voice behind her made her jump.

"So… where to first?"

Taylor wheeled to see the Hufflepuff standing in the hospital doorway dressed in jeans and a sweatshirt.

"Hey! You're getting out now? Great! I don't know… maybe to get something to eat? I'm starved!" Taylor said in a rush as she grinned up at the Head Boy. She saw his smile waver a little, as uncertainty flooded his eyes and she added. "We can always raid the kitchens!"

"Yeah that sounds more my speed. Though I'm going to have to get used to being in a crowd really soon."

"Let's get something to eat and then we can maybe go to your study room. There won't be as many people there." Taylor offered gently as she caught his hand and held it in hers.

Though the two of them had been up for several hours, it was still fairly early for a Sunday morning and there were only a few students out in the corridors. The ones they did meet were mostly Ravenclaws and a Gryffindor. They looked at the Head Boy curiously but other then a casual greeting didn't bother to stop.

The house elves were only too happy to get them some breakfast and the two of them ate until they couldn't hold another bite. They only talked about easy things while they ate, like schoolwork or the weather, avoiding the more serious topics by silent agreement.

After they were finished they went to the Hufflepuff's study room and they found it nearly empty. Only a lone fifth year was there studying for her OWLS. After a warm greeting the fifth year went back to studying and the two seventh years found a seat in front of the fireplace, a fire in it helping to chase the early spring coolness away.

Taylor put up a silencing charm as she turned to the Head Boy, not wanting to disturb the other Hufflepuff, nor wanting their conversation overheard.

"Everything is going to be fine you know. Remember what I said yesterday, just tell them what you feel comfortable with. They will accept it. They are your friends."

"How do I keep something like this a secret? I feel so… different." The Head Boy said in a tortured tone.

Taylor put her hand on his tanned larger one and tipped her head so she could see into his eyes. "You look no different. And that is what is important to the vast majority of people. As long as they don't know, their looks will only be curious."

The werewolf was silent for a few seconds as he thought about what his witch had said, "How do you know this? How can you be so sure?"

Taylor smiled gently, "Because I felt something similar when I found out I could use Dark Magic. I felt so different all of a sudden. I was terrified people would find out and be afraid of me. I still worry about that but not nearly as much."

The Head Boy nodded slowly, "It doesn't bother you as much anymore?" he asked curiously.

"No, not as much. It is just a part of me now. My friends have accepted it and they are all that really matter. Besides, Dark Magic can be very useful at times, especially in sticky situations." Taylor grinned mischievously.

Greg was reminded of what Lupin had said about Taylor using Dark Magic to protect her and him from the werewolf. He also remembered the repercussions of that protection.

"Hey, look, Hufflepuff. I'm not trying to make light of what happened to you. I know being a werewolf is not like choosing to use Dark Magic or not. I just wanted to point out that people don't see what is inside of here," Taylor touched her hand to his chest right above his heart and then his head, "if they did then there would be no more secrets."

"I guess you're right. I just am going to have to try to act normal… I guess."

Taylor grinned, "Now you're getting it Hufflepuff! You are the same you… only with a furry little problem!"

Greg's jaw fell open and he stared at the witch for a few seconds, "A _furry little problem_?"

Taylor grinned and shrugged her shoulders, "Sure, that's what Lupin and his friends always referred to it as. So why not? Besides do you have a better name for it?"

Greg could feel his lips twitching in a grin. His witch's ease with which she talked about him being a werewolf calmed his worries. He knew she wasn't making light of it, just accepting it and incorporating it into _who_ he was now. It made him start to accept it also.

"No I guess not. So I have a furry little problem, do I? That's better then a furry big problem I guess."

"Sure it is! You could be like Nott from Slytherin," She shivered and pulled a horrible face, "I've heard he has to shave three times a day now and he still looks like a hairy ape! Though some of that might be… a tiny bit anyway, my fault. You see when he was trying to get rid of his pink hair, I accidentally let a few drops of hair grower slip into his potion. It's not _my fault_ the crazy Slytherin tried to vanish his potion before adding the Hippogriff feather!" She explained trying to sound innocent all the while fighting the grin that threatened to spread over her face.

The Head Boy rolled his eyes at the witch in exasperation.

At that moment the door to the study swung open and in walked Ernie, Justin and Hannah. Taylor quickly released the silencing spell as the Hufflepuffs called out enthusiastic greetings.

"Greg! You're here! Wow that's great!" Hannah cried as she rushed to the Head Boy and hugged him.

"Hey mate, we were just going to see you when we ran into Potter, Weasley and Granger and they said you weren't at the hospital." Justin said with a smile to his friend before looking at the witch sitting beside him and his smile fell a little, "Potter said to tell you that he's looking for you."

"Well I must say it's good to have you back! Just hasn't been the same all week." Ernie said with a grin only sounding slightly pompous.

Greg greeted his friends with a small smile but Taylor could see he wasn't nearly as tense as he had been yesterday and after a few minutes relaxed even more. She would have been content to stay with the Head Boy for the rest of the day in the Hufflepuff study room but she knew that if Harry was looking for her then she had better go see him.

Coming to her feet a few minutes later she said, "Well I'd better go see what Potter wants, plus I really need to get some homework done. I have that three foot essay due tomorrow for Shacklebolt and I haven't even started it yet!"

"Oh, you're not leaving are you?" Hannah protested, "I wanted to get you to show me that new stunning spell from Defense! I know Sally-Anne wanted some help with it too, she'll be here in a few minutes!"

Before Taylor could answer the Head Boy spoke up as he came to his feet also. "Why don't you bring your stuff down here. We can all study together? I need a book from the library… so I'll walk with you up to your common room."

Taylor glanced at the tall Hufflepuff and saw worry filter through his eyes for a second. Smiling she said easily, "Sure that sounds like a great idea. I'll see you guys again in a little while."

The Gryffindor witch and Head Boy were starting up the second set of stairs before either spoke again, a silencing charm firmly in place. "So what gives Hufflepuff? I already gave you the book you needed from the library."

"I didn't want you walking alone up through the castle." He answered casually.

Taylor rolled her eyes as she shook her head and suddenly a question that she'd had earlier came to her. In a slightly forced light tone she asked. "How come you didn't tell me that this necklace was your family crest?"

"Oh, I suppose Uncle Mike told you, did he? Sorry I never thought of it." The Hufflepuff laughed as he could see his uncle getting a kick out of teasing his witch about it.

"Yeah he did." Taylor snapped.

Greg's laughter faded as he looked at his witch, taking in her furious look. "Hey, what's wrong? It's just a necklace, I thought you'd like the crest."

Taylor was suddenly fuming and she marched on ahead of the Head Boy forcing him to lengthen his strides to keep up. She couldn't believe his audacity!

"Taylor! Hey wait up. What's wrong?" Greg called as he hurried to catch up, grabbing her arm and turning her to face him, slightly shocked to see the fury in her eyes.

"Just a necklace? Just… Do you give these out to all your girlfriends?"

"What? No! Of course not! I wanted you to have something of mine. Sorry if that upsets you. It's no big deal… really." Greg could tell that he had just inadvertently made things worse, though he didn't have a clue how.

"No big deal? NO BIG DEAL! What? Do you just have hundreds of these lying around?"

The Head Boy was really taken back with the witch's outburst. "No! Taylor what is the matter?" An idea about what this might be about occurred to him and he tried to reassure his witch it didn't mean that. "It's just a necklace. It doesn't mean anything. It's not a ring or anything like that. What did Uncle Mike say anyway? Did he make you think it was some kind of engagement thing?"

Taylor's heart gave a funny stutter step before she sucked in a ragged breath, "No! Well, not exactly, but that's not the point!"

"What is the point? Why are you so upset? It's just a necklace."

"Will you stop saying that! It's not!" Taylor was fighting for control. She shouldn't let this bother her so much, but it did.

Greg was totally confused, as he looked at the angry witch in front of him, even more surprised when he noticed how over-bright her eyes had become. His voice gentled and he stepped closer to her, "Hey what is the matter? It is only a Hunter family crest necklace. Not anything else, I promise."

Not anything else… She realized the Hufflepuff really didn't get it. "You're wrong. It's something way more then a just a necklace. It's a piece of your family history… Something I do not have. You know all I have to remember my aunt and uncle by is a muggle picture and a necklace? I have absolutely nothing from my parents, not even a foggy memory. So no, this isn't just a necklace." Turning Taylor started down the empty corridor, feeling lost once again. She had nothing from her parents, not a single thing. Her brother had a few things and he willing shared them with her, but they were his things, left to him… Then the Hufflepuff had given a family heirloom away…to a girl he barely knew.

Greg was shocked once again by his witch. He had grown up in a large extended family. He had numerous aunts and uncles, grandparents on both sides and lots of cousin's. Though he was an only child, he had never felt alone growing up because of his many cousins and the many sleepovers they had. With so many in the family there were all kinds of knickknacks and things that were passed around and down through the generations. The necklace he had given his witch was only one of them.

Shaking his head he hurried to catch up to his witch, turning her to face him again when he did. "Taylor I'm sorry. It never even occurred to me it would upset you. I have a lot of things that I treasure dearly of my family's and while I really like this necklace, it isn't very valuable or old. I just wanted you to have something of mine."

Taylor closed her eyes and looked down at the floor. Here she was making a mountain out of a mole hill again, a sad smile pulled at one side of her mouth. Taking a deep breath she looked up at the tall Hufflepuff. "I'm sorry, Greg. I know I'm being stupid about this. It's just that…"

The Head Boy smiled gently down at her, "I'm sorry too. I should have told you about it being my family crest. I just didn't think to last night, and this morning, well that was a little… I'm going to kill Uncle Mike though!"

Taylor couldn't help but smile a little as the Head Boy scowled at the mention of his uncle before he continued. "You know that's what my father wanted to talk to me about? Well one of the things. He wanted to know if I was thinking of marrying you." The Hufflepuff watched his witch's eyes go wide in shock, "I'm not going to lie to you. It really bothered me thinking that I might not ever be able to… be with you. I'm not asking you now or anything, but I needed to know if it was possible."

She watched as raw emotions filtered across the Head Boy's face. And she reached up and put her hand on his face and he turned his cheek into her palm. "I'm warning you now witch, that someday after we finish school, _I am_ going to ask you to marry me… me and my furry little problem!"

Taylor smiled as she felt her heart stutter step again at his words but she tried a joke to lighten the mood. The last week had been a real roller coaster ride and there were still so many things they needed to discuss, though she didn't doubt the sincerity in Greg's words. "I see. Well assuming I say yes, you do know I will want a _huge_ wedding. With at least fourteen bridesmaids! A full course orchestra and at least a thousand people in attendance. Plus I want to have twenty-one Hippogriff's pull the carriage away! Then there is the honeymoon…" She saw the Hufflepuff roll his eyes before he grinned.

"A honeymoon hey? So where might you want to go for that Mrs. Hunter?" Greg teased waggling his eyebrows, glad that his witch was willing once more to overlook his blunder, however inadvertent it was.

"Oh I don't know… how about Antarctica or the North Pole? I hear it's lovely there this time of year?"

The two continued to make wild suggestions where they'd want to go for a honeymoon, the rest of the way up to the seventh floor where they happened to see Harry and Ginny just coming out of the portrait of the Fat Lady.

"Hey what's so funny? Where have you two been anyway?" Harry asked when he caught sight of the pair.

Taylor had vanished the silencing charm and called in a serious voice, "Why discussing honeymoon locations of course! Which would you pick Harry? Siberia or the Canadian north?"

Ginny had to pound on her boyfriend's back as he gasped and then seemed to start choking, though she hadn't missed the wicked look in the other Gryffindor witch's eyes and knew it was just a joke. "Taylor! You know Harry doesn't take well to such serious discussions! He nearly died of heart failure when you told him you wanted to start seeing a witch, don't you remember!"

Taylor caught sight of her brother's red face and then glanced up at the Hufflepuff beside her and lost it, the other witch joining her. Laughing so hard tears ran down her face, it was nearly a minute before she could get any words out. "Oh Merlin Ginny! Did you see their faces! Oh, that was priceless!"

Greg shook his head as he laughed some himself. He could see Potter was having a harder time recovering from the witches' teasing and that made it even funnier in his opinion.

When Taylor finally stopped giggling, she had to refrain from looking at her brother or else she'd start again, she asked, "You were looking for me?"

Harry glared at his sister and even sent an angry look at Ginny who seemed to think it was extremely amusing also. "Yeah, I was. I wanted to make sure you were okay. Seeing as how you weren't at breakfast or in the Hospital Wing when we went looking for you earlier."

Taylor sobered, "Sorry. It's been a rather crazy morning actually. Greg's dad came to see him… well after that he was released and we headed for the kitchens for something to eat. Flinch-Fletchley told me you were looking for me."

Her brother heard more in her pause, as she had glanced meaningfully at the Hufflepuff, than in the rest of her explanation. "We were just following your suggestion and going to see Hunter in the hospital. Also Kingsley stopped by our table at breakfast and said we have a research session tonight. Oh… I think Hermione wanted to see you about Head duties or something too, Hunter."

Taylor gave her brother a dirty look, and he cocked an eyebrow at her questioningly. "Hunter? Really now _Potter_, how mature are you?" Taylor asked sarcastically before grabbing the Hufflepuff's hand and asking, "_Granger_ in the common room, _Weasley_?"

The other Gryffindor witch fought to control her smile as she nodded and couldn't resist saying, "Of course _Porter_."

"Golden snitch." Taylor told the Fat Lady before walking past her brother and his girlfriend, pulling the Head Boy into the Gryffindor common room behind her to find Hermione.

The common room was fairly crowded but Taylor had no trouble picking out her bushy haired friend over in the corner at her favorite table with a pile of books and parchment spread all over it. Taylor felt a huge weight settle on her shoulders as she thought of all the homework she had to do today. With a sigh she headed for her friend with the Head Boy still in tow.

"Hey Hermione, how's it going?" Taylor asked as she stopped by the table.

Hermione looked up and glared at her friend, demanding in her bossy voice, "Where have you been? You know you are going to be in detention again if you don't get cracking with your homework? Oh, hi Greg. It's good to see you up and around." Taylor rolled her eyes as Hermione's voice turned pleasant as she addressed the Hufflepuff beside her. "I didn't know if you were feeling up to it or not, so I went ahead and made up the patrol schedules for the next week. Do you think you are going to feel up to patrolling tonight? If so just let me know and I will switch Ron and Kerr, then that way we can patrol together for the early shift."

Taylor smiled at the other witch. She knew that by those simple words, her friend had just told Greg that nothing had really changed and that his furry little problem didn't bother her.

Taylor glanced up at the Head Boy as he met the Head Girl's eyes and nodded a little hesitantly as he said, "Yeah, thanks Hermione. I should be good to go tonight… on patrol with you."

Hermione smiled at him reassuringly before turning to Taylor again and glaring at her.

"Alright! Jesh_, Mom_. I'm getting my homework! I'm heading back down with Greg though, we're going to study together."

Hermione gave her friend a stern McGonagall-ish look before saying, "You had better be getting homework done! I'll see you at supper?"

Taylor laughed as she went to grab her schoolwork calling, "Of course _Mom_!"

* * *

><p>AN Well that was a bit of a lighter chapter don't you think? A few tense moments in it but over all it was lighter. I couldn't resist calling Greg's werewolf thing _a furry little problem_! LOL! Hope you can maybe understand why Taylor was so upset about Greg giving her the Hunter family crest(and no I did not do any research on what it might be but just made it up!) Well hoped you liked it, let me know with a review!

Thank you to those who reviewed, alerted and favorited! You guys make me smile! Plus thank you for just reading! Thanks as well to my beta barbc! Without her hard work this story wouldn't be what it is! Well until next time, cytpotter.


	70. Meetings, Words and Pranks

Still haven't located all the ingredients for the Polyjuice Potion so nope, still not JK Rowling!

* * *

><p>Chapter Seventy<p>

**Meetings, Words and Pranks**

Taylor and the Head Boy spent the rest of the day working on homework in the Hufflepuff study room with Greg's friends. They actually accomplished a lot and by suppertime Taylor and Greg had all of their homework due for the next day finished, as well as a good start on a nasty three foot Transfiguration essay due on Tuesday.

The only interruption to their work that afternoon had come when Binns, the Hufflepuff captain, had come looking for Greg to ask him if he was going to be able to play in the final quidditch match against Gryffindor.

Taylor had looked up from her essay and saw the refusal forming in the Head Boy's eyes and she had interrupted him and asked if she could have a word with the werewolf before he answered. Greg had agreed and the two had gone over to an empty corner in the study room. Taylor knew clearly by the Head Boy's expression when they reached the corner that he was going to refuse to play.

She beat him to it by asking, "Why not?"

"It's too dangerous, what if…"

Taylor could see the fear and uncertainty in his eyes and she put her hand on his arm. She had already put up a silencing charm on the way so they couldn't be overheard. "Greg listen, the full moon is a whole week after the game. You won't be any different then you are right now."

"I'm a werewolf! I can't play quidditch! What if someone found out, what if…"

"Hey! Who is going to object? Your own teammates? It won't affect them any. Harry is the Gryffindor captain and he already knows. If you are worried about it ask him if he minds. I know he won't. I'm not going to let you quit playing just because of your furry little problem!"

"How do you know he won't mind? Besides what do you mean you won't let me quit?"

Taylor shook her head as she sighed, "Did you know Harry wanted to quit too? After I was taken at Christmas, he thought he should give up quidditch so that he could look for a way to destroy the Horcruxes. I made a bargain with him. I'd search the library if he kept playing." The Head Boy's mouth drew into a thin line. He had always wondered what had driven his witch to the library with such determination. "I didn't let Harry quit because of Voldemort and I'm not going to let you either. It's just one more game. You deserve to play in it!"

Though the words were spoken quietly there was a fierce determination shining in his witch's eyes. The Head Boy thought for a few minutes, wrestling with what he thought he should do and what he really wanted to do. Before he reached a decision the witch spoke again.

"In a year's time, or ten, don't you want to know that you had the courage to take the bull by the horns, flip off Voldemort and his cronies, and play in the best game of quidditch Hogwarts is likely to see in another twenty years?"

Greg knew he was wavering, and he could see that his witch knew it as well, as a wicked grin spread across her face.

"What's the matter Hufflepuff? Scared Gryffindor is going to beat you but good?"

The challenge in her voice did it and his answering smirk was cocky, "You, Gryffindor, are going to live to regret talking me into playing!"

Taylor followed the Head Boy back across the room to the curiously waiting group of Hufflepuffs and knew no one heard her softly utter, "that's the idea Hufflepuff," before she vanished the silencing charm.

By the time they headed to the Great Hall for supper, all the Hufflepuffs were talking about the Head Boy being back and that he was going to play in the last game against Gryffindor after all. It wasn't long before that was the main topic of discussion at all the house tables.

Taylor sat quietly beside the Head Boy at the Hufflepuff table, eating and only half listening to all the excited talk about quidditch. She was secretly pleased. With the whole school buzzing about the next match, few even thought about why the Head Boy had been in the Hospital Wing for a week, but that was just the way the majority of the student's minds worked. Quidditch took precedence over everything else.

She could feel the tall wizard beside her slowly relaxing as he adjusted to being back in the crowd. She still held his hand under the table but he was starting to crack jokes and carry on like he used to. She was finished eating when she noticed her brother stand motioning with his head that it was time to go.

"Well that's all the Hufflepuff boasting I can listen to today! I'll see you guys tomorrow, because you know Gryffindor _is_ going to win." Taylor joked. As she got up, several boos and hisses were uttered her way and she laughed before whispering into the Head Boy's ear. "I'll see you after your patrol okay?" She searched his eyes as he agreed and she only saw a hint of worry in his blue eyes. Patting him on the arm she left and followed her brother out into the Entrance Hall.

When the two siblings reached the Defense classroom, Shacklebolt was waiting for them and asked them to have a seat up near his desk where Moody and Lupin were waiting.

"We thought there is some information that you two need to be made aware of," Moody began in his gravely voice.

Taylor and her brother exchanged a quick look before looking back at the ex-auror.

Moody then told them about the plan to use the werewolf, that had attacked the Head Boy, to somehow draw out who could use Dark Magic at the school.

Taylor ran her hand up through her hair and coming to her feet began to pace. She'd had a feeling that there was more to it than simply the Ravenclaw student becoming a werewolf.

"We still are not sure how the Ravenclaw became infected, but from talking to them, we know it was most definitely done as a trap. Whether they were going to try to lure you out of the school somehow or try to set the werewolf loose in the school, we don't know."

Taylor stopped her pacing as fear filled her heart. If the werewolf had been set loose in the school, there was no telling how many students might have been killed or infected. A shiver ran up her spine as she asked.

"Do you know who orchestrated this plan? Obviously Voldemort, but someone inside the school had to have helped smuggle the Ravenclaw in, unless they somehow infected them while they were on school grounds…" Her voice trailed off as the ramifications of just such an action exploded in her mind.

"So Voldemort knows who Taylor is now?" Harry asked worriedly.

"He knows she is the one who can use Dark Magic, yes." Lupin said carefully keeping his voice expressionless so as not to give away his true meaning.

Harry caught Lupin's meaning and asked, "So now what? He knows she can use Dark Magic… is he going to come after her?"

"We don't know for sure. That's the problem. But we suspect that he is going to want to get his hands on Miss Porter once again." Shacklebolt said in a heavy tone, his deep voice reverberating with worry.

Taylor paced once more as she listened. She highly suspected that at least a couple of the Slytherins had something to do with this whole mess but the memory of Snape warning her to be aware of the aurors at the school made her wonder if it had been the one with McGonagall that night when she had brought Greg to the hospital or not. Frustrated with not having any ready answers, she raked her hand up through her hair again.

"The important thing, I believe, is to stay diligent," Moody's gravely voice cautioned, "and not take any unnecessary risks. We believe you are as safe here at the school as you will be anywhere Porter. Barring any unscheduled trips of course."

Taylor shot the old auror a dirty look, "I'm not going to go and cower somewhere just because Voldemort knows I can use Dark Magic!"

"Taylor," Harry stood up in front of his sister and stopped her pacing, "That's not what Moody meant and you know it." His green eyes found hers and he saw the worry lurking there that she was trying so hard to cover up. "No one suggested you hide, but I agree that we are going to have to be more careful now."

"Harry is right. We are going to have our Order members here at the school keeping a closer eye on you from now on and maybe even put a tail on you again, Taylor, like when you didn't have your wand…" Shacklebolt began. Taylor's sarcastic remark cut him off.

'Oh yes because that worked soooo well then!"

"Taylor!" Lupin's and her brother's voices called together in reprimand.

Shacklebolt continued in a stern voice explaining what that would mean, and then cautioning the witch against using the invisibility cloak anymore. After that they started their training and by the time they were finished both sister and brother were sweating.

On the way back to the common room, Taylor put up a silencing charm and her brother glanced at her. He'd been expecting her to want to talk, though the first sentence out of her mouth wasn't what he'd been expecting.

"I'm going to tell Greg everything that Hermione knows. I want him included in our planning. I'm tired of keeping secrets from him."

Harry was silent for a few seconds. "I see. Don't you think he has enough on his plate right now without adding more to it? Becoming a werewolf… that has to be hard to come to grips with."

Taylor stopped walking and turned to look up at her brother. "He is coming to grips with it. It's been really hard on him and I want him to feel like I trust him. I know there are still a couple of things I can't tell him but… please Harry, he's a good guy and he already helped us with the idea about the basilisk tooth."

He stared down at his sister and knew she had a good point. Maybe the Hufflepuff could shed new light on their problems, one with a different perspective. His eyes shifted from his sister's hopeful face to the necklace that hung on the outside of her long sleeved t-shirt. He picked up the intricately carved pendant and inspected it before meeting his sister's eyes again. "Is this what he gave you?" The blush that covered her face was his answer. "It's very nice… okay sis, Hunter can join our merry little band. Just no more talk about honeymoons or such," Harry felt a surge of what he had come to realize as brotherly over protectiveness and he growled, "you are way too young! You aren't even of age yet! Besides I just might have to kill the Hufflepuff if he starts thinking like that about my little sister!"

Taylor ducked her head quickly as her blush came back full force and a giddy smile spread across her face. It was all she could do to keep her voice from cracking as she said, "I know that! It is just a necklace Harry! Jesh! Take a chill pill! Greg and I were just joking around."

Harry stared at his sister for a second before deciding that it was in his best interest to take what his sister had just said at face value. Other wise he'd probably smoke the Hufflepuff the next time he saw the git, which in all probability would be in a few minutes.

When the two siblings returned to their common room they found the Head Boy was in fact waiting for them with the Head Girl, going over a few Head duties that they hadn't done the past week. Ron who happened to have early patrol also was doodling on some parchment and Ginny was reading a magazine. After a quick discussion it was decided that they would have a meeting in the boy's seventh year dorm room, seeing as how it was empty at the moment with Dean and Seamus at the library and Neville doing homework in the common room.

Taylor didn't waste any time telling the Hufflepuff the few more important things that he didn't know already and introducing him to Dumbledore's portrait.

"Hello Mr. Hunter, it is indeed nice to see you here." Dumbledore's voice was slightly amused and there was a distinct twinkle in his painted blue eyes as he peered over his half moon glasses.

"Dumbledore! Bloody Hell!" The Head Boy exclaimed as he looked in surprise from Taylor to the others and back to the painting. "Sorry, Professor, sir. How long…?"

"I'm sure Taylor will tell you all about it later. For now I am interested to find out what happened in your training session with Kingsley."

Taylor and Harry explained all that they had learned in their talk before their training actually began. Taylor was a little surprised to see that this wasn't news to the Head Boy, who simply nodded with a serious expression on his face. Though the others were surprised enough though.

The five Gryffindors, lone Hufflepuff and Dumbledore's painting talked for the next forty minutes about what it could mean and though they didn't come up with any answers, it was decided by the majority of the group that Taylor was going to have to be careful and they would all keep an extra eye on her from now on. Much to the younger witch's displeasure.

When there was a knock on the dormitory door and Neville asked if he could come in, the six students stood from their various positions on beds and the floor and, with a goodbye to the painting, ended their meeting.

"I'll walk you out," Taylor offered to Greg as she headed down from her brother's room after saying hi to Neville on the way past. She followed the Hufflepuff down the stairs and out through the portal before speaking again. "Hey, you've been awfully quiet. Did I make the wrong decision?"

The Hufflepuff smiled down at his witch, as he heard the worry in her voice. "No. Thank you for telling me." He looked at his witch worriedly. He could tell she was fretting about their talk about the werewolf attack. "Taylor I don't blame you, you know. Given the alternative, it really was for the best. We were lucky no one died."

Taylor ran her hand up through her hair, as she looked away from the boy who was now a werewolf because of her. "How come I don't feel all that lucky? Because of me…"

Greg wrapped his arms around his witch and pulled her against him, as he fought a battle of his own. He would spend his first night away from his witch since he'd been bitten. He breathed deeply trying to memorize her smell for the long night ahead. "I don't blame you. I love you. It's not your fault, it's Voldemort's."

"I hate that tosser! Old Voldy is going to pay one day! Mark my words!"

The Hufflepuff couldn't help but smile at the determination in his witch's voice even as the resolution in it filled him with dread.

A few seconds later Taylor pulled back a little so she could see up into the Head Boy's eyes and she searched them for a second before asking in a gentle voice, "Are you… going to be alright tonight?"

The Hufflepuff attempted a smile but it wavered and fell, "Yeah…"

Tenderly she brought his hand up to her face and placed it against her cheek kissing his palm. "Why don't you ask Pomfrey for some dreamless sleep potion? It will help."

The Hufflepuff looked away from her eyes, "Greg, you are not weak for taking it. I wished I could, I…" a shuddering breath escaped her, "You're _not_ weak. Go to Pomfrey, I know she won't mind giving you some for a few nights at least."

The werewolf's eyes reluctantly met his witch's again, "I… she, Pomfrey, she offered me some last night, but… I didn't want to fall asleep and miss you." His voice dropped lower and husky with a hint of pain, "I'm going to miss you tonight, witch."

"I'm going to miss you too!" Taylor whispered before clearing her throat and saying in a firmer voice. "Now go, see Pomfrey, get the potion and go get some sleep. Tomorrow is going to be a full day! I'll meet you in the Entrance Hall first thing for breakfast okay?"

The Head Boy dropped his head down by his witch's and breathing deeply once again whispered in her ear, "Okay, witch, but you and me are going to find a broom cupboard tomorrow and catch up on some serious snogging."

Taylor felt a delicious shiver travel down her spine at the intensity in his voice, "You can count on it Hufflepuff!"

The following day the Head Boy, now a werewolf even if only a handful of people knew, did find it scary. The night hadn't been as bad as he thought with the help of the dreamless sleep potion, and his witch was waiting for him in the Entrance Hall when he came out of the corridor from his common room. Things got harder from there though. He wasn't sure if the Slytherins knew or were just guessing at it but they always had some snide remark whenever he was near them. Before noon he was immensely glad that his witch wasn't in any of his classes now because it was everything he could do not to hex some of them himself.

Though when he caught sight of her as she entered the Great Hall for lunch with Potter and the others, he knew she was pissed.

"Please someone tell me again why I can't just hex one of their smirks off their faces!" Taylor practically snarled as she slammed her book bag down on the floor beside him.

"Who are you talking about Taylor?" Sally-Anne asked bewildered by the Gryffindor's outburst.

Taylor turned and sent a dirty glare over at the Slytherin table.

"Oh… what did they do now?" Sally-Anne asked.

Taylor glanced up at the Head Boy and could see the unease in his eyes. With an effort she changed the subject. "Did you have Defense yet? What did you think of that new spell?"

The afternoon didn't go much better, except when Taylor entered the Great Hall for supper she had a very satisfied smile on her face and sat down beside the Head Boy and grabbed a roll.

"You look like the cat that swallowed the canary, what gives Gryffindor?" Greg asked suddenly wary.

"Oh nothing, just returned what was given." Taylor said vaguely and then she caught Ron's eye and she grinned.

"Taylor?" There was a warning in the Head Boy's voice.

"Don't be so impatient Hufflepuff. Some things you just need to wait for." Taylor said softly with an impish grin.

A few minutes later a group of seventh and sixth year Slytherins walked in through the door. At first glance it wasn't obvious what was off about them but the more one looked it became apparent. Every single one had little brown antenna like protrusions sticking out of their heads about two inches long, at least twenty to thirty per head.

The Head Boy turned to the Gryffindor witch beside him and raised his eyebrow questioningly.

"Ask no questions and I shall tell no lies, my dear sir!" Taylor said in her best impersonation of Sir Cadogan, the annoying painting who had guarded the Gryffindor Tower entrance for a while in third year.

The rest of the Great Hall went silent as everyone turned to look at the Slytherins and then amid laughter and pointing the noise level rose once again to normal.

"I have quidditch practice after supper, and Binns is being a prick, so you can't come watch, something about being a Gryffindor spy…" The Head Boy said as he ate glaring off down the table at the quidditch captain, "but after that, what say you and I," he leaned his head right down by her ear and said softly in a seductive tone as his breath tickly her ear, "procure a broom cupboard somewhere?"

Taylor felt warmth spread out through her whole body, and she grinned up at the Head Boy, "Sounds like a great idea to me."

A little while later Taylor watched as the Head Boy and the rest of the Hufflepuff quidditch team filed out of the Great Hall, his dark hair and broad shoulders made him easy to recognize until he was out through the door.

A giggle sounded beside Taylor, "Yeah, I like to watch them walk out too! I should be jealous you know. Greg is the cutest Hufflepuff, and he's Head Boy to boot! But I suppose Connor is cute too. He has a better butt then Greg's I think."

Taylor grinned over at her friend, "Why, Sally-Anne! And here I thought you were such a studious, shy witch!"

Sally-Anne rolled her eyes, "Pleeeaaase! A girl has to look. My momma always said window-shopping was just fine! As long as you look and don't touch!" The two witches laughed and carried on for a little while.

"Oi! Porter!"

Taylor looked up and saw her brother and Ron trying to get her attention.

"I gotta go, I'll see you tomorrow."

With one last look at her friend, and a smirk on her face as she met the Slytherins, glares, Taylor headed up to the Gryffindor common room to do homework until the sky turned dark and the Head Boy would be back in from practice.

* * *

><p>AN Well there you are another chapter. Nothing major happening in this chapter I know but hopefully some back story was filled in and your answers as to the Ravenclaw werewolf were answered... well as much as will be for now. I promise that will be explained at a later time! I know pranks were not a big thing at Hogwarts when Harry went there but as I like to think Taylor is more like James Potter that she would at least try a few pranks at some point.(I applogize for the corny antenna but we'll just chock it up to Taylor not having enough time to research a really good prank!) Hope you enjoyed! I will try to post another tomorrow if not then on Monday.

Thank You to all of you who have left a review! Also those who Favorited and Alerted this story! Plus those who have read this far! THANK YOU! Thanks also to my beta barbc who has made this story readable! Well until next time, cytpotter.


	71. Powerful Magical Creature

If I owned Harry Potter... ahhhh what a nice dream! :D

* * *

><p>Chapter Seventy-one<p>

**Powerful Magical Creature**

Over the next few days things seemed to settle back into a sort of rhythm.

The Head Boy and Taylor had classes, quidditch practice or research session, homework, and patrols but they always found time to sneak in a broom cupboard here or there.

The Slytherins for the most part seemed content to leave off their snide remarks since they still had the odd antenna sticking out of their head.

Hogwarts newest werewolf was settling back into life fairly well. There was the odd thing that made him edgy but for the most part things were good, thanks in no small part due to the underage Gryffindor witch that was with him at every opportunity.

The bell to end the first class on Thursday morning had just rung out across the grounds and the seventh year Gryffindors and the Ravenclaws started to clean up their work stations and pack up their books before heading out of the greenhouse for their next class.

"Neville, what did you think Professor Sprout meant by…"

Taylor caught Ron's eye and saw him pull a face behind Hermione's back as she went on asking Neville about the plant they had just studied. Taylor kept a straight face, but just barely, as her brother joined in obviously trying to make the younger witch crack up.

All together they set out across the lawns. It was a damp day, with clouds hanging low in the sky threatening rain.

"It looks like you guys are going to get wet practicing tonight." Taylor said as Hermione and Neville continued to talk just ahead of her brother, Ron and her.

"I don't think I've dried out yet from the last practice," Ron grumbled quietly.

"Well the way you guys performed during last practice you're lucky we didn't stay all night!" Harry cut back, still upset with his team's poor last practice.

"Well if we didn't get all the rainy practices, maybe we'd practice better!" Ron said testily.

"What if it rains during the game? Are we going to play like crap?" Harry shot back.

Taylor rolled her eyes. The two of them had been having the same argument for the entire week because for the last two Gryffindor practices it had poured. The Hufflepuffs had lucked into drier weather and Ron, as well as a couple of the others on the team, had started complaining.

"Well schedule a practice when the Hufflepuffs want it. Maybe then we'll be dry! Besides Hunter could use some cooling off! He's had an annoyingly smug look on his face all week!" Ron's dig at Taylor didn't go unnoticed.

"You just leave Greg alone Ron or I'll…" what she would have done went unsaid as screams echoed up across the grounds.

The two siblings' eyes met for a split second before they dropped their book bags and raced towards the screams.

Pelting across the grounds towards the Forbidden forest, Taylor yanked her cloak off and then her school robes leaving just her school uniform. She didn't want anything getting in the way and tangling up in her legs. As the screams drew nearer, a low snarling sound could be heard as well as Hagrid's frantic voice.

Taylor's legs weren't as long as her brother's or Ron's and she fell behind a little as she came to a slight rise in the ground and when she topped it her feet almost stumbled as she caught the first sight of the source of the terrified screams.

There, in a slightly cleared section just on the edge of the Forbidden forest, where Hagrid often held his classes, was a Manticore.

Taylor's heart came up into her throat as she saw the beast lunge at Hagrid as the large man tried to grab a fallen third year off the ground, narrowly missing both. She could see other third years now, some racing up across the grounds towards the castle, while others tried to get out of the beast's way and take refuge in the forest.

Her mind flashed back to the day she had gone to Care of Magical Creatures with Greg and they had talked about Manticores, but neither the description nor the picture did the creature justice. Much bigger than a lion, standing over four feet tall. The head, though human, looked wild with sharp pointed teeth and almost cat-like ears that were flattened back now as it snarled again. Its eyes were cat-like too, except instead of yellow or green they were a pale, pale blue that sent a shiver up one's spine. The tail, like that of a scorpion, was over eight feet long and whipped through the air with deadly speed and its sting would cause instant death.

Racing down the slight incline she reached the cleared section as her brother and Ron cast their first spells.

"The tail! Look out for the tail!" Taylor yelled as she cast several stunners in quick succession. The beast turned towards her and she had to jump sideways to avoid its striking tail as she heard her brother and Ron's yells to watch out.

"It's no good!" Hagrid yelled, "Spells ain't no good agains' it!"

Just then Taylor caught sight of a third year Hufflepuff girl trembling beside a tree to her left about thirty feet, as the beast also spotted the girl and started towards her. Yelling Taylor fired anything and everything that came to mind as she raced towards the girl. She could hear Ron coming behind her casting spells and knew her brother was there and firing also. Between the three of them they were able to at least slow the Manticore down as Harry grabbed the girl and hauled her up off the ground.

"Run!" Harry bellowed as the beast suddenly lunged towards the three seventh years and they dove for cover behind a huge fallen log. The tail with its deadly stinger smashed into the log a mere foot from where they were. A low snarl from the beast and suddenly it leapt easily over the log and swung to face them.

"Bloody Hell!" Ron yelled as the three came to their feet and let loose. Taylor knew her spells were getting Darker as she tried to find something to stop this creature.

"Stupefy!"

"Impedimenta!"

"Stupefy!"

Taylor heard the new voices and recognized one above all the others. Out of the corner of her eye she could see the Head Boy and several other Hufflepuffs racing towards them.

"We need to keep it from getting to the school!" Harry yelled.

The Manticore lunged at the three Gryffindors again and they jumped back over the log rolling on the ground, as its large paw swiped where they had just been, tearing out a huge chunk of the wood. Taylor could see as she rolled, that Hagrid was pushing third years towards the school as he carried two limp bodies in his arms.

Coming to her feet she heard her brother yell again, telling them to form a line to try to keep the creature here to give the third years time to escape.

Moving sideways with her brother she was soon between the Manticore and the school once again.

"What works on these things!" Someone yelled.

"Nothing! We just have to keep it busy until help gets here!" The Head Boy said as he dodged a strike from the tail.

"Bloody Hell! We aren't going to be able to hold it much longer! We need help now!" Ron bellowed as the Manticore let loose another snarl and lunged again, narrowly missing Connor who had arrived with Greg and the others.

The creature managed to scatter their line once again and was suddenly between the school and the seventh years.

"Ron! Look!" Hermione screeched as she and several others arrived, as well as Tonks.

Taylor wheeled to see what Hermione was talking about. A silver sword shimmered into existence at the Gryffindor's feet.

Taylor was just about to yell, when the words died in her throat, as a moan reached her ears.

Wheeling she saw Harry sink to his knees, as the Manticore turned towards him.

"Noooooo!" The word ripped from her throat as she raced towards her brother. Her heart was in her throat as she watched her brother fall to the ground holding his head in his hands.

Diving she landed on top of him, her wand out, the ancient words already rolling off her tongue, as the pendant burnt against her neck. Not an attacking spell but a shield, a very powerful shield, exploded out of her wand as the Manticore attacked.

Taylor lay protectively over her brother as the creature's huge paw swiped at her, and was deflected by her shield, like a thin layer of magic in a dome shape that covered her body and her brother's. Incensed by its failure to reach the witch, the creature began to attack the shield mercilessly. Its claws tearing at her shield as its tail repeatedly stabbed at her.

Sweat was pouring off her within seconds. The Manticore was a very powerful magical creature and the effort to keep her shield in place was enormous.

Ron's heart nearly stopped when he heard Taylor scream and saw Harry falling. It was nothing though compared to what happened next, as she jumped on Harry and the Manticore leaped on the two of them. Time seemed to stand still as the whole group froze and watched in horror as the creature attempted to rip the two Gryffindors apart.

It was only a dozen slow heartbeats before everyone sprang into action again. Ron saw Tonks and several Hufflepuffs rush forward, firing spells at the Manticore to try to draw it off the two fallen Gryffindors. The creature didn't seem to notice as it continued to try to claw through Taylor's shield.

Ron was just about to join them when his knee hit something and he looked down to see a sword sticking out of the ground. Without thinking he pulled the sword out of the ground and ran towards the Manticore. With one swing he cut the tail off the irate creature and then was even able to drive the sword into its side once, before it even realized that it was under attack. By then it was too late. Ron pulled the sword out and drove it back in, straight into the Manticore's heart.

With an inhuman shriek the Manticore staggered sideways and toppled over, its tail flopped on the ground twice, as bright orange blood soaked the ground and its pale yellow side where the sword had been.

Breathing hard Taylor looked down at her brother, as she let her shield drop at the same time the creature had. In the back of her mind she knew she wouldn't have lasted much longer under its assault. Even now, her brother had his head held in his hands, his face deathly white as he moaned softly again.

"Taylor, Ron!" Tonks urgent voice said into the stunned silence that followed the collapse of the Manticore. "Get Harry out of here now! Here wrap my cloak around him and go!"

Shaking slightly but understanding, Taylor struggled to get to her feet, as the sound of deeper yells reached the clearing. Help from the castle was coming but also the aurors. A hand caught her by the elbow and pulled her to her feet, as anxious blue eyes met hers.

Ron was already bent over Harry trying to lift him off the ground. Without a word the Head Boy reached down and helped Ron lift Harry up and then slinging the limp Gryffindor's arms over their shoulders, the cloak precariously hanging over his shoulders, the pair started to carry him away across the grounds. Taylor and Hermione right behind the three seventh year wizards.

Ron steered them up through the grounds looking for as much cover as he could find to keep them hidden from sight. They didn't make it all that far before Harry's soft moans turned to agonized groans.

Hermione's fearful eyes met Taylor's and the two witches hurried to get in front of the three wizards. Harry's head hung down, deathly pale as sweat dripped off his face and his eyes were screwed tightly shut, as the other two carried him.

"Ron you're going to need to put him down, we are far enough away now!" Taylor commanded as she summoned their discarded robes and laid them on the ground. She avoided looking at the Hufflepuff for the moment, her full attention on her brother. She knew he was having a _vision_ from Voldemort, and a bad one.

As carefully as possible the two lowered the limp Gryffindor to the ground on top of the robes the witch had put there.

"What can we do?" Hermione asked fearfully as she watched her best friend curl into a ball holding his head and groaning. Knowing even as she spoke that there wasn't anything they could do.

"Nothing… we just have to wait until it's over." Taylor said softly as she dropped to the ground beside her brother. Reaching out a shaking hand she put it on his shoulder, trying to comfort him the only way she knew how.

The Hufflepuff stood watching his witch and the other two Gryffindors in stoic silence. He didn't have a clue what was going on, though he knew the others did. Their faces all showed the identical fearful expression as they stood or knelt near the Gryffindor lying on the ground.

He had been heading to Care of Magical Creatures when he and the other Hufflepuffs had heard the screams and ran to see what was the matter. They had been surprised as they met terrified third years running away from the Forbidden Forest. One had yelled that there was a monster as they went by. Nothing had prepared him though for the sight that met his eyes as they came over the last rise. His witch, Potter and Weasley being attacked by a Manticore…

With a deep breath he looked back down at Potter, just as the Gryffindor moved, rolling over and was sick.

"Harry! Merlin, are you all right? What's happened?" Hermione asked fearfully as she watched her friend finally come back to them.

Harry shook his head, as he felt his stomach revolt once again at what he had just seen and was sick once more.

"You need to tell us!" He heard his sister's firm voice and he groaned squeezing his eyes shut. "Harry… what happened?"

"Oh god Taylor!" Harry muttered as he looked at his sister, shaking so hard his teeth chattered and agony filled him. How could he tell her? "He knows…"

Taylor's eyes went wide in fear, "Voldemort knows…?" She saw him shake his head.

"He knows where you lived… He found out about Mrs. Briggs… Oh god, I'm so sorry!"

Taylor froze as stark fear rose up in her and she shook her head. "No…"

Her brother's voice was agonized when he spoke again, "He went there… himself… Mrs. Briggs, her niece… her family…"

Taylor stared into her brother's eyes and knew from his look that he has just seen it all happen. A lump swelled up in her throat and she threw herself into her brother's arms as a sob welled up and pushed past the lump in her throat.

Hermione's trembling hand was already over her mouth and with a cry she stood and turned into Ron's chest, as his arms came around her.

Ron shook his head sadly as his eyes strayed from where brother and sister knelt awkwardly on the ground holding each other, to the silent Hufflepuff staring at the pair with a carefully controlled expression on his face.

Voices off in the distance could be heard, as a light rain started to fall masking the sound of the two witches crying.

It was a long while before Harry felt strong enough to get up as the tremors slowly faded from his body, as well as the pain in his scar, leaving him feeling weak. The vision had been incredibly intense as well as very disturbing. He could feel his sister's first agonized sobs slowly recede and now she was weeping quietly into his chest. He felt his heart go out to her. She had grown very fond of Mrs. Briggs and he knew she would miss the older woman greatly. The senselessness of it wasn't lost on him. Neither Mrs. Briggs nor her family could tell Voldemort anything about his sister, not beyond the story that Taylor had always lived under.

Harry could hear something and looked up to see Moody and Lupin hurrying towards them.

"Potter, are you alright? Tonks said something happened to you." Moody growled as his magical eye slowly moved over the Chosen One and then took in the witch in his arms, the robes on the ground, as well as the other three standing close by.

Harry swallowed as he met the old auror's eyes. "I'm fine but there has been another attack."

Moody just nodded briskly as he said, "Up with you then boy. We need to get you to the castle."

Harry stood and pulled his sister up, keeping an arm wrapped around her shoulders. He heard Lupin mutter a drying spell and throw a cloak over the two of them as they set off for the castle silently.

Moody led them through the front door and straight up the staircase away from the Great Hall where, from the sounds of the noise, most of the students were gathered. He spoke quietly to an auror and then proceeded to lead them up through the school to the stone gargoyle that guarded the entrance to the Head Mistress' office.

"Quidditch Cup!" Moody barked and led the group onto the revolving stairs.

McGonagall was waiting for them when they entered her office, her face drawn and strained as she looked over the five seventh years noting the various scratches and varying amounts of mud on each one.

"Alastor, what's happened?"

Moody turned to look at Harry and he said, "Potter said he just witnessed another attack."

McGonagall gasped and turned worried eyes on Harry and he nodded.

"I'm afraid so Professor," Harry's voice sounded strange even to him. "It was Mrs. Briggs…"

McGonagall turned to one of the portraits of the past Head Masters, a thin, sharp-faced wizard. "MacNeily would you go to headquarters and inform someone that there has been an attack at Briggs' Cottage?"

"Of course Minerva!" The painting said before he walked out of the portrait.

McGonagall turned back to look at Potter as she said. "You need to tell us what you saw."

Harry nodded slowly and his eyes drifted to his sister still standing with her arm around him for support, and he knew he couldn't tell her here, not like this. His eyes lifted up to the Hufflepuff standing silently on the other side of Ron. "Greg, please take Taylor outside for a few minutes."

Taylor's head lifted away from her brother as she shook her head. "No! I want to know what happened! I have a _right_ to know what happened, Harry!"

Harry looked down at his sister as he draped the heavy cloak over her shoulders and grasped them in his hands, meeting her angry, swollen eyes. His voice was soft but firm. "Taylor I need you to go out with Greg for a few minutes. Please, do this for me." Harry could see her shaking her head again and looked up at the Hufflepuff again a plea in his eyes.

"Come on Taylor," Greg said softly as he stepped forward. He saw the anger in his witch's eyes. Without hesitating he put his arm around her and pulled a move from the witch's book and with a discreet wave of his wand froze her. He was a little surprised when Potter nodded ever so slightly, and he partially carried, and partially levitated his witch out of the Head Mistress' office, Tonks long cloak dragging on the floor covering the fact that her feet weren't moving.

Once outside the door he put up a silencing charm before he released her from his spell, his witches furious glare letting him know she was not pleased.

"What do you think you are doing!" Taylor yelled as soon as she could move again. "I want to know what happened! I _need_ to know what happened!"

The Hufflepuff caught the witch around the middle as she tried to move past him and go back into the office. His voice was gentle but firm as he held her against him, "I don't know exactly what just happened but if Harry says he can't tell McGonagall and the others about it with you in there, then he can't."

He felt her fist strike his chest as she yelled in frustration and then both fists pounded against him as he held her firmly. Held like this she couldn't hurt him. He just hoped as upset as she was, that she didn't think to go for her wand. Her words were mostly incoherent and soon she wore herself out and started to cry once more.

With a heavy heart he held her tight. He knew she had just lost someone, though how Potter knew he wasn't sure. The only thing that mattered right then was that his witch had been fortunate enough to escape the Manticore unharmed, and he could hold her in his arms now and try to comfort her when she needed him.

It was a long time before the door to the office opened and they were admitted back in. The Head Boy noticed, right away, the pale faces on the Gryffindors, the tears on Hermione's face as she stood hugging Potter, who looked very upset also. He kept his arm protectively around Taylor and was secretly relieved when she stayed with him instead of going to Potter.

They weren't in the office for a full minute. Moody had just started to speak, when there was a knock on the door and an auror walked in. He glanced curiously at the seventh years but addressed the Head Mistress. "I'm sorry to say this Head Mistress but I have grave news."

McGonagall nodded sadly but she addressed the seventh years. "You may all return to your common rooms unless you need to see Madame Pomfrey?" The five students shook their heads, "Then the rest of your house will join you shortly and lunch will be served there. Additionally the Head of each house will be by to inform you of all that has happened. Miss Granger and Mr. Hunter, the school is going to look to you as Head Girl and Head Boy for guidance at this difficult time. I know I can count on you for your help." The Head Mistress' gaze softened slightly as she looked at the underage witch with the Head Boy's arm still protectively wrapped around her. "Mr. Hunter if you wish, you may return to Gryffindor Tower as well for this afternoon. I'll let Professor Sprout know where you are."

* * *

><p>AN Questions? Concerns? Comments? Not sure if you know this but a Manticore is a very powerful magical creature and it takes no less then 100 trained wizards to take one down... as written in _Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them(by JK Rowling) _though of course there is nothing written in there about using a magical sword! ;) Hope it was believable. I also took the loose discription of the Manticore from that book as well.

Thank you to those who Reviewed, Alerted, and or Favorited this story! Thank you for just reading this far, Wow 71 chapters! A far cry from the 25 or so I thought this story was going to be when I first started to write it! lol! Thanks as well to my beta, barbc! Well until next time, cytpotter.


	72. To Hide

Nope I still don't own Harry!

This chapter is a little dark. It has a bit of self-injury in it... I just want to warn you in case this might bother you.

* * *

><p>Chapter Seventy-two<p>

**To Hide**

It was a long silent walk back to the Gryffindor common room.

When they reached the portrait of the Fat Lady, Ron muttered the password and they filed into the empty room and sat on the sofas around the fire. Greg sat beside Taylor with his arm still around her, Ron took a seat beside Hermione who was still upset, and Harry sat on the other side of Hermione, the after effects, as well as the content, of the vision itself weighing heavily on his mind.

The five seventh years sat silently in the weird gray light of midmorning as rain fell softly against the windows for a few minutes before they heard the distant rumble of the students being let out of the Great Hall and heading for their common rooms.

It was Hermione who broke the silence in the room when she asked quietly, "Do you think the rest of the school knows what happened?"

Ron shrugged his shoulders, "Don' know."

The rumbling sound of many feet moving through the castle got louder and louder until the portrait swung open, but it was a very quiet bunch of Gryffindors who filed in through. The few who were talking did so in whispers, though they all noted the four seventh year Gryffindors already seated, as well as the lone Hufflepuff.

Seamus was the first to approach the sofas. "So it wasn't any of you that was killed then."

Harry's head came up as well as the others and stared at Seamus in surprise.

"Killed? How do you know someone was killed?" Harry asked in a tight voice.

"Well why else would they round up everyone and put them in the Great Hall for a head count? What exactly happened out on the grounds anyway? The Hufflepuffs that came in last didn't say anything." Seamus turned to look at the lone Hufflepuff when he said this, before looking back at Harry as he continued. "Though there was a rumor that there was a Manticore out on the grounds."

The common room was silent as everyone waited to hear what Harry was going to say. They never did get a chance as the portrait swung open once again and Kingsley Shacklebolt stepped through before straightening up to his full height and surveying the silent room.

"Professor McGonagall has asked me to come and speak to you on her behalf." His deep voice solemn and easily carried through the room. "I am sure you are all wondering why you have been sent to your common rooms. It is my sad duty to tell you that this morning there was an attack on a class out on the grounds by a Manticore." Gasps and a few soft curses were heard. "The third year class that was attacked was lucky enough to escape mostly unharmed, though a few will need to be hospitalized for a few days, because of the quick action of some seventh years. I am afraid though that two of the seventh years were, sadly… killed."

Harry's and the Head Boy's eyes met for an instant. The Gryffindors who had been there were all accounted for that left only…

The Hufflepuff's voice was strangled as he asked, "Who…?" but it wasn't the only voice asking.

"Joshua Morden and Candice Ward."

"But those are Slytherins," Ron said confused.

"Yes, Mr. Weasley. We are very aware of that." Kingsley said but there was a warning in his voice.

"Where were they found?" Taylor asked, her voice hard as she met Shacklebolt's eyes defiantly. Anger burned through her for the first time since the numb, empty feeling had taken over. If two Slytherins were killed then that meant they were somewhere they shouldn't have been, because no Slytherin had come to help.

Shacklebolt's voice was cautious as he answered. He had a good idea that Porter had already come up with where the two dead students had to have been. "Not far from where the Manticore was killed." He turned away from the angry witch to address the room once more. "Needless to say the grounds need to be searched to find out how the Manticore was able to cross the wards protecting this school. You are all to remain in this common room until either I or the Head Mistress come to let you out." With a wave of his wand the tables in the room were covered with platters of sandwiches and jugs of pumpkin juice before turning and heading back thru the portal. A shimmer, when the Fat Lady swung closed, indicated the sealing charm on the doorway.

As soon as the Professor left, a buzz of talk erupted in the room as everyone started talking.

Hermione went to talk to a couple of first years and Ron went to get something to eat, bringing back a whole plate of sandwiches offering it to first Harry and then to Taylor and the Head Boy.

Taylor shook her head a little and then, pulling the cloak around her, she brought her knees up and leaned her head against them, noticing distractedly that it was Tonks' cloak that she was still wearing. The numbness had returned, seemingly swallowing her anger, and she welcomed it. The numbness didn't hurt.

Greg watched as the Gryffindors all dealt with the news in different ways. Some talked, some even joked though they kept it down and some, like the silent witch beside him, didn't say anything. Some might think she was almost bored, but he could feel the tension in her body and see the whiteness in her knuckles as her arms were wrapped around her knees. After a while he glanced over at Potter. Ginny had joined him on the sofa but he noticed the quidditch captain wasn't eating either, his face was still a little pale. Weasley didn't seem to have any troubles eating however and was contentedly munching away on the stack of sandwiches.

When Hermione finally joined Ron on the sofa again, the common room was decidedly emptier as students drifted off to their dorm rooms to talk or do school work. The ones that did remain seemed to sense that the seventh years sitting on the sofas wanted to be left alone.

The common room was relatively quiet when Hermione glanced around to see that students were either working on homework or, in the case of a couple of second years in the corner, playing wizard's chess, before she put up a silencing charm.

"Are you feeling okay Harry?" Hermione asked as she turned to her friend in concern. She could see that he was a little pale and quieter then usual.

Harry glanced up from gazing at the fire to meet the Head Girl's eyes as he slowly nodded, "Yeah, I'm fine. Just a little drained, I guess."

Ginny was brimming with curiosity but she had held her tongue knowing that Harry and the others would tell her when they were alone. She sensed that whatever had happened, some of it wouldn't be known by any but a select few. She had found that throughout the years, that was the case with Harry, Ron, Hermione and Taylor in many situations.

Keeping the curiosity mostly out of her voice she asked, "So what really did happen? Did you guys really fight a Manticore?" though keeping the incredulity out of her voice was harder.

With a nod, Hermione told Ginny what had happened. Ron filled in what Hermione didn't know as she was later getting there and the Hufflepuff told the others about how the Hufflepuffs had arrived. They explained to the sixth year about trying to use magic against the Manticore and how useless it was. Harry saw his girlfriend's eyes fill with fear as he told her about having the vision from Voldemort. He couldn't remember anything past that, so Ron took over to say how Taylor had used a Dark Magic shield to protect Harry from the Manticore.

Ron then opened his robes and pulled the silver sword out, that he had used to kill the Manticore. Laying it on the low table in front of them they could see the name Godric Gryffindor clearly inscribed on the blade. It was the same sword Harry had used in second year to kill the basilisk.

Hermione gazed open mouthed at the sword as she whispered, "Why didn't you give it back to McGonagall? How did it appear out on the grounds in the first place?"

"Help will always be given at Hogwarts to those who ask for it…" Harry said in awe as he remembered the words Dumbledore had said to him all those years ago.

Hermione's eyes were round as she whispered, "You did ask for help. Wow Ron, you called Gryffindor's sword to you! That's… wow…"

"Well, you know… I do have my moments," Ron muttered as his ears turned red, his voice a mix of pride and embarrassment

They went on with the rest of the tale, talking about everything except the horrific details of Harry's vision, just that Mrs. Briggs and her family had been killed.

"So how did the Slytherins get killed?" Ginny asked thoughtfully.

Taylor sat quietly as the others talked, only really hearing bits and pieces of it as her mind wandered. She had never really ever lost someone close to her. Sure Sirius had been killed, but he hadn't been particularly close to her she hadn't known about her brother at that time so she'd felt sad, but… Then there had been Cedric Diggory… again sad but still not like this. When Dumbledore had died… that had been hard and probably as close to how she felt now.

It was the senselessness of Mrs. Briggs death that made her heart ache. The kind old witch had never hurt anyone, only opened her home to an orphaned witch. Fighting the tears that threatened to fall, she wished she had been sent to an orphanage to stay for the summers.

A truly disturbing thought occurred to her, as she once again listened to the voices of her friends around her. If one of them was killed… she didn't think she would ever survive it. If it was her brother or the Hufflepuff… She shook her head trying to dispel the terrifying thought.

It was nearly suppertime when Shacklebolt unsealed the entrance and stepped into the common room.

His deep voice sounding slightly weary as he announced, "You make leave to go down to the Great Hall for supper now. The grounds have been searched and are once again safe."

The Hufflepuff stretched and glanced down at the witch beside him. She hadn't moved barely all afternoon. He'd have thought she might have fallen asleep except that her body hadn't relaxed at all. When he looked up, Potter met his eyes and he could see the worry that he was feeling reflected in the other wizard's eyes.

Slowly the common room began to empty as students headed down to the Great Hall for supper.

"Hey Harry, we still have practice tonight right?" asked one of the Gryffindor beaters as he went past the sofas on his way out.

Harry hesitated for a second as he looked at his sister, but the anger that was in her eyes when she lifted her head to look at him made it clear what she wanted his answer to be. His voice was a little sharper than he meant it to be when he answered, "Of course there's practice tonight."

The walk down to the Great Hall and the subsequent meal all passed in a sort of haze for Taylor, and even though her friends tried to get her to eat something she just couldn't seem to drag up the desire. She knew she wasn't being much of a friend, or a girlfriend to the concerned Hufflepuff beside her, but she just couldn't make anything work. Words that she thought she should say died on her tongue, as fleeting, disorganized thoughts kept running through her mind.

When the others finished eating, her brother leaned across the table and asked her if she wanted him to cancel practice tonight. She had shaken her head and he had reluctantly left with Ginny, Ron and the other team members. The Hufflepuff stayed with her and Hermione until they walked out of the Great Hall. He had been even more unwilling to leave her to go see the other Hufflepuffs, but as Head Boy he felt it was his duty as well. He was concerned about his fellow house mates, especially the third years.

The Hufflepuff was relieved to find out that none of the third years were seriously hurt when he visited them in the Hospital Wing a little while later. His friends had been a little worried at first, but Sprout had informed them that he had gone to up to Gryffindor Tower and he told his friends about Taylor losing someone in a Death Eater attack that morning. He had early patrol again and went straight to the Fat Lady as soon as he was finished to see his witch again.

"I'm sorry Hunter, but you can't see Taylor tonight."

Greg stared at Potter for a second before he demanded, standing just outside the entrance to Gryffindor Tower. "What do you mean _I can't_ see her?" He saw the Gryffindor's face turn belligerent.

"Just exactly what I said!"

It was everything the Hufflepuff could do not to take a swing at the shorter wizard and he shifted shoulders as his hands balled into a fists. He just might lose that battle with himself.

"What do you think you are playing at Potter?" the werewolf could see the Gryffindor was itching for a fight as badly as he wanted it also. It would only take a few more seconds…

"What is going on here!" Hermione's voice demanded as she strode down the corridor towards them. "Harry! What is going on?" Hermione was just returning from patrol with Ron also, and was shocked to see the aggressive stance that the two wizards had taken, when she came around the corner. Hurrying she made it to them but neither turned away as they continued to glare at one another.

Moving between the two she put a hand on each one's chest and pushed them back a step. "Greg, you are Head Boy! Now what is going on here!" She was relieved to see some of the anger leave his face, though his eyes were still alive with it, as he turned to her.

"Potter said I can't see Taylor tonight."

Hermione sighed and she sent a glare at Harry that made him look down and away. She would give him his dressing down shortly. "You won't be able see Taylor again tonight Greg because she already went to bed. I'm sorry. Shortly after returning from supper she headed up to bed." She felt bad for the Hufflepuff and she softened her voice more as she continued. "I'm worried about her too Greg. I've never seen her so… detached, but she just lost the closest thing to family that she has. We are going to have to give her time and support."

The Head Boy felt the last of his anger flee as the Head Girl defused the heated situation with ease. He even felt a little guilty about challenging what Potter said in the first place, but only a little. He nodded contritely. "Sorry Hermione. I just let my worry go to my head I guess. I'll see you in the morning." The Head Boy gave a jerky nod to Potter and then Weasley, before he turned and headed down the corridor.

Hermione watched, as the Hufflepuff's shoulders seemed to slump just before he turned the corner and she felt bad for him. She had seen the worry that covered his face as soon as the anger had disappeared.

"Git," Ron muttered as the Hufflepuff turned the corner and then flinched as Hermione smacked him on the arm, before laying into Harry and him for being so confrontational with the Head Boy all the time.

For going to bed so early the night before, Taylor knew she should feel rested, but she didn't. In order to feel rested one needed to sleep and she hadn't slept hardly at all the whole night. She had gone up to her bed so early because she hadn't wanted to face her brother when he returned from quidditch practice, plus she knew Hermione had early patrol and she could pretend to be asleep when she got back from that. A very cowardly way for a Gryffindor to act, true, but she hadn't wanted to see their worried faces any more. She just wanted to be alone.

In the hot pounding shower she tried to feel something besides this numbness. Her mind even felt groggy, sluggish. She remembered bits and pieces of McGonagall's speech last night at supper. Classes for today were cancelled because of the two Slytherins. Suddenly anger hot and potent flooded her stomach. The only thing she could seem to actually feel. She knew instinctively that the reason the two Slytherins were dead was because it was them that had somehow let the Manticore loose on school grounds. They had died because of their own stupidity. Still, they were senseless deaths, why? Why bring a Manticore onto the school grounds?

She hated Morden. He'd been one of the Slytherins who had attacked her and Greg before Christmas and when she hadn't had her wand. Ward was always hanging around with Parkinson and making snide remarks about her and others. Still, she didn't wish them dead.

Her fist smashed into the marble wall and then another and another until she was breathing hard and blood mixed with the water that swirled around the drain before disappearing.

"Taylor?" Hermione's voice called anxiously from outside the shower stall, before she heard the curtain move and heard her friend gasp softly. The blood on the pale gray walls stood out even as it mixed with the hot water and ran down the walls.

"I'm fine Hermione," Taylor said in a hollow voice as the anger receded once more to be replaced by numbness. The only difference was the dull throb from her split knuckles.

"You're not fine!" Hermione said sharply. Her voice softened a little as she chided. "Come on. Let me see if you broke anything. If you did, you're going to Pomfrey and then you can explain it to her. You know you scared Sarah half to death?"

Taylor just shook her head and turned off the taps. She could feel her hands already starting to swell and stiffen. Grabbing her towel she wrapped it around her body, getting blood on it as well.

Hermione waved her wand and bandages flew out and around her friend's hands before she walked out of the washroom and to their dorm.

A half hour later the two headed down to the common room as Hermione continued her lecture, making Harry and Ron turn to see what was going on.

The first thing Harry noticed was the same closed off expression his sister had been wearing since they returned from the Head Mistress' office yesterday, except now there were dark circles under her downcast eyes. It wasn't until she stopped behind Hermione that he caught sight of her hands and did a double take at the redness of her knuckles, immediately recognizing the look as that of a healing potion on new cuts.

Hermione's bossy, "Never mind, Harry!" cut off his inquiry but just barely.

He might not have listened to his bushy-haired friend except she mouthed, "I'll tell you later." so that his sister didn't see and he nodded. Other than a quick glance, he noted that Taylor didn't look up at all and didn't meet anyone's eye. Stifling his irritation he walked down through the castle to the Great Hall for breakfast.

Even though classes had been cancelled for the day, most of the tables were nearly full, except the Slytherin table which was empty. The talk was much quieter than a normal morning also.

Harry noted that the Head Boy was sitting at his table when they walked in and didn't immediately get up to join them. Though it wasn't five minutes before the annoying Hufflepuff dropped down on the seat next to his sister. One thing he could say for the Head Boy, he was very intuitive when it came to his sister and instead of speaking to her when he greeted everyone else, he leaned in close and spoke softly in her ear. Harry saw his sister nod, as she continued to play with the spoon in her cereal.

He wasn't surprised to see the Hufflepuff frown, when he spotted the redness on his sister's hand, nor to see him pick her hand up and examine it closely before leaning in once again to speak in her ear. His sister shook her head that time. The Hufflepuff's frown only deepened but he left it alone.

A few minutes later the post owls arrived. Harry was used to ignoring them. He never got any mail so he went on eating. It wasn't until he heard a gasp from across the table that he looked up again.

Hermione always bought the _Daily Prophet_, so he wasn't surprised to see it but then he saw what was on the front page. A huge headline he could easily read upside down _Another Death Eater Attack_. A full color picture below it of Briggs Cottage, mostly destroyed, with Voldemort's sign still visible above it.

Harry felt his stomach roll unpleasantly as the images of what he had been forced to watch yesterday flashed past his eyes. It wasn't until he felt the table move and someone shout his sister's name that he gave himself a shake and saw his sister racing from the Great Hall.

"Bloody Hell!" Ron groaned as he pushed to his feet, to hurry after his best mate's sister and the Head Boy who had already rushed out of the Great Hall after her. He wondered at the common sense of a paper that would publish a photo like that. Even as he hurried beside his best mate, he could see the effect the photo had on him. His white face testament to the horrors he had been witness to.

As soon as they reached the Entrance Hall, Ron saw the Head Boy come out from behind a tapestry.

"Where is she?" Harry demanded.

Greg looked at the four Gryffindors as he shook his head, "I don't know. She was gone by the time I got out here."

"We need to find her." Harry said adamantly. "Hermione, you check the second floor and the girl's lavatories. Ron, you take the third floor in case she got that far. Hunter, you take the Hufflepuff side of the ground floor and I'll take the dungeon side. Ginny, I want you to go up and get the Map. We'll all meet back here in twenty minutes."

"You don't think we'll find her?" Ron asked, raising an eyebrow. Harry's bleak expression was answer enough.

* * *

><p>AN I know this chapter was quite dark and I'm sorry but this is how Taylor poured out of my mind as I wrote. She isn't like Harry in some ways... sure she lost her parents but she never knew them... not even a memory like Harry had. Her aunt died a natural death when she was around 3 and then she lost her uncle to a heart attack just before she started at Hogwarts, however while she was at Hogwarts she never had to really deal with a close personal death like Harry did. Harry seen Diggory die. And while I think of Taylor being in the room with the Veil at the Department of Mysteries she wasn't close to Sirius so she would of been sad for sure but not devistated like Harry. Dumbledores death would of been hard on her but Taylor wasn't as close to Dumbledore as Harry. The Headmasters need to keep Taylor away to protect her true identity would of made it so that she wasn't as close to him... plus she again didn't see Snape kill Dumbledore. She would of been fighting in the Entrance Hall with Hermione, Ron and the others.(Yes in every situation in the first six books I could tell you where and what Taylor did... I might not of written it down but that doesn't mean the story didn't already play out in my mind!) So this is the first close personal death that not only Taylor has suffered but she also blames herself for it happening... The next chapter will explain that more. So hopefully that explains where I came from for this chapter and hopefully it wasn't too... for lack of a better word, dark. Please let me know what you think!

Thank you to those who reviewed, alerted and favorited! As well to you for reading this far! Thank you to my beta barbc! Well until next time, cytpotter.


	73. Broom Cupboards and Dark Accusations

Still looking for a couple of ingredients for the Polyjuice Potion so nope still not JK Rowling!

* * *

><p>Chapter Seventy-three<p>

**Broom Cupboards and Dark Accusations**

Taylor ran without thinking, her feet carrying her away from the pain. She turned corners and raced up stairs and down empty corridors without one single conscious thought to where she was going, only away. When she finally stumbled to a stop, gasping for air, she wasn't even a hundred percent sure where she was. The long blank hallway she was in didn't readily give any clues. When she caught her breath enough to move, she followed the hallway until she came to a thin, narrow door behind which was a tiny, dark broom cupboard. Stepping inside, she shut the door.

Enclosed in the dark she wept, for the kind witch who had taken her in after she had lost her uncle. For Mrs. Briggs niece, husband and their daughter, who she had met a few times over the summers and who were always kind to her. And she also cried for the stupidity that had made two Slytherins lose their lives.

A half hour later and six floors below, in another wing of the castle, four Gryffindors and a Hufflepuff entered an empty classroom.

Harry took the Marauders Map from Ginny after their initial search didn't turn up his sister. With a deft flick of his wrist his wand slid into his hand and he touched it to the blank piece of parchment. "I solemnly swear I am up to no good." At another time the expression on the Head Boy's face would have made him laugh. Now he ignored it as he started to search the map as the lines of the castle spread across it. Dots with names moved here and there, but he couldn't find his sister. Frustrated after only a few minutes, he touched the Map once again with his wand. "Show me Taylor Porter!" Even so it was a few seconds before he saw the red dot that signified his sister.

An errant thought crossed his mind as he saw his sister in a tiny broom cupboard on the sixth floor, something he had never thought of before. The Marauders Map _never lied_, but on it his sister's name was still Porter not Potter. Dumbledore really had gone to great lengths to protect the identity of his sister.

"Huh, no wonder we didn't find her. She's on the sixth floor." Ron said as he peered over Harry's shoulder at the Map.

Harry only nodded as he spotted two dots moving towards the classroom they were in labeled Kingsley Shacklebolt and Alastor Moody. Touching his wand to the Map again Harry muttered, "Mischief Managed," and folded the blank piece of parchment up and stuffed it in his pocket as the door to the classroom opened.

"Potter what are you doing in here?" Moody asked in his gravely voice as his magical eye searched the five students.

Harry stood up and met the ex-auror's one normal eye, "We were just talking."

"Where's Porter?"

Harry felt his jaw tighten at the aggressive demand in the ex-auror's voice. He had no intention of telling him where his sister was at the moment. "She went back to the common room. She was a little upset by the picture in the _Daily Prophet_ this morning."

The tension in the room was suddenly palpable as the old auror glared at the five teenagers, especially the Chosen One and he glared right back.

Kingsley's voice was calm as he made to break the tension, "I'm sorry that Miss Porter is upset. That picture had no right being on the front page of a newspaper. However there are some things we need to discuss with Miss Porter. Mr. Potter would you mind getting Miss Porter and meeting in my office in an hours time?"

Harry glanced at his professor and nodded once before he turned back to Moody but the old auror merely grunted and clumped out the door. Shacklebolt spoke to the others before he left also.

After a minute, when it was safe to talk without being overheard, Hermione asked anxiously. "What do you suppose that is all about?"

"I don't know but right now we need to go get Taylor." Harry said in a tight voice and he started for the door as the others followed.

Ten minutes later they reached the far end of the bare hallway on the sixth floor and Harry stopped. He knew his sister because she was a lot like him. She had gone off by herself so that no one could see her cry. It was what he had done. In a way he wished he could just let her be for a little while, and maybe if Moody wasn't pressing him for time that's what he'd have done; just let her grieve in peace. One thing he did know, his sister would not appreciate all of them being there when they opened the broom cupboard door.

"You guys wait here. Maybe I should go alone."

He saw Ron nod in understanding and Hermione hesitated for a second before nodding too. She knew that her friend was more likely to accept Harry's presence when she was extremely upset over anyone else's. Ginny nodded also, the strange relationship that her boyfriend and Taylor had again coming to the forefront.

"I don't think so Potter." The Hufflepuff said in a quiet but steely voice.

Harry turned and looked at the tall Head Boy and saw the challenge in his eyes. With an effort Harry tried to keep the irritation out of his voice, "Taylor is _not_ going to appreciate both of us barging in on her right now." He didn't quite succeed.

"That's why I should go, I'm her boyfriend!"

"And I…'ve known her for a hell of a lot longer!" Harry said just catching himself, his voice dropping low in warning.

"Which counts as what?" Greg could feel anger coursing through him at the way Potter thought everyone should automatically listen to him. The self-righteous arse!

"Look Hunter! I am _not_ your _rival_ here!" Harry practically snarled as it took all his self-control not to plough his fist into the Hufflepuff's face. "But _I do_ know Taylor better! And she will not want you near her right now! Trust me!"

Ron shifted so that if this escalated he would be able to break it up, or more than likely just stun the Hufflepuff. Hermione had been going to step in but Ginny had stopped her and shook her head. The red-haired witch knew this was something the two wizards needed to sort out on their own, though she was more then willing to end it before anyone got hurt, mainly her boyfriend.

Greg fought hard to rein in his temper. He normally wasn't so quick to get angry but Potter just seemed able to bring it out with just a few words. Though some of Potter's words did keep repeating themselves in his head, "I am _not_ your _rival_ here" he was trying too hard to keep a lid on his temper to fully appreciate those words.

Though it felt like backing down, something that Greg did not do easily, he said in a low dangerous tone, "Fine, for Taylor, but someday…"

"Just name the time Hufflepuff!" Harry's voice challenged dangerously, though the Head Boy just turned and walked down the hallway a dozen or so steps, his hands knotted into fists.

It took Harry a few moments to calm down enough to look up at Ron who was watching him closely.

"Alright mate?"

Harry nodded as he turned away from his friend and started towards the broom cupboard where his sister was. As he approached the door, the anger fled, replaced by the concern he had for his sister. When he reached the door he could hear the sound of her crying inside and his heart broke for her. He knew all too well that kind of hurt.

Taking a deep breath he glanced back down the hallway and saw Ron, Hermione and Ginny watching him, as well as the Hufflepuff who was still standing apart from the others. Opening the door he squeezed in. This was a very small broom cupboard, unlikely it was ever used for snogging. He shook the errant thought from his mind and closed the door sliding down the wall beside his sister.

"Jus'… go away, Harry," His sister said in a thick watery voice.

Harry instead put his arm around his sister's shoulders and pulled her against his shoulder. She resisted for a moment but a fresh wave of tears seemed to melt her resistance and she wrapped her arms around him and cried on his shoulder. He just held her for a while until she quieted.

"I'm sorry sis. I'm so sorry." He knew the words did nothing to help the pain. He even remembered hating it when people said them to him, though the words were genuine and spoken from his heart.

"Why? Why Harry? She didn't know anything. She was just a kind old witch."

He knew she didn't expect an answer from him. He remembered how it had always been Taylor who would come and sit quietly with him after Cedric and Sirius died. She seemed to know that just her quiet presence offered a little comfort. She had sometimes sat for hours with him and not said a word, never touching him, just sitting beside him. He had never thanked her and she never, ever brought it up. When Dumbledore had died she had been there also, even though he had Ginny then, his sister had been there to offer her silent comfort, knowing that was the only kind he was able to accept when he hurt like that.

He wished now that he could give his sister that back and he would, he vowed to himself. Just right now they needed to talk before they had to go meet Shacklebolt in his office.

With a heavy sigh he began, "I'm sorry I couldn't tell you all that I saw happen yesterday. It was… I just…" he felt his stomach roll unpleasantly and his heart start to pound as the images once again assaulted his mind.

"Harry…" he felt her shift and lift her head up to look at him through the near dark, only the glow under the crack of the door offering any light. "It's okay. I don't need you to tell me. My own experience and imagination have drawn up a vivid enough picture. I just wish you weren't forced to watch it happen. Voldemort is after me. Why can't he just come get me and leave you and others alone."

He heard the misery and pain in her voice and he tightened his arms around her as fear flooded him at the thought of Voldemort getting his hands on his little sister again. He'd always known Voldemort was after him and he had accepted it as the way things were. Now that Voldemort was actively after his sister… He could endure watching nearly anyone else tortured knowing he couldn't do anything to stop it but he knew it'd probably drive him insane to watch it happen to his sister. His voice shook slightly when he spoke.

"He does it because he knows it hurts. He wants to make you hurt, that's why he did it. He wants you to do something stupid. Voldemort can _never_ find out you are my sister…"

"I'm not going to do something stupid. I want to destroy him Harry. I want to make it so he can never hurt anyone ever again!"

Harry tightened his arms around his sister again and held her protectively against his chest. "We will Taylor. Somehow, we will."

They were both silent for a long while taking comfort in each other's presence.

He knew his sister could use more time but he knew without looking that it had already been more then an hour. He felt a little guilty for not telling Ron and the others to just go back to Gryffindor Tower to wait for him, though not so much for the Hufflepuff.

Sighing he said gently, "I'm sorry…we need to go. Shacklebolt and Moody want to see you about something and I'm sure we are late by now." He felt her nod. "Afterwards if you want we can go someplace quiet for a while." He knew she smiled a little even if he couldn't see it.

"Thank you big brother. I'll be alright…"

Harry smiled sadly and kissed the top of her head as he said softly, "In time, you will." He knew from experience that over time the hurt lessened, and the hole in one's heart never really filled, but it did get smaller.

After a few more minutes he stood carefully in the cramped broom cupboard, his body stiff from the awkward position he'd been forced to sit in. "Next time let's find a bigger broom cupboard okay?"

A shadow of her former self showed through as she said half-heartedly. "You tosser, you know what kind of rumors would get started if someone heard you say that?"

A smirk crossed Harry's face as a certain Hufflepuff came to mind. Oh yeah, something would get started but it wouldn't be just a rumor! Forcing his face to reveal nothing he opened the door and the two of them stepped out.

Ron, Hermione and Ginny stood up at the far end of the hallway and started towards them slowly.

The Head Boy pushed away from where he had been leaning against the wall a little further along, but he hesitated, giving his witch the option of coming to him or not.

Hermione pulled her friend into a hug. "Oh Taylor…" she didn't finish not knowing what to say, though Taylor nodded slightly.

Ginny gave Taylor a hug too, and a comforting rub on the back, before Ron pulled the bespectacled witch into a hug too as he said gruffly, "You're not supposed to run from your friends you barmy witch!"

Hermione rolled her eyes but Ginny smacked her brother on the arm, rather hard.

"Thanks Ron. I'll try to remember that." And again a shadow of her normal self showed through.

Stepping back from the red haired wizard, she caught sight of the Head Boy standing alone at the end of the hallway and without thinking she started towards him. His long strides closed the distance between them fast and he crushed her against him in a fierce hug that she gladly returned. They stood like that until someone cleared their throat and reluctantly the Hufflepuff released his witch.

"We need to go meet Professor Shacklebolt," Harry reminded his sister firmly. Though the hug had been chaste enough it had gone on for way too long in his opinion. Of course he didn't like to see his little sister wrapped up in anyone's arms that thought of her in more than a sisterly way.

The Hufflepuff could see the perturbed look on the Gryffindor quidditch captain's face and wouldn't have given a damn about pissing the berk off some more but he didn't want to risk upsetting his witch, so instead of putting his arm around her shoulders like he wanted to do, he opted for just holding her hand.

It was a mostly silent trip to Professor Shacklebolt's office, and once they arrived the Gryffindors said they'd meet in the common room afterwards. The Head Boy simply said he'd be waiting nearby.

Harry knocked and opened the office door when Shacklebolt's deep voice bade him to enter and allowed his sister to go in first before shutting the door behind him.

"Miss Porter, I was beginning to think you weren't coming. Please have a seat." Shacklebolt said in a cordial voice, his eyes glanced at Potter before returning to the underage witch. He could see that her face was pale and that she had been crying recently. He felt bad about what he had to talk to her about knowing it was likely to upset her even more, that was the main reason he hadn't asked Potter to leave. He had noticed through his extensive dealings with the pair this year that Potter often had a calming effect on the witch. As well the witch seldom disobeyed a direct request from the teenage wizard. Something the auror found fascinating. There was a deep bond between the two, as well as complete respect.

Moody stood against the wall watching the two Gryffindors. Kingsley had asked him to let him talk to the witch. Though Moody doubted that would keep the hotheaded underage witch from getting angry, he had agreed.

Clearing his throat and bringing his mind back on topic Shacklebolt said sadly, "Miss Porter, I know that you have recently lost someone and would like to go to pay your respects at the funeral. However it is the directive of the Order that you remain here safely at Hogwarts."

Taylor looked up at her professor as she felt white-hot anger flood her stomach, again going from numbness to furious in a heartbeat. "I can't even go to the funeral?" Her voice was low and dangerous.

"No, I'm sorry. We believe Voldemort is trying to use this as a means to draw you out where he can capture you again." Shacklebolt explained in a calm voice, trying to make the witch see the reason why she wasn't allowed to go.

"So the kind witch whose only wrong was to take in an orphan dies because of _me _and I can't even go and say goodbye?" Taylor spoke softly but the words seemed to hang in the air ominously.

"No Porter, you can't!" Moody growled.

"Alaster!" Shacklebolt said in a warning tone but the old auror ignored him.

"If you aren't smart enough to see a trap like that then you will not last long once you leave Hogwarts!"

Taylor came to her feet slowly as she glared at the ex-auror. "I know exactly why Voldemort tortured and killed Mrs. B. and her family, Moody! So you can just take your sly digs and suspicions and shove them!"

"Taylor!" Harry warned as he too came to his feet. He could feel the anger radiating off his sister.

"Alastor! That is enough!" Shacklebolt's voice commanded.

"I would have thought one stay with Death Eaters would have shown you a little common sense witch! But you are dangerous! To one and all around you!"

"Go to hell, Moody!" Taylor practically spat as her wrist flicked and her wand slid into her hand.

"You going to try me, girl?" Moody's gravely voice was low and challenging.

Harry caught his sister's wand hand and held it down, as he could see her furious eyes starting to go dark and knew she was about to try using Dark Magic against the auror. He yelled at her to stop.

"What are you going to do? Crucio me again? In the back?"

It happened in a flash. Shacklebolt came out of his chair as Moody's wand flashed into his hand and he fired a spell.

The necklace burnt, as the ancient words poured from her lips, and Moody's spell ricocheted dangerously off the shield Taylor conjured, even with her wand held down by her brother.

Shacklebolt stepped between the old auror and the witch. "Alastor!" His deep voice reverberated in the small office, as he pinned the older wizard with a glare before turning to look at the underage witch, noticing immediately that the Dark Magic shield was still in place as the witch glowered at him.

"Porter, drop your shield." Shacklebolt commanded.

"No!"

Harry watched his sister, even as he glanced over at Shacklebolt and Moody once, his heart was pounding in his chest. If his sister hadn't have cast the shield he would have most likely of been hit with Moody's spell. Even now he could see that she had no intention of dropping her shield.

"Miss Porter. Drop your shield."

"Not until Moody puts away his wand! The barmy bastard nearly hit Harry!" Taylor snapped as anger rippled through her.

"You think that shield will protect you if I wanted to take you down girly!" Moody growled as his magical eye surveyed the shield for signs of weakness.

"Try it!" Taylor challenged.

"Taylor! That's enough! Bloody hell, what are you trying to prove?" Harry asked as he moved slightly so he was directly in front of his sister. He still had a hold of her wand hand but he could almost feel the Dark energy in her. Her eyes were still dark with it.

"Alastor, put away your wand. Now!" Shacklebolt commanded and waited until the old auror complied, grumbling the whole time. "Now Miss Porter. Lower your shield."

Taylor was furious. Moody had cast a spell at her once again with the intent of taking her down. She wasn't sure what the spell had been but from the feel of it as it had impacted her shield she could tell it was powerful. She wasn't sure what he was playing at but…

"Taylor," Harry warned quietly.

With a huff she dropped her shield, but didn't put away her wand as she glared around her brother at the old auror.

Keeping hold of his sister's wand hand, Harry swung so he faced Moody and Shacklebolt, as anger coursed through him also. "Just what the hell was that for Moody?"

"I keep telling you Potter, that there witch is dangerous but you don't seem to listen." Moody said threateningly in his gravely voice.

"Alastor! We have discussed this. Now drop it!" Kingsley ordered as he gave the old auror a significant look.

"What do you mean _dangerous_? You were the one casting! Taylor simply conjured a shield!" Harry shot back ignoring the professor for the moment.

Moody ignored Kingsley also as he pinned Potter with both eyes. "Don't you find it a little strange that an underage witch can use such advanced Dark Magic so easily?"

"How do you know Taylor's underage?" Harry demanded as worry filled him. Just how much did the old auror know?

"I see it isn't a surprise to you Potter. What else are you keeping from us about that witch?" Moody commanded in his gravely voice.

It was Taylor who snapped, "What the hell are you getting at Moody? You've been having a go at me all year! What the hell is your problem?"

Shacklebolt watched the heated exchange and though the professor in him knew he should stop this right now, the auror in him needed the answers to the questions Alastor was asking. The Order needed the answers.

"You! You are the problem Porter! Why is it that every time something happens you just happen to be there? How is it that _you_ escape from Voldemort with barely a scratch? _You alone_ know how to leave the school grounds, even though they are so _heavily warded_ the _Darkest wizard in the last thousand years can not enter_! _You_ are out on the grounds the very night a werewolf is set loose on the grounds! And then it is _you _also who is on the grounds the day a Manticore attacks the school? A highly improbable occurrence! How do you explain that?" Moody demanded his voice hard.

Taylor just stared at the ex-auror as she felt her anger lessen just a little, to make room for the worry that gripped her. Her voice was cold as ice when she answered though. "I am no Dark witch! And I damn well do not work for Voldemort! I will kill that bastard! I'll kill him or I will die trying!" Taylor felt her voice rise as she continued.

"You think I had something to do with Greg getting bitten by that werewolf! You must be joking! I might not have liked Morden or Ward very much, but it wasn't me who was in the forest yesterday, nor have I been lurking there all year! And I sure as hell did not escape Voldemort with only a scratch! You bastard! You didn't have to listen to Hermione's screams as she was being tortured!" Breathing hard Taylor glared at Moody who seemed unfazed by her outburst.

"How did you manage to get into this school as a ten year old?" Moody asked right away in a soft voice.

Taylor had to take a second for the question to sink in through her anger. It kind of threw her for a loop.

"What difference does that make? She didn't use Dark Magic at age ten to get into Hogwarts!" Harry snapped in defense of his sister.

"I haven't the faintest idea Moody! You'll have to ask Dumbledore! I didn't even know I was a witch until a week before I came to London." Taylor's voice crackled with sarcasm.

"How did you know where the Dark Magic books were at Briggs' Cottage?"

Taylor was shocked that Moody had that information and she glanced quickly at her brother, before answering. "Don't have a clue what you are talking about Moody!"

"Do Not Lie To Me Witch!" Moody's voice thundered in the small office, "I found the secret bookcase where Mr. Briggs hid the books after Voldemort destroyed the place! I could see that they had been there, but had been missing for a while. I knew Voldemort didn't have them! But now he knows you do! He would have extracted that information from Bea before he killed her! So do not lie to me!"

Taylor felt the color drain from her face. She had totally forgotten about Mrs. Briggs knowing she took the books. Now if what Moody said was true, Voldemort knew she had them also. A slightly trembling hand reached up to push her glasses into place on her nose.

"Where, are the books!" Moody's voice was low and dangerous.

"Safe. The books are safe." Harry said firmly.

"Potter, if I were you I'd keep my trap shut! You are in way over your head as it is!" Moody growled before addressing the underage witch again. "I will not ask you again witch! Where are the books? And how did you find them?"

An instant before Moody did it she knew what he was going to do. Her necklace burned against her neck as his wand flashed and he tried to use Legilimency on her to read her mind. It didn't work.

Taylor laughed darkly, "You think you can read my mind? When Voldemort tried repeatedly and couldn't?" Her voice turned brittle as she said dangerously, "And don't even try to read Harry's, because I _will not_ allow it!"

Moody watched the witch closely. He had dealt with countless Dark wizards and witches in his time and he had never seen one so ready to defend another. That the witch had threatened him didn't surprise him, but he had no doubt that she would strike at him if he moved towards the Potter boy. She was always ready to defend, something that puzzled him beyond all else. The one thing that kept her from being _fully_ classified as a Dark witch in his mind.

"Then tell me what I need to know!"

Taylor could feel herself bristling at his order, and implied threat against her brother.

Another voice suddenly filled the office, a voice that vibrated with power. "Alastor! That is enough! You will not pursue this line of questioning again with either Miss Porter or Mr. Potter! I thought I had made that clear to you this morning!"

Dumbledore's voice seemed to come from everywhere at once.

Taylor glanced wide-eyed at her brother and saw the same shock on his face.

"Damnit, we need answers Albus!" Moody snapped.

"Then you ask me! Miss Porter, Mr. Potter you are dismissed." The authority that resounded in Dumbledore's voice was unquestionable.

Glancing at her brother again she saw him motion for her to get going. Sending a dirty glare at Moody, Taylor slipped her wand back into its holder and, spinning on her heel, marched out of Shacklebolt's office. Harry right behind her.

* * *

><p>AN Holly cow batman! What do you think Moody is doing? lol! So there you go Moody finally had an all out go at Taylor. They have been snipping at one another all year but now Moody has asked Taylor some very dicy questions! Hopefully you enjoyed!

Thanks to everyone who has read this far! Well until next time, cytpotter.


	74. The Ministry's New Law

No I'm not JK Rowling and I own nothing but the plot and any charactors that aren't in the Harry Potter books!

Okay guys. I need your help in another chapter or two there is going to be a more adult scene and I would like to know if you think I should change the rating on this story? I don't want to get in trouble by having it not rated properly but I know some people don't think to look at all the catagories... What do you think? Please I REALLY want to know what you think I should do! If I move the rating up to M will that limit you as my readers? The chapter isn't too graphic... I don't think it is worse then a Harliquine romance but still I don't want to offend anyone. Please I NEED your help!

Now on with the adventure...

* * *

><p>Chapter Seventy-four<p>

**The Ministry's New Law**

The door had just closed behind Potter when Dumbledore's painted self stepped into a painting of an empty moor that hung on the wall behind Kingsley's desk. The painted blue eyes seemed to crackle in anger as they peered over the half moon painted glasses.

"What was the meaning of that line of questioning, Alastor? I thought I explained all that quite adequately this morning already." Dumbledore pinned his old friend with a piercing look.

"You're dead, Albus! And you are meddling in things that are far too important to be left to the ramblings of a dead man!" Moody growled forcefully, his gravely voice made it sound even more menacing.

"You and I both know, Alastor, death is just another beginning. Besides nothing substantial has yet happened that I have not foreseen while I was living. So my advice is still relevant." Dumbledore's voice was completely confident.

"So you are still willing to allow the fate of our world to rest on a boy who just turned of age, and an underage witch who can use Dark Magic way beyond the ability of anyone twice her age?" Moody asked disbelievingly.

"Yes I am. It is our only hope." Dumbledore said simply.

Moody glared at the painting of the old Head Master. He wanted to believe his old friend but the evidence against the witch just kept mounting. He had been shocked when Dan Hunter had told him the witch was still underage. He didn't know why Albus had kept that information from him. All the secrecy and unknowns surrounding the witch only made him distrust her more. His many years as a Dark Wizard catcher told him that nothing good could come from it. Only his great respect and long friendship with the brilliant wizard made him grudgingly trust him once more.

"Alright Albus. I'll respect your wishes for now, but the evidence against Porter is stacking up at an alarming rate. It is only a matter of time before those at the Ministry catch wind of her and then… it will be out of our hands. The evidence against her is more than enough to land her in Azkaban, if not a sentence to lose her soul right then and there."

Kingsley said in a deep somber tone, "I'm afraid that I have to agree with Alastor on that one, Albus. Miss Porter's life may very well be numbered in days, whether the threat is from Voldemort or the Ministry itself."

Taylor marched down the corridor furiously as her brother hurried to catch up. She was so mad she walked right by the Hufflepuff, then she nearly jinxed him when he caught her arm and turned her around.

"Whoa! Easy! It's just me." The Head Boy said quickly, surprised at the angry witch and the wand pointing at him. "What happened?"

"Not here." Harry said in a low voice having caught up with his sister.

Greg looked from one furious Gryffindor to the other and nodded. He didn't need either of them to say anything for him to know something had just happened to piss them both off. Falling in beside his witch he was slightly amused to find that he needed to lengthen his strides just to keep up with her despite his height advantage. At that rate it didn't take long for them to reach Gryffindor Tower. The two Gryffindors didn't say a thing. They merely looked at one another for a moment and with a nod, Potter went in through the portal.

The Hufflepuff watched as his witch paced restlessly outside her common room. He would have liked to ask her what was wrong but he knew that she was still angry and could just as well jinx him as tell him what the matter was. He didn't have long to wait at any rate, as Potter clambered back out through the portal shortly with Weasley, Hermione and Ginny right behind him.

Without a word the five Gryffindors set out through the castle, as Greg again walked beside his witch. When they came to the Room of Requirement, Potter wasted no time opening it and going inside.

The Room had transformed itself into a small cozy room with a fire in the fireplace and two squishy sofas for two, one pink comfy looking chair and a rather uncomfortable looking wooden chair.

The Hufflepuff raised an eyebrow at Potter and he smirked back. His witch merely pulled her wand and with a deft wave vanished the wooden chair before she started to pace restlessly in front of the fireplace, tapping her wand absently in her hand.

"Harry, what's going on? What happened with Shacklebolt?" Hermione asked as she sat down on one of the sofas with Ron. Harry and Ginny took the other and the Hufflepuff sat in the pink chair with a smirk of his own.

Harry told the others what had just happened. The others listened in stunned disbelief. When he was through it was a moment before-

"What the hell is Moody playing at?" Ron asked angrily.

"Oh Taylor, I'm sorry, but I agree with Shacklebolt. It would be too dangerous for you to leave Hogwarts to go to Mrs. Briggs' funeral." Hermione looked sadly at her friend before she continued, "But Moody was interrogating you. What he did was a method used to try to make people talk. This isn't good."

"Oh really? That never occurred to me Hermione!" Taylor snapped.

"I think what is more important is what aren't you being told." Ginny said in a calm voice. "If Professor Shacklebolt allowed Moody to interrogate Taylor to that extent than there has to be more to it. Moody wasn't just fishing blindly for information. He knew about the Dark Magic books and he now knows Taylor is underage. I think he was testing you."

Everyone stared at the witch with the long red hair as she continued. "I think he wanted to see if you were a Dark witch or not. Otherwise why attack? Why try to make you fight? There are other methods of interrogation, and I doubt he'd use quite that method with any other Dark witch who still had her wand."

"I'm not a Dark witch, Ginny!" Taylor yelled, glaring at her friend.

"She didn't say you are," the Hufflepuff said calmly, as he met his witch's angry eyes, "I happen to agree with her reasoning. Moody is fishing, but…" Greg sighed before he continued, "I have a good idea where he found out you are underage. I don't doubt my father probably told him."

Taylor's hands raked up through her hair in frustration as she continued to pace. "Your father? Oh lovely!"

Greg stood up and moved in front of his witch, stopping her edgy pacing as his eyes met hers, "I'm sorry. I should have guessed he might. Dad was worried about the fact that you have secrets and he confronted me about it. I'm sorry."

"Oh so now you tell us! You might have mentioned this sooner!" Ron said as he threw up his arms in exasperation.

"Oh shut up Ronald! If the only thing Moody found out is that I'm underage than I'll consider us lucky!" Taylor yelled, and more than likely would have continued except the Hufflepuff put a quieting hand on her arm, making her snort but not say any more.

After a few minutes Taylor started to pace again and the Head Boy sat back down. He had felt the restless energy in her and gave her some space to work it through. The others continued to talk about what had happened with Moody, as well as everything else that had happened.

Taylor listened but she was thinking, not so much about the confrontation with Moody just now, but about what had happened the day before out on the grounds. Moody had hinted at her having something to do with the werewolf, as well as the Manticore attacks and that bothered her. If the ex-auror thought she was capable of doing those things than others could also. She would bet all the gold in her brother's vault at Gringott's that it had been the Slytherins behind both incidents, but how could she prove it? Suddenly an idea came to her.

"Harry what if the Slytherins are using the secret passage from the castle to the Forbidden forest to cause all this trouble?"

"That passage would be sealed just like all the others. Besides Fred and George said that passage way had collapsed." Hermione was the first to answer.

Taylor ran a hand up through her hair as she paced, "What if they cleared it? And it's possible it wasn't sealed like the others. It doesn't lead off school grounds only into the forest." She paused for a moment before meeting her brother's eyes. "I think we should go and explore that passage and the Forbidden forest as well…" she had to raise her voice as the others started to protest, "to find out just what all the Slytherins have been up too."

"No!"

"Absolutely not!"

"Moody already suspects you of having some involvement with the recent trouble. If you go snooping around there… That's a bad idea!" Hermione admonished crossly.

"What other choice do we have Hermione? The way I see it we need to find out how first the werewolf and then that Manticore were able to get through the school wards. I bet everything I have that the Slytherins are into it up to their sleazy eyeballs!" Taylor argued.

"I agree with Hermione," Greg started.

"Who asked you, you toss pot!" Ron interrupted.

"If Moody suspects you enough to risk interrogating a student, then you need to be careful." Greg finished saying in an even voice.

"Look you tosser, if you're scared…!" Ron began before the Hufflepuff cut him off as he came to his feet and turned towards the redheaded wizard.

"Weasley use your head for more then a feeding hole! If Shacklebolt allowed Moody to question Taylor like that, then they are worried! Your father works for the Ministry! You _know_ what they will do to Taylor if they find out about her Dark Magic! Bloody Hell! I haven't said much up until now, but I am shocked that McGonagall has been able to keep Taylor from the Ministry this long! If Voldemort really wants Taylor all he need do is let it be known to the right people at the Ministry that Taylor can use Dark Magic!" The Hufflepuff glared at Weasley who had risen to his feet.

"So why hasn't he?" Harry demanded as he stood up too.

"My guess is that Voldemort hasn't yet infiltrated the Ministry sufficiently to guarantee that he will get his hands on Taylor before she is taken before the Minister."

"And if that should happen?" Taylor asked, already dreading the answer.

Fear filled the Hufflepuff's eyes as he looked at his witch, but it was Hermione who answered.

"The Ministry just passed a new law last week giving the Minister the power to forgo a full hearing when it is proven that someone is a Dark witch or wizard…"

"What do you mean forgo a full hearing? They get sent straight to Azkaban?" Taylor asked, looking from Greg to Hermione.

Hermione shook her head fearfully.

Greg's voice seemed loud in the silent room, "No… The Minister has a Dementor waiting at the Ministry full time… to perform the Dementor's Kiss…"

Taylor wondered if maybe she had reached her breaking point when instead of gasping in horror a huge bubble of laughter pushed out of her throat and she started to laugh. She laughed until tears rolled down her cheeks. She could see her friends all staring at her mortified as if she had totally lost it and she laughed some more until finally holding her side, she wiped the tears from her face.

"Well bloody sodding hell!" She gasped as another fit of laughter poured out of her. "And here I thought all I had to worry about was old Voldy! Now I have a choice! Tortured to death or lose my soul! And to think I was worried about taking my NEWTS!"

"Taylor!" Harry reprimanded in a testy voice, "That is quite enough! Neither Voldemort nor the Ministry is going to get hold of you. The Order and I'll see to that."

Taylor shook her head at her brother and turned to look at Hermione. "Why didn't you tell me about this new law?"

"I'm sorry, maybe we should have but…" Hermione glanced at the Hufflepuff and then away before she added, "You can't use Dark Magic anymore. It is just too dangerous! If the Ministry should find out…"

All traces of the absurd laughter faded from Taylor and her voice was hard and deadly serious. "If I hadn't have used Dark Magic yesterday Harry would be _dead_. The same would be the case for Greg the Saturday night of the werewolf attack. Is that the price you are willing to pay just so I don't run the risk of the _Ministry_ or _Voldemort_ finding out? Well I'm sorry but that is just too high of a price for me! I will not stop protecting my friends just because it might be dangerous for me! I told Harry, and I also told the Hufflepuff this, now I'm telling the rest of you. Other than you guys in this room, there's maybe a half dozen people, well less now Mrs. Briggs is dead, that will give a bloody rat's ass if I lose my soul or get captured by Voldemort and killed. However I will not be forced by you, Harry, or you, Greg, or any of the rest of you to go and hide. If something happens to me, so bloody what! Just another Mudblood is dead!"

There was silence for about three seconds before Ginny chastised in a carefully sarcastic voice.

"You're such a bleeding Gryffindor, Taylor! Do you honestly think we don't know you wouldn't do whatever it took to help one of us? Merlin's beard, witch! You don't have to go all martyr-ish on us!"

Taylor met the other redheaded witch's eyes and nodded saying dryly, "Yeah, thanks for that Ginny."

Turning from her friends Taylor began pacing again. She hadn't really meant to blurt all that out, it was just that she just felt so… angry, sad and worried to name just a few.

"Nobody is questioning your reasons for using Dark Magic. Hermione was just pointing out how dangerous it is. Especially now." Harry said gently as he watched his sister worriedly. He could see how tense she was. Her laughter earlier a true indicator at just how stressed she was with everything that had happened recently.

Both hands plowed up through her hair making it stand up at odd angles. In her restless state she didn't know or care.

"I'm not going to stop using Dark Magic! I…"

Harry sighed and caught his sister by the arm and turned her towards him interrupting her. He could see the determination shining in her eyes but also other emotions as well, "I'm not asking you to. Come here you!" he pulled her into a hug, as he finished softly, "The people in this room care very much for you and we don't want anything happening to you. We're all that count."

"You tosser!" Taylor grumbled as she hugged him back. "You're going to start me blubbering again."

Harry just tightened his arms around her and kissed her on the top of the head. His eyes met Ginny's and he was glad there was no resentment or anger in them. The same couldn't be said for the Hufflepuff when his eyes met the blue ones of the taller wizard. With a sigh he stepped back from his sister. He wouldn't mind pissing the Head Boy off some more by making him even more jealous except he knew his sister would need the other wizard, like he needed Ginny. Glancing at his watch he noticed that it was already mid afternoon.

As if the Room of Requirement sensed his idea as it took shape, a low table shimmered into existence directly in front of the sofas, followed shortly by a huge platter of food and a large jug of pumpkin juice.

"Yes, what a great idea! I'm starved!" Ron exclaimed happily, spotting the food and immediately picking up two sandwiches.

The Hufflepuff watched as the Chosen One slowly released his witch. It was the second time that day that the other wizard had held his witch, and the Head Boy couldn't keep the anger from his face, especially when the Gryffindor had the audacity to smirk slightly about it before moving away. With an effort, the Hufflepuff shoved the irritation away and picked up a sandwich to take to his witch, stopping her in her pacing once again by putting his body in her way.

A half hour later the platter, that had refilled itself twice already, shimmered as it disappeared. The five Gryffindors and lone Hufflepuff were all full and sitting on the sofas. The Head Boy had simply transfigured the pink chair into an overly large comfy one before sitting in it with his witch.

They started to discuss the idea of checking out the forest to see if they could find any clue that would link the appearance of the werewolf and Manticore with the Slytherins. It was a short while before there was a noticeably absent voice in the discussion.

Greg looked down at the witch curled up beside him, his arm resting around her relatively small body, to see her eyes closed and her face relaxed. Exhausted she had basically passed out in his arms. Shifting slightly he lifted her into a more comfortable position on his lap, settling her against his chest. He couldn't help but smile when she cuddled against him more thoroughly and sighed in her sleep. Removing her glasses he looked up to see Potter eyeing him. To his surprise the Gryffindor merely raised an eyebrow before looking away.

The Head Boy found he really didn't have a problem planning to go into the Forbidden forest and not telling his witch about it. He knew she would be mad when she found out, but he could deal with her anger as long as she was safe. He was a little surprised though when Potter readily agreed to allow him to come along. Though he supposed the quidditch captain would rather endanger his life than that of either Weasley or Hermione.

In the end they decided that the three wizards would sneak off tomorrow morning to see what they could find in the passageway and in the forest, while the two witches kept the sleeping witch busy, concocting a potion that would help to hide the Dark Magic books to keep them safe. If there was trouble, the wizards would use the mirror to contact the witches.

When the final plans were hashed out, the talk turned again to Moody as well as Dumbledore's voice breaking up the interrogation.

At five thirty they decided it was time to head for supper.

Greg looked down at the sleeping witch still curled up on his lap and wished he didn't need to disturb her. He had to smile though when his gentle prodding only made her shift and burrow her head into his chest more. Sighing he slipped his arms more securely under her and stood up, albeit a little awkwardly, with his witch in his arms.

"You're going to carry her to supper?" Ron asked as he eyed the Hufflepuff skeptically.

"Actually I was thinking if she's this exhausted I'd just carry her up to your common room." Greg said surprised, as well as concerned for the witch who continued to sleep in his arms. Though he no more than finished speaking when the witch started to stir.

"Wha' happened?" a sleepy voice mumbled before, "Greg?"

"Shh, everything is fine, you just fell asleep." He could see confusion in her hazel eyes as they blinked up at him, minus her glasses.

"Oh… so why are you carrying me?"

He felt like saying that he just liked to hold her except he could see the confusion leave her eyes and they darkened in anger as she remembered. Sighing quietly he stooped and set her feet on the floor. Straightening, he passed her glasses to her.

"Come on you two, supper is waiting!" Ron called impatiently from outside the door to the Room of Requirement

Taylor looked out at Ron and saw her brother waiting also with the other two witches. She felt the loss of the Hufflepuff's arms and the warmth of his body, and it wasn't just at skin level, as cold air rushed to cool the comfortable heat that had been generated between their two bodies, causing her to shiver as goose bumps rose all over her. She felt the loss much deeper, the feeling of safety and contentment was gone, making her regret waking up.

Sighing Taylor headed out the door. She didn't need to look to know the Hufflepuff was right behind her, and she felt a ghost of a smile tug at the corner of her lips when he put his arm around her shoulders and pulled her against his side as they started down the corridor.

Supper that night was a somber affair as the Great Hall was draped in black and green banners to honor the Slytherins. Talk was muted and the lack of laughter seemed to magnify the unusual quietness.

McGonagall announced that there would be a memorial service for the two Slytherins tomorrow afternoon for the students.

Shacklebolt paused on his way out of the Great Hall to say that their research session was postponed until Monday evening.

Ron muttered Taylor's sentiments, "Bloody berk knows it wouldn't be a good idea to push it tonight anyway!" though Taylor's held a few more expletives and a lot more anger.

* * *

><p>AN Well there is another chapter... Hope you liked it! And I really would love to know your thoughts on the rating of this story! Please let me know your feelings on it! As well as any comments on this chapter! :D

THANK YOU to those who left a review! I LOVED everyone! Thanks for reading! and until next time... cytpotter.


	75. Little Scars

Just playing in Harry's sandbox... I'll try to return him when I am done. No promises though! ;)

Please be warned that this chapter has some mature content(though nothing graphic) read at your own risk.

* * *

><p>Chapter Seventy-five<p>

**Little Scars**

The next day was a Saturday on the calendar. To Taylor it was the day she said goodbye to Mrs. Briggs. While it was true she wasn't allowed to attend the kind old witch's actual funeral, Taylor knew that it was today somewhere outside Hogwarts.

Her heart was heavy as she helped Hermione and Ginny that morning in their dorm room to brew up a potion that would strengthen the wards they had guarding the Dark Magic books, as well as help conceal them from anyone searching for them.

It was a true testament to how distracted the shorthaired Gryffindor witch was that she didn't question either Hermione or Ginny's explanation that the boys had gone to see Hagrid that morning.

Taylor spent the morning trying to remember the sunny afternoons she had spent at Briggs Cottage sitting under the oak tree, as Mrs. Briggs sat in a lawn chair nearby. They were simpler times. She would brush a tear off her face and stare at the cauldron that was bubbling on the floor of her dorm room before another memory would take her far away again.

The potion wasn't finished until after lunch was over, but Taylor didn't really care. She didn't feel hungry, just immensely sad.

Even after they packed the potion away and went to the Great Hall for the memorial service for the two Slytherins, Taylor's grief kept her from noticing anything beyond the rearranged seating in the Hall, as the tables were vanished and chairs were set up much the same way they had been for Cedric Diggory's funeral.

Harry, Ron and Greg joined the three witches when they entered the Great Hall and they all sat together towards the back.

Taylor gratefully accepted the Hufflepuff's comforting arm around her as the Head Mistress addressed the entire school, as not a student was missing. McGonagall spoke more about the tragedy of Morden and Ward's deaths and the need for their fellow students to be strong and rise above petty differences. To stand together against the evil that was beyond the castle walls. She also spoke about the need for compassion and friendship in these dark times, so that the souls that were wounded by such tragedy could heal. The Head Mistress's eyes found the Gryffindor witch, with the Head Boy's arm around her sitting with her brother and friends as she said this, it was her quiet tribute to Mrs. Briggs for the underage witch.

The Sorting Hat sang a song at the end talking about unity, strength and love. Then the Great Hall emptied in silence except for the scraping of chairs and the treading of their feet.

The five Gryffindors and Head Boy made their way up through the school by a roundabout way to avoid the crowded hallways. They had just come out on the fifth floor when Taylor finally asked.

"So how is Hagrid?" Even distracted as she was she didn't miss the uneasy look Ron sent Harry before her brother cleared his throat and answered.

"Good."

Taylor narrowed her eyes as she carefully took in the guys' appearance for the first time. They had their school robes on, that they had all worn to the service, but beneath their robes she could see that their clothes were dirty. Her brother had a bag slung over his shoulder and a corner of the invisibility cloak peeked out of it. It was their overly innocent expressions that gave them away.

Stopping, she stepped away from the Hufflepuff slightly as her voice dropped dangerously. "Just where have you three been this morning?"

Harry and Ron quickly pulled their robes closed but the Hufflepuff wasn't fast enough and Taylor saw a rip in his jeans as she surveyed the wizards once more. White hot anger flared in her stomach as intuition told her where they had gone.

Stalking towards her brother she poked him hard in the chest with her finger as she growled, "What the bloody hell do you think you were doing in the Forbidden forest? Do you have any idea how dangerous that was!" She knew she was right, as surprise showed clearly on his face before his eyes darkened in anger.

Taylor cut him off before he could say anything, "Shut up Potter! You are lucky I don't hex your unmentionables off for pulling a stunt like that!"

"Taylor! We…" The Hufflepuff began before his witch wheeled and pinned him with a look that made the words die in his throat.

"I'll deal with you in a moment, Hufflepuff!"

"Porter you are being unreasonable!" Harry started again and he met his sister's angry glare.

"Me? Unreasonable?" Taylor demanded as she itched to draw her wand to alleviate some of her pent up emotions.

Harry could see it in his sister's eyes that she desperately wanted to have it out with him and he shook his head. "Taylor, we did what we thought we needed to do. Just like you have done many times!" He was glad to see some of the anger leave her eyes only to be replaced with worry. "Come on, we have things to talk about."

Harry led them to the Room of Requirement again and found it the same as it had been yesterday.

Starting her restless pacing once again Taylor demanded, "Alright Potter spill."

Ignoring the angry looks he was getting from his sister, Harry told them about how Ron, Greg and he had gone into the hidden passage down near the dungeons and followed it out to the Forbidden Forest without finding a single ward in place. When they reached the forest they could see where the ground was clearly trampled from a lot of people coming and going from the tunnel exit. They followed the path through the woods until they came to a small clearing that again showed signs of being used for some time. They found nothing there to indicate exactly who had used the clearing. Though they had found where a fire had burned on more then one occasion, as well as a place where it looked like maybe a chair or small table had sat.

"A fire to brew potions and a table to chop the ingredients up," Taylor said darkly.

Harry merely nodded before continuing to explain the two less visible paths that had led into the forest. One had led along a tiny stream for a ways and then to a grove of elder bushes.

"Sounds like they were gathering potion ingredients," Hermione said thoughtfully.

The other path wound deep into the forest where they eventually lost it. Harry finished with a slight shrug of his shoulders to indicate they didn't have any idea where it led or why it petered off.

Taylor waited for her brother to continue for several long seconds before she broke the silence. "So where, and with what, did you fight?"

"What makes you think we were in a fight?" Ron asked carefully.

Taylor wheeled as her wand flashed into her hand and the robes the guys were wearing vanished leaving their dirty torn clothes in full view. Hermione and Ginny gasped as Taylor's voice asked coldly, her wand still pointing at them, "Alright. Who whipped your asses then?"

Harry knew that there was no getting around telling them now. He should have insisted that they take the time before going to the Great Hall to at least clean the mud and dirt off their clothes and fix the rips, but they had been late and had needed to run to make it to the Hall on time as it was.

"It's not exactly as bad as it looks," Harry began to explain and saw all three witches raise their eyebrows at him skeptically. "We were on our way back after we lost the trail and well…"

"Three centaurs showed up and told us to leave the forest and not come back again. They were really mad. We tried to tell them that we hadn't been there before but they wouldn't listen." Ron finished for Harry.

Harry glanced at his sister and noticed she was pacing again, though it looked more like a cat stalking its prey than pacing.

"Go on," Taylor's voice was low and dangerous.

"We would have probably been fine if another bunch of centaurs hadn't have shown up. They looked even angrier then the first ones. We ran for it then, just barely made it into the tunnel entrance…" The Head Boy's voice trailed off as he could see the anger in his witch's eyes.

"So… what did you manage to learn? Nothing!" Taylor snapped as she raked a hand up through her hair. She couldn't believe her brother had been so careless.

"Sure we did!" Ron cried indignantly. "We learned that someone from the school has been using that passageway out of the school for a long time and that they've been brewing potions and goodness knows what else out there in the forest."

Taylor listened as the others talked about who it could be that was using the passageway. When they stood to leave Taylor continued her pacing, ignoring them.

"Taylor?" Harry asked a little tentatively. He knew his sister was still furious and didn't want to set her off.

"Just go Potter! If you think you can manage not to get yourself killed between here and the common room."

Harry flinched a little at the sharpness in his sister's voice, even if he knew he did deserve it. He hated it when she did exactly what he had just done. As angry as she was, he knew he was getting off lightly. He went to the door and opened it, Ron followed and he was pulling the Hufflepuff with him.

When the door to the Room of Requirement closed, Ron said, "Trust me Hunter. You don't want to be in…" his voice trailed off as the wall beside them shuddered and a muffled crash could be heard. "It would not be _healthy_ to be in there right now."

"Ronald what makes you think you are off the hook just because Taylor is still in there?" Hermione asked in an incredible McGonagall-ish stern tone, and he flinched.

"Same goes for you, Harry James! You both are in trouble! Do you think we are going to let you get away with being so careless?" Ginny snapped at her boyfriend pinning him with a deadly glare.

"What about Greg?" Ron asked pointing at the Hufflepuff a bit desperately. "Aren't you going to yell at him too?"

Both witches turned together and looked at the Head Boy as they shook their heads. It was Ginny who spoke. "Nope! We'll leave him to Taylor."

Both Gryffindor wizards gulped and gave an apologetic look at the poor Hufflepuff before they were led away by their own witches.

Sweat poured off of the witch as she sunk to the floor once again, breathing heavily. She had no idea how long she had been abusing the Room of Requirement with her furious spells as she worked through the pent up emotions inside of her. Anger was the strongest and took up a large portion. There was also a feeling of desperation, that fueled many of her spells, and then there was the fear that seemed to eat away at her, making her get up time and again.

Staggering to her feet once again, Taylor's wand slid easily into her hand and she fired powerful silent spells repeatedly at anything and every thing that the Room presented. This was much more satisfying than pounding her fists against tiles and when she was once again too tired and out of breath to continue she would just sink to her knees.

When finally too tired to continue she stood and with a wave of her wand returned everything to its proper place before turning her wand and drying her sweat soaked clothes, as well as a cleaning spell. Picking up her discarded robes she pulled them on and opened the door to leave, startled to find someone waiting outside.

"Hey. I… well when you weren't there for supper I thought I'd come to make sure you were all right." The Head Boy said a little hesitantly as he took in her flushed face.

"Hey," Taylor said with a bit of a smile. She was physically tired and emotionally drained but at the sight of the Hufflepuff she felt a renewed energy, as a different fire than the one that she'd had most of the afternoon flared out from the pit of her stomach.

Catching his hand in hers she turned back towards the Room of Requirement without another word. A few seconds later a door appeared in the wall again. Opening it she pulled the Hufflepuff in behind her and shut the door.

The room had transformed into a cozy little room with a fire in the fireplace and a large sofa. Pulling the Hufflepuff to the sofa she pushed him down onto it.

"Taylor, I'm sorry I didn't tell you about our plan to go to the Forbidden forest. At the time I just wanted to keep you safe, I thought you'd try to go and…" The Hufflepuff's voice trailed off as his witch dropped her robe to the floor and knelt on the sofa, swinging her leg over his and settled on his lap straddling his legs, facing him. He wasn't sure what she was going to do until her hands wrapped around his neck and she brought her lips to his.

"Shut up and kiss me," Taylor breathed before she touched her lips to his.

The Hufflepuff complied as his hands wrapped around her back and he pulled her roughly against him. He sought to deepen the kiss and groaned when his witch responded immediately and their tongues danced intricately together. Only the need for air made him break off the kiss, as his lips trailed along her jaw and then down her throat. His hands roamed her back, as hers tangled in his hair and tipped her head back to give him better access to her neck.

He moved his lips across to the other side of her neck and then slowly back up to her ear, nibbling on her ear lobe and hearing her breath suck in between her teeth. Moving his mouth back to hers he caught her lips in a demanding kiss that she answered completely. Needing to feel her even more he slid a hand up under her shirt and heard her suck in her breathe again as his fingers touched the soft skin on her lower back.

Desire, hot and potent, flooded his veins as his fingers slid up his witch's back causing her to shiver and drop her lips back onto his in a demanding kiss of her own. Breathing hard he pulled away from her lips again, groaning as the witch shifted in his lap and then repeated the grinding motion more slowly.

Taylor was acting purely on instinct. Already she was far beyond anything she had ever experienced before. Never had she been so bold as to sit astride anyone, let alone the Hufflepuff, whose eyes had darkened and sent a thrill straight to the heat that was gathering low in her belly. She ran her hands thru his hair and thrilled at the feel of his lips as they traveled down her throat once again. His hand that was under her shirt made her only want to feel his warm skin under her fingers, so sliding her hand down his side she tugged his long sleeved t-shirt free of his jeans and with a trembling hand touched his heated skin beneath.

In one fluid movement the Hufflepuff turned and laid her down on the sofa, his lower half still between her legs and some of his weight settled on top of her as his mouth claimed hers once more in a searing kiss that left both of them gasping for air. As his lips left hers once more to trail down her neck, his fingers grazed up her side tracing intricate patterns as it went.

Sensations she had never felt before assaulted Taylor. The Hufflepuff's body laying intimately with hers caused her to shift her hips and the answering groan from the wizard made the heat gathering low in her belly to spread out through her limbs, encouraging her to tug the long sleeved t-shirt out his jeans and slip both hands beneath. A shudder went through his body as his mouth claimed hers once more, his kiss demanding. Nothing though prepared her for the feel of his hand cupping her small breast in his warm hand. Even through her bra, the sensation made her gasp and arch her body up against his.

"Merlin help me witch," the Hufflepuff's voice was almost a growl, "do you know what you do to me?" His mouth crashed over hers as he shifted his body and she could feel him pressed against her hip, as his hand once again closed over her breast, kneading it gently.

A shiver traveled through her as she realized what she was feeling was desire. He wanted her. He wanted her in the most intimate way and she was sure she wanted him.

It wasn't difficult to pull his shirt up with her hands to his chest and then up farther, pulling his arms free he dropped the shirt to the floor holding himself up. Taylor sucked in her breath as she gazed openly at his toned chest and broad shoulders. A sprinkling of dark hair in the center of his chest drew her hand and she slid her fingers through it and then spreading her fingers she continued up his chest to his shoulder and down his taut arm that held him up off her.

Her eyes were then drawn a little lower to his stomach and the jagged scars there, that even after all this time remained slightly red. Her hand trembled slightly as she reached out to touch them.

"Don't…" his voice was suddenly pained and she looked up into his darkened eyes to see worry there, and even a little fear. Staring into his eyes she moved her hand until she touched his stomach and gently ran her fingers over the scars there, tracing each one tenderly.

"I love you, all of you." Taylor whispered as she saw his eyes lose their worry and desire fill them once more.

Lowering his body onto hers once again he kissed her, but this time it was tender, as he moved his lips gently against hers. Taylor slid her hands around to his strong back, loving the feel of his skin under her fingertips. She ran her hands up and down his back as his kiss became more demanding. His hand once again found its way under her shirt, his fingers drawing circles on her sensitive skin, made all the more so by his roaming hand.

Breathing hard once again he released her mouth only to trail his lips down her jaw and to her neck nuzzling and kissing it along the way. When he lifted his head again his darkened eyes met hers and he seemed to be searching for something. What she wasn't sure and then she felt it, his hand was at the top most button of her shirt. It paused there as if he was waiting for her permission.

Desire, potent and overwhelming, claimed her and she tipped her head back arching her chest against him. A low moan rumbled in his chest as his fingers fumbled with the button before reaching behind him he pulled his wand out of his pocket and with a flick removed her shirt. His mouth returned to her neck as his hand roamed freely up and down her side, brushing against the outside of her breast before sliding all the way down over her jean clad hip to her thigh and back up again. His lips moved from her neck to her collarbone and then slowly down the center of her chest to the top of her economical practical beige bra.

Taylor had ceased to think as her skin caught fire along the route of the Hufflepuff's lips, tingling from the contact of his hand as heat pooled low in her belly and she rocked her hips against him once more. His mouth came back to hers in a searing kiss, that had her hands once again tangled in his hair and she wrapped her legs around his, wanting to get as close to him as possible.

When they finally broke apart, gasping for air, the Hufflepuff finally heard the voice in the back of his head screaming that this was wrong, that something was wrong. He knew his witch and this just wasn't how she normally acted. His chest heaving, he tipped his forehead against her collarbone as his hand stilled its exploration of her body.

His voice was thick, almost choked, as he whispered, "We need to slow down. We need to stop before this goes too far." He felt her body go still beneath him and he wondered if she even stopped breathing. Lifting his head up he looked into her eyes and saw the desire fade from them to be replaced by hurt and fear.

"Oh, Taylor, love, don't look at me like that."

Panic flooded her eyes next and she began to wriggle to try to get away from him, pushing at him with both hands. Catching her wrists in his hand he forced her hands above her head and rested more of his weight on her, effectively trapping her where she was.

"Let me go!"

"Not until you tell me why you were so… willing. You do know that you were playing with fire don't you? A little bit more and… Is that what you really want?"

Taylor looked up at the Hufflepuff who was staring at her, searching her eyes and her face once again, except now the dark desire had faded replaced by a guarded expression.

"Just let me up!"

"No. Not until you tell me what this was about."

"I thought that was obvious Hufflepuff."

"So you wanted to have sex with me?"

Hurt flared in her eyes at his blunt words. "No! Well yes, but…"

"Taylor there is no halfway, you either do or you don't."

Closing her eyes she felt despicable hot tears well up in them, her voice a choked whisper, "I wanted to feel… needed. Loved. I just wanted to belong to someone."

Greg felt his heart break and he released her hands, but he didn't move except to drop his head back onto her bare shoulder. He was disgusted with himself. He had let his own desire cloud his judgment to the point of taking advantage of the witch he loved. Nearly allowing that desire to… he swallowed the lump in his throat with difficulty.

"Oh Merlin, Taylor. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry."

He felt her stomach start to spasm and knew she was going to cry. He felt like a complete git. Pushing up off of her, he sat back down on the sofa, picked her up and sat her in his lap, pulling a blanket that he saw laying over the back of the sofa, around her bare shoulders and wrapped his arms tightly around her. He was glad at least that she didn't seem angry with him, as she rested her head against his chest and cried softly. He held her until she stopped crying, his chest wet with her tears. He was very aware that neither of them had a shirt on, though the earlier desire was easily kept at bay. His own self-condemnation was enough to control his libido. He despised guys who took advantage of girls. He knew at least one of his roommates who would have gladly taken advantage of the situation and then laughed about it later. He wasn't like that, it wasn't that he didn't want to go all the way with this girl, he just didn't want to under these circumstances.

"I'm sorry Greg."

He heard the hurt in her voice and he kissed the top of her head. "You don't have anything to be sorry for. It's me who should be apologizing. I know what you have been through the last couple of days and I should have realized right away that something was wrong. I'm sorry. My only excuse is a weak one. I'm just a horny teenage wizard." He could feel her smiling against his chest. "Can you forgive me?"

"You prat…" she said halfheartedly and he felt her sigh. "I'm sorry Greg. I just wanted to feel loved. I…"

The Hufflepuff put his finger under her chin and lifted it up so that he could see her eyes. "I do love you witch. I love you so much you make me crazy."

"But you don't… want to…"

The Head Boy sighed as he looked up at the ceiling for a few moments before looking back down at her hurt expression. "Taylor, of course I want to make love to you. Why do you think it was so easy for me to ignore all the signs that this wasn't the right time? Merlin witch, stopping was about the hardest thing I have ever done."

"Why? Why stop?"

His heart tightened at the innocence in her eyes. Sure his witch might be able to perform Dark Magic and was brave beyond anyone else he knew but still she was completely innocent and inexperienced when it came to things like these. It made him want to protect her all the more, even from himself.

"Because, I don't want you to rush into this. I don't want you to have sex just to try to prove that you belong to me or anyone else. Right now you are hurting and you would live to regret it if we had gone all the way. You can't run from the hurt and doing this would have been wrong. When we do make love, I don't want it to be for any reason other than because we love one another. I don't want either of us to regret it, for any reason."

He was glad to see some of the hurt leave her eyes, if only to be replaced by sadness.

"I'm sorry. I really screwed this up didn't I? I told you I suck at relationships."

A smile ghosted his lips at the way his witch worded her apology and wondered if she even knew the double meaning in her words. "No, you wanted to feel loved. You were just a little… overzealous, with your approach."

"So if I asked you to kiss me again… you would?"

"Witch…" Greg could feel desire curl through him once again as his witch slid her hand up his chest gently. "I always want to kiss you. We just need to keep it under control. I'll spend half the night now in a cold shower as it is." Lowering his head he caught his witch's lower lip with his and nibbled on it until she sighed and he captured her mouth and kissed her thoroughly, his hand slipping up into her hair and holding her gently in place.

Taylor's heart melted at the tenderness of his kiss, his warm skin against hers as his left hand massaged her head. When finally they broke apart he rested his arm on her shoulder and she noticed the jagged scars on it. Lifting her hand up out of the blanket that was wrapped around her, she traced her finger over the scars and felt the wizard go completely still. Looking up at him, she could see worry in his eyes again. Lowering her gaze to his arm she lifted it and brought his forearm up so she could inspect the scars closely. Then softly she kissed each one, dragging her lips the whole length of each scar before she looked back up into his eyes. Raw emotion filled his eyes, fierce, powerful and somehow slightly wild, and his mouth came down on hers in a demanding kiss that seemed to convey all that she had seen in his eyes.

Breathing hard, they once again broke apart, his eyes traveled down to her exposed shoulders that the fallen blanket now left uncovered. He could see her bra, and wasn't at all surprised to see it didn't have any lace or frills on it. That just wasn't his witch. His eyes narrowed as he caught sight of something, a couple of some things actually. He quirked the side of his mouth at the double meaning of his thoughts before he sobered. With a glance up at his witch's eyes he moved his hand down near her left breast where a thin red line showed at the top of the cup of her bra.

"What's that?" he asked causing his witch to look down and he pulled the bra down slightly to see a thin red lightening bolt scar there.

"Just a scar. I've had it as long as I can remember. I forgot it was even visible above my bra actually."

Greg looked up at his witch for a long moment as an uneasy feeling he couldn't place came over him, but he couldn't see anything in her eyes to explain his unease. After another moment he gave himself a mental shake and looked at the other thing that had caught his eye, something he had missed before when he had looked at her. Around her neck was, of course, his necklace he was glad to see, and her necklace also, as well as numerous pale, little scars. He lifted his hand and ran his finger over one. He couldn't feel them on her skin though he could see them.

"What are these scars from?"

Taylor could feel her face suddenly heat up. She knew exactly what scars he was talking about. When he lifted his eyes to hers once more she caught her bottom lip in her teeth. He waited as she chewed on her lip for a few seconds.

"They are from… my necklace." She could see confusion in his eyes and he glanced back down at the scars before looking back up at her.

"Your necklace? But how…?"

Taylor closed her eyes and sighed. She had never even told her brother this, not that he'd ever seen the scars, still…

"When I use Dark Magic my necklace gets hot," She opened her eyes and looked into his blue ones, "On simple spells it doesn't burn, but on more powerful spells or ones like my shield the other day with the Manticore, it burns into my neck leaving behind those little scars."

The Hufflepuff stared at her shocked. It was a few moments before, "It hurts you to use Dark Magic?" his eyes fell back down to her neck where the necklace hung against her breastbone and he could see that they were, in fact, perfect matches for the pendant on the necklace she had said her aunt and uncle had given her. He could even see, on closer examination, two that looked a little red still, one from the Manticore shield and one from the shield she had produced in Shacklebolt's office.

* * *

><p>AN Well... what did you think? Hopefully I didn't offend anyone. That was not my intent but Taylor and Greg are 16 and 17 so them doing something like this isn't a real stretch(or unheard of in the muggle world at least!) My point in writting this wasn't to have a sex scene but to show just how much Taylor was hurting... that she wanted to not be alone. I'd like to know, now that you have read this if I should change the rating to M? (there will be at least 1 more scene where this will come up again) Please let me know what you think!

Thank you! To all who have taken the time to leave a review! I am sorry I didn't reply to them in a very timely manor but life has been busy! Hopefully this chapter makes up for my tardiness! Thank you as well for reading! And thank you to my wonderful beta barbc(who I forgot to thank in the last chapter!) She makes this story readable! Well until next time, cytpotter.


	76. Broom Bunnies

I do not own Harry Potter(though a girl can always wish!)

Thank you to those who responded that they didn't think this story needed to be moved to a M rating. Hope you enjoy this chapter! :)

* * *

><p>Chapter Seventy-six<p>

**Broom Bunnies**

"Why wear it if it burns you? Why not take it off?" the Hufflepuff asked as he stared at his witch.

Taylor swallowed as she chewed on her lip. How could she explain it? "I've had that necklace since I was a little girl," She saw him nod. She had already told him this, "It's always been there, when my uncle died, when Harry got hurt… when I've been scared… when I was in the dark… when I've been all alone…"

Struggling to make him understand she continued, "It's always been a comfort to me, that might sound silly but it has." She paused and Greg watched her, not even hinting at a smile to indicate he thought it was silly, only waiting for her to go on. "When I first used Dark Magic, last summer… I was really scared. At first I didn't even realize I had used it. I only wanted to stop some guys from taking Hermione away. Moody was the one who told me I'd used Dark Magic. Well then of course I ran away with Harry to go looking for Horcruxes. The second time I used Dark Magic… it was a terrible spell. Harry had just been attacked by… a Death Eater. I was terrified. I didn't even think, the spell just… came out. It was a binding spell, a terrible binding spell. But Harry was hurt, there was so much blood…" Taylor shivered even now as the memory of that afternoon filled up her mind. "I brought Harry to Hogwarts, he almost didn't… Well Moody took me up to McGonagall. You can just about imagine what happened next. Needless to say I got detention-with Moody. He had to take me to release the binding spell on the Death Eater."

"Why? Why not just leave it on. It was a Death Eater." Greg asked and felt the witch tremble in his arms as she shook her head slowly.

"They couldn't, I couldn't. It would have killed him. As it was I just barely managed to reverse it in time. It took me a couple of tries. That was when I learned how I can use Dark Magic, well not exactly, how it is that I can actually perform it. No one knows that. It's just some sort of twisted gift I guess. But why, or a better way to explain it is, how I need to feel to use it." She could see his confused expression. "I need to feel like I am protecting someone in order to use it Greg. It's become a lot easier to do that over the past nine months, but still in order to… summon the Dark Magic. I have to feel I am protecting someone."

The Hufflepuff stared at her dumbstruck. He had never heard of anything like it. And yet it made perfect sense to him. Why he trusted her despite the fact that she could use Dark Magic. Because she never used it to attack, only to defend.

"But why leave the necklace on?"

"It's like a warning. When I feel it getting hot I know I'm about to use Dark Magic. It's helped me stop a couple of times when I knew I shouldn't… and when I do need it…" She shrugged not sure if she could explain it.

"My necklace… it doesn't burn too does it?" the Hufflepuff asked as he looked down at her neck again.

"No…" again she shrugged her shoulders unsure how to explain it.

"Witch you are truly a mystery," Greg breathed before he caught her lips with his for a gentle kiss.

"Harry James Potter!" Hermione's voice broke in on said wizard as he glared at the Marauders Map. He had been worried when his sister didn't come for supper. Only Ginny's insistence that she was fine had distracted him for a while. Then when Ron came back from his patrol and said Hunter hadn't shown up for patrol duty… he'd gone to look to see if the two were together, and found both dots _together_.

"Mischief Managed!" Hermione snapped as she touched her wand to the Map.

"What the hell did you do that for!" Harry yelled coming to his feet to glare at the shorter witch.

"Because Taylor does not need you snooping into her love life constantly!" Hermione snapped back, unfazed by the wizard's outburst.

Harry nearly choked, "Her love… Bloody Hell! She had better not have a love life! I'll kill that Hufflepuff if he takes advantage of my…ouch!" only Ron's swift kick in the shin stopped Harry from saying the wrong thing.

Hermione only rolled her eyes. "Really Harry. Taylor is a young woman now. She'll officially be of age in just a couple of months. She is perfectly capable of having a love life if she so wishes!"

"Not Bloody well likely! As you pointed out she is still underage! She is my… ouch!" Ron kicked Harry again, harder this time.

"Ron, stop kicking Harry! Besides if she is your friend, then start acting like one and not some jealous boyfriend or something! Greg is a good guy. He won't hurt Taylor. He really does love her. Besides if you go bursting in on her right now she's liable to follow through with her threat earlier and hex your unmentionables off. And I'll help her!"

"Who's hexing my boyfriend's unmentionables?" Ginny asked walking in through the door to the seventh year boy's dorm room.

"I caught Harry spying on Taylor and Greg again." Hermione told the red-haired witch and watched with satisfaction as the redhead pinned her boyfriend with an angry look.

"What did I tell you Harry? Did I not say that Taylor would be just fine and to give her some space?"

Harry squirmed under the glare from his witch before he looked away with a sigh.

"If Taylor isn't back by curfew I'll go looking for her," Hermione informed both wizards.

"And I'll go help. If the Hufflepuff is behaving in an ungentlemanly way then I'll hex _his_ unmentionables off as well as a few other things!" Ginny said in a warning tone that made both wizards flinch and unconsciously cover said area.

Taylor stretched sleepily before reaching over and picking her glasses up off her nightstand. The sunlight pouring in through her dorm window told her that it was well past sunrise. This was one of the rare mornings that she actually slept in and it felt good.

With a smile she let her mind wander back over the night before…

"Morning Taylor!" Ginny chimed as she plopped down on her friend's bed still wearing her pajamas.

"Morning Ginny, what are you doing here?" Taylor asked as she stretched again, though too content to get up just yet.

"Well Lav-Lav," the sickening nickname Ron had used for Lavender when he had been dating her in sixth year, "came into my room to play make over, so I came up here."

"What time is it anyway?" Taylor asked as she glanced around.

"Nearly ten o'clock," Hermione said as she came in through the door carrying a basket. She had her school robes on but when she paused at her bed to take them off Taylor could see her friend was still in her pajamas too. "I thought we needed some girl talk time so I shooed Lavender out and got us something to eat. I'm starved, what about you?"

Taylor couldn't help but snort at Hermione's bossy tone and decided it was probably Ginny's idea to call this _girl talk time_. She eyed her two friends for a moment before saying. "I'm starved too actually." Sitting up in her bed she laughed when Hermione plunked down on her bed and opening the basket passed out some toast to the other two witches.

They ate talking about quidditch and an essay the two seventh years had due tomorrow and a few other easy topics. It wasn't until the last of the food in the basket was gone and Hermione floated it over onto her bed that the conversation turned more serious.

"How are you doing Taylor?" Hermione asked, concerned.

Taylor glanced away from her friends to the window where there was blue sky and sunshine. "I'm going to be alright."

Hermione put her hand on her friend's and gave it a comforting squeeze. All three witches were quiet for a short while before…

"So what did you and Greg do last night?" Ginny asked watching her friend closely.

Taylor was suddenly glad that she wasn't still eating. She'd have probably choked on her breakfast. Turning bright red she stammered, "Ah… well we ah… talked some."

"Talked? Huh, I didn't know talking caused your shirt to be buttoned up wrong." Ginny said in a knowing tone.

Taylor's faced heated up again as she looked down, "Well… we did _some _talking."

"So other than talking, what happened? Come on Taylor, spill." Ginny prodded with a wicked grin.

"Well, we… or I… he has a really nice chest?" Taylor said, as her cheeks flamed red.

"You seen Hunter's bare chest!" Hermione squeaked as her eyes went round and her hand covered her mouth.

"Did he see yours?" Ginny asked mischievously.

"Well… you saw my shirt…" Taylor trailed off.

"How much _more_ of Greg did you see?" Hermione whispered from behind her hand somewhere between mortified and thunderstruck.

"What? No! I didn't see that! I mean I wanted to but he… well we stopped… With our shirts… off." Taylor stammered unable to keep her mouth from telling her friends about last night.

"I guess it's a good thing we did stop Harry and Ron from going and looking for you. They'd have probably killed the Hufflepuff then and there." Ginny said it in such an off-hand way that it took Taylor a moment to digest what the other witch had said.

"Why would Harry and Ron come looking for me…? Harry saw me on the Marauders Map didn't he?" Taylor demanded as anger chased away her embarrassment.

"By the sounds of things he needs to keep a closer eye on you. You weren't seriously thinking of sleeping with Hunter were you?" Ginny asked eyeing her friend shrewdly.

Taylor's mouth quirked into a wicked grin. "Oh I've already slept with the Hufflepuff," Hermione's jaw dropped open in disbelief, as Ginny gasped. "but I wasn't thinking anything about sleep last night, though I _thought_ I wanted to go all the way… Greg didn't."

Ginny nodded her head wisely as she smiled. "Hunter is a good guy. Most guys won't stop, you know. Not once they get it in their heads that they want to go all the way."

"Ron keeps preaching stuff like that, but…" Taylor began but the other red-haired witch cut her off.

"Ron is right. Man, how often do I get to say that?" Ginny said amazed and then continued, "Believe me! I've gone out with some guys that have more arms than the giant squid! And most were lousy at snogging to boot."

Taylor stared at the other witch for a moment before asking, "So why'd you go out with them?"

Ginny shrugged and said with a sly grin, "I got tired of waiting for the right guy to notice me."

Taylor grinned back, "I wouldn't let Harry hear you say what guys tried to pressure you. He'd knock their block off!"

"Don't rush into this Taylor. You have all kinds of time for stuff like that to happen. Once you do it, it's too late." Hermione advised.

"Yes Mom!" Taylor said as she rolled her eyes but then smiled at her bushy haired friend. "Besides that's basically what Greg said."

"He's a wise wizard. So how is he at snogging?" Ginny asked mischievously. "Maybe we could switch sometime and compare notes!"

Taylor pulled a face and shook her whole body, "No thanks!"

Hermione laughed and prodded playfully, "Oh come on Taylor!"

Cringing and shaking her head to dispel the image, she managed to say. "Only if I can watch you, Ginny while you snog Ron!"

"Eww! Now that is disgusting!" Ginny cried pulling a disgusted face.

"Hey! Ron happens to be _my boyfriend_! And he is a rather good snogger!" Hermione called indignantly.

The three witches continued to talk about boys, laughing and teasing one another until they nearly missed lunch.

After that things settled down, and life went on.

Taylor found that if she worked hard in class, and stayed with her friends and the Head Boy, then other than being maybe quieter than normal, she was okay. It was those times when they were all busy with quidditch practice or patrol duty that the loneliness would settle in again. She now had no place to go when she finished school, not that she would have gone back to Mrs. Briggs anyway. With Voldemort looking for her, it wouldn't have been safe. Still, to have no place to call home hurt. She also thought about the elderly, kind witch and felt a deep sadness at the thought of never seeing her smiling face again.

Her first _research session_ that Monday night had been extremely tense. Though Shacklebolt had done his best to put the witch at ease, Taylor had felt like she was walking on eggshells around her professor. Moody had thankfully been absent. Her distraction though had resulted in her brother repeatedly beating her in their duels and she was covered in bruises to prove it.

Though after that first one, she did relax some and by Friday was once again back to looking forward to their sessions, even enjoying going up against Shacklebolt who was taking the place of Moody as a dueling partner.

The whole school was buzzing about the big quidditch match on Saturday, and each team had practice at least four times that week.

Animosity between Harry, Ron and the Hufflepuff reached an all time high Tuesday evening as Taylor and the Hufflepuff were about to go into the Great Hall. Her brother and Ron were walking just in front of her when one of the Hufflepuff's friends soaked the two Gryffindor wizards. Of course as Head Boy, Greg did get after the Hufflepuff but one thing led to another, and accusations were flung… The outcome was that the Head Boy sat at the Hufflepuff table for his meals and didn't come up to Gryffindor Tower for the rest of the week.

Taylor tried going to the Hufflepuff study room but a couple of Hufflepuff sixth years opened their mouths and Greg nearly put his fist in them. So she decided to leave. The Head Boy followed and they spent what little time they had in the evenings in an empty classroom working on schoolwork, talking or doing a little snogging. They never once talked about quidditch or the upcoming match.

Saturday morning dawned overcast with a light mist falling.

Taylor rolled out of bed and headed for the showers, a little later than normal due to the heavy cloud cover that made the morning light take longer to brighten and wake her up. After a hot shower, she dressed as Hermione and Lavender got up and headed for the showers also. Taking longer then normal to dress, Taylor was trying to decide which sweater she should wear when Ginny tore into her room.

"Have you seen my shin guard? I'm missing one!"

Taylor looked up and noticed the normally cool, calm witch was extremely agitated as she began looking under beds and behind trunks.

"No, sorry. Did you look everywhere in your room?" Taylor asked as she quickly looked around her room.

"Yes! I can't find it! Harry wants everyone in the Great Hall for breakfast in fifteen minutes!"

"Ginny, calm down. I'll help you. Now I'd say it's not in here. Let's go check your room again," following the other witch Taylor went down the stairs and into the sixth year dorm and started looking. After a few minutes an idea came to her. "Accio Shin Guard!" From under a pile of clothes over in the corner a shin guard flew into Taylor's hand, as well as the one that the agitated quidditch player had been holding.

"Oh Merlin! Thanks Taylor!" Ginny cried and continued mumbling as she hurriedly put them on and grabbed her quidditch robes and put them on as well.

"Ginny, you're going to do fine! You're the best chaser there is. Now go! I'll be down in a few minutes just as soon as I grab a sweater and an umbrella." Taylor watched as her friend grabbed her broom and hurried out of the dorm.

An excited thrill went through Taylor as she made her way back to her room. She loved to watch quidditch and today her brother was going to play for the House Cup! A quidditch captain, a spectacular seeker and possibly winning the cup! Just like their father.

The only damper to the excitement she was feeling, was the fact that her boyfriend was playing for the opposing team! She wished now that she had forced herself to bring up the match to let him know she would be rooting for him also. She had to. She just couldn't ignore the fact that the Head Boy had been so happy at the last match when she had shown that she was cheering for him.

It had been that dilemma that had, even with all the excitement for the upcoming match, made her feel apprehensive. So she had come up with an idea to hopefully appease her need to support her brother, as well as the rest of the Gryffindor team, and also show that she was cheering for the Head Boy.

Pulling on her dark navy sweater, Taylor grabbed the two scarves out of her trunk and carefully tied them.

"You _are not_ wearing _that_ to the match are you?" Lavender asked in a disdainful voice as she came back into the dorm room after her shower.

Taylor glanced down at her favorite faded blue jeans and the sweater that she thought went rather well with both the red and gold of the Gryffindor scarf, as well as the yellow and brown of the Hufflepuff scarf. "Why? What's wrong with it?"

Lavender rolled her eyes dramatically as she pulled on her tight designer jeans and a sleek form-fitting sweater that showed off her many curves. "Honestly Porter! I haven't the faintest idea how you ever ended up with a hottie like Hunter."

"Yeah cause I'm sure it had nothing to do with her _great personality_ or _caring nature_!" Hermione said sarcastically as she came back into the room. "Honestly Lavender! Doesn't Hogwarts have enough wizards for you to drool all over, that you can't leave the taken ones alone?"

Taylor ducked her head and tried to keep from laughing at the look that came over Lavender's face. It was a well-known fact that the three of them didn't get along, all that well. Though Lavender usually reserved her snide remarks for Hermione, she had never forgiven Hermione for stealing Ron from her.

With a huff Lavender marched out of their room with her nose stuck in the air. She had no more than stepped out the door when Taylor and Hermione broke into a fit of uncontrollable giggles.

When the two finally stopped, Hermione wiped the tears of mirth from her eyes as she asked, "You are going to wear both of those to the match are you?"

Taylor grinned as she met her friend's brown eyes, "I sure am! Now let's go or we'll miss the Gryffindor team in the Great Hall!"

Still laughing, Hermione quickly donned a nice pair of dark jeans and her favorite sweater, and the two set out for the Great Hall. They were just starting down the stairs on the fifth floor when Taylor broke the comfortable silence that had settled over the two witches.

"So how does it feel to be a broom bunny, Hermione?"

"A broom what?" the normally bushy haired witch asked. Today her hair was in a tight French braid with tendrils curling around her face, making the attractive witch even more so.

"A broom bunny. You know, a quidditch star's girlfriend." Taylor teased.

"I _am not_ a broom bunny! I happened to like Ron long before he started to play quidditch." The other witch defended, sounding slightly put out.

Taylor laughed and waggled her eyebrows, "I know that! But you have to admit, the guys do look incredibly handsome in their uniforms!"

Hermione giggled as a blush crept up her face.

"Why Hermione! You've been checking out the guys! Oh just wait until I tell Ginny!"

Hermione gave an uncharacteristic squeak as Taylor laughed, the two joking the whole rest of the way to the Great Hall about who looked best in their uniforms.

Just before they entered the Great Hall, Taylor's grin slipped just a little as she had a bout of nerves. This had to be done right or she'd have more than the mickey taken out of her. Taking a deep breath she said, "I'll see you in the stands okay?"

Hermione looked over at her friend confused, before she saw the cocky grin plastered over her face. With a wink Taylor swaggered into the Great Hall and made a production of going to the Ravenclaw table and plunking down. Hoping her friend wasn't biting off more then she could chew, Hermione headed for the Gryffindor table and the deep red robes in the middle that signified the quidditch team.

Taylor chose to sit down in a hole between two Ravenclaw sixth year wizards who she only knew vaguely. She hadn't any more than sat down when the first remark came her way.

"Porter! What are you doing over there? You forget again what house you're in?" Seamus called loudly.

"Not bloody likely Finnigan! I just thought I'd get to know these two fine wizards, seeing as how all the good looking Gryffindors are going to be out on the pitch!" Taylor called back cheekily.

A whole slew of Ohs were heard as well as laughter.

"Porter you barmy witch! You need to get your glasses checked!" A sixth year Gryffindor called. He thought of himself as quite the ladies man.

"Yeah that might be so, but at least I won't need to go see Pomfrey to get a tetanus potion!" Taylor called back making a disgusted face.

A whole tirade of ribbing followed as most of the Gryffindors took it in turns to tease the Gryffindor witch sitting at the Ravenclaw table. Taylor always had a comeback ready, and laughed along, taking the ribbing in stride.

After a while the comments died as excited talk turned back to the big quidditch match. Taylor nibbled on a piece of toast, too excited and nervous to eat much. She wondered what she would be like if she actually played, if she was like this when she was just watching the game!

As inconspicuously as possible she watched her brother as he talked quietly with the people around him, mostly his teammates. She could see the tension in his face, as well as the fire that burned in his eyes, that only a quidditch match could bring out. Ron looked as green as usual before a game and Ginny's face was tight with nerves also.

After a few minutes she looked away only to find her eyes had wondered to the table behind her where the Hufflepuff team sat in their bright yellow robes. Her eyes found the dark hair of the tall Head Boy easily. He was turned slightly away from her talking to the Hufflepuff captain, allowing her to study him for a moment. She could see the tension in him too, but it was less pronounced, not that she doubted he was any less anxious, he just hid it better. It was his eyes, though, that gave him away the most. They were sharp and forbidding when he happened to glance in her direction. Though they did soften slightly at the sight of her watching him.

"Gryffindor team, let's go!" Harry's voice commanded strong and sure, as cheers erupted all along that table and many of the Ravenclaws also joined in.

Taylor watched quietly amongst the cheers as her brother, with his broom slung on his shoulder, led his team out of the Great Hall. A shot of excitement made her fingers twitch and her grin cover her whole face.

She waited until they were out the doors and then she jumped to her feet, ignoring the catcalls and Seamus' taunting voice asking her if she was going to kiss the whole team good luck.

As soon as she was in the Entrance Hall she broke into a run as the Gryffindor team filed out the castle doors.

"Harry! Wait!"

For a second she thought he wasn't going to stop, then he turned to look at her, his eyebrow quirking in question.

Taylor could see Ginny eyeing her as she raced up to them and stopped more out of breath than the short run should have incurred.

"I just wanted to wish you good luck!"

Taylor wanted to say more, had even practiced what she had wanted to say to her brother, but now as she met his green eyes her words and wit left her. For a long moment she stared up at him and she knew at any second he was going to turn and go. Panic set in and she did the first thing that came to mind. She threw her arms around him and hugged him tight, as a mix of pride and love surged through her. She released him just as quickly and standing on her tiptoes she whispered softly in his ear. "I love you big brother, good luck." She then kissed him on his cheek before saying louder, "Good luck Harry! Stay safe! And catch that snitch!"

Harry grinned down at his little sister. He had missed her at the table. She always sat near him before a game. He had thought she wasn't going to speak to him before he went to play. His heart was just a little lighter as he watched her hug Ron and wish him luck, as well as Ginny, before wishing the rest of the team good luck too. He caught her eye once more and saw that they were shining brightly to match the smile on her face. He knew he didn't need to say anything to her. She had shown him that she was there for him. Turning he started out again, the rest of his team falling in beside him.

Taylor stood and watched her brother lead his team across the grounds. The pride that she felt was rivaled only by her love. Excitement raced through her. Harry could have his name on the Cup, as captain. He was after all, the best seeker, ever! In her unbiased opinion of course. Just like their father's name was.

A sound behind her, made her turn to see the Hufflepuff team walking across the Entrance Hall towards her and the castle doors.

The Head Boy watched as the lone Gryffindor witch turned towards him and saw her smile, not so much falter but change from a fierce proud one, to a softer shyer one she seemed to reserve only for him.

He had worried at first that his witch wasn't even going to come to the Great Hall for breakfast, and he had begun to wonder if his decision not to talk about this game was a wise one. The main reason he hadn't brought it up was because there was so much tension in the whole school about it. He'd had to resort to taking his witch to a deserted room to study because the normally quiet easy going Hufflepuffs seemed to get it in their heads that all Gryffindors were to be considered opponents. He'd broken up more skirmishes this past week between the two houses than he could ever remember in all his other years at Hogwarts. It wasn't that he didn't want to beat Gryffindor, he did, and the idea of meeting Potter and Weasley on the quidditch pitch… he couldn't wait! It could be that he was dating a Gryffindor now and so he was just way more sensitive to the whole rivalry thing, but he didn't think so.

He saw the shy smile slip away as his witch began to chew nervously on her bottom lip, a habit she had that never failed to make him want to rescue the poor lip from her worrying teeth. When she had walked into the Great Hall and turned from the Gryffindor table he had thought she was going to come sit with him. He had to admire her spunk though for sitting at the Ravenclaw table and giving as good as she was getting from her fellow Gryffindors as they teased her. The sight of the two house scarves she was wearing was enough to make even a few Hufflepuffs raise their eye brows. He had just felt a surge of… a mixture of pride and contentment that his girlfriend was going to cheer him on, even if he was playing against her house.

Taylor chewed on her lip as a couple of the Hufflepuff team filed past her out the door. She was beginning to wonder if the Head Boy would even stop, his fierce expression had barely softened from when she had first turned to see him walking towards her.

When he did pause in front of her she blurted out, "Good luck, I hope you have a great game." Inside she groaned and started chewing on her lip again, wondering why her wit always seemed to flee when it came to talking to the two wizards that she cared about the most.

A bit of a smile quirked up one side of the Head Boy's mouth, "Thanks, but if you don't stop, you are going to chew that lip right off."

Taylor felt a blush creep up her face and looked at the floor, noticing his shin guards and boots showing between the edges of his yellow robes. A finger under her chin lifted her head up until her eyes met his intense blue ones.

"Thank you for wearing my scarf, witch."

Taylor felt a thrill go through her but it had nothing to do with the upcoming game, as the Head Boy's voice was deep and husky.

"Why wouldn't I? I plan on cheering _you_ on all game."

The Head Boy gave her his cocky grin as Binns the captain called for him to get a move on.

Taylor threw her arms around him just like she had her brother and held him tight for just a moment before she let her arms fall and she stepped back to look up at him. "Good luck. Be safe. I love you. I'll see you after the game, okay?" Standing on her tiptoes she still had to pull him down just a little so she could kiss him on his cheek.

The intensity in his blue eyes increased as he stared at her for just a moment. "I'll see you later witch." His fingers caught his Hufflepuff scarf she was wearing and then he kissed her soundly on the lips before turning and walking out the castle door after his teammates.

* * *

><p>AN Wow... a lot happened in this chapter! Hope you didn't find it too rushed. I wanted to convey again how nieve Taylor really is and I think I have. Plus for any of you wondering what a broom bunny is... well I took the term from ice hockey where they are called ice bunnies... if you still don't know what the term means then don't worry it will be explained in a later chapter! lol! I know I kind of made it seem Taylor is over Mrs Briggs fairly quickly but unfortunitly I needed to get on to other stuff in the story... plus I think Taylor is a fairly private person and would keep her sadness inside rather then wear it on her sleeve everyday. Hopefully that doesn't seem too far fetched.

So we are gearing up for the last great quidditch game of the year! (as well as in this story, for those of you who love to read about quidditch games!) I think it is action packed but I will let you decide! ;) I know the next few chapters kind of steer away from Voldemort and the horcruxes but I wanted to show that these are still just kids in school and that they really do do school things. Something I really missed in the seventh book. Well hope you enjoy!

Thank you to all those who left a review! As well as let me know that they think this story is still okay rated T! Thank you all for reading! Thanks for the Alerts and Fav's as well as thank you to my beta barbc who has been diligently working to get these chapters back to me so I can keep posting them at this rate! Well until next time, cytpotter.


	77. Gryffindor vs Hufflepuff

No if I owned Harry Potter there would of been more quidditch games and Harry would of gone on to play pro quidditch!

Hope you enjoy my last kick at the quidditch can! :)

* * *

><p>Chapter Seventy-seven<p>

**Gryffindor vs. Hufflepuff**

The heavy mist from earlier that morning had stopped and the sky had lightened considerably, though it was still overcast.

"The ground's not too soggy, so it should be a fast push off and as long as the sun doesn't come out, it will be optimal conditions for a match. The Gryffindors have to be leading the Hufflepuffs by something like six goals if they are going to win the Cup. Otherwise Gryffindor might win the game but lose the Cup. Binns has the best beaters and he's a crack keeper. His three chasers are better than Gryffindor's though that Weasley witch is the best of the whole lot. If Ron Weasley is on his game, he's a crack keeper too. Of course Potter is by far the better of the two seekers, it should be one hell of a game…"

Taylor listened as she climbed up through the stands behind the Ravenclaw quidditch captain as he talked about the game. She had still been standing at the castle doors when Hermione had come out of the Great Hall a few minutes after the Hufflepuff team left and the two of them had walked down across the grounds together. However when Hermione started up into the Gryffindor section Taylor had waved her goodbye and headed for the Ravenclaw section. It wasn't that she was worried about the ribbing she was sure to get from her fellow Gryffindors. It was that she wanted to show the Hufflepuff that she meant what she had said. She would be cheering for him. Something hard to do amongst a crowd of Gryffindor fans.

When the two Ravenclaws stopped she pushed on past them and headed even higher in the stands until she was nearly to the top and by herself. She was scanning the pitch way below as Madame Hooch brought the case with the balls in it out and set it in the middle of the pitch. The two teams would be coming out of the changing rooms shortly. Excitement pounded through Taylor as her hands actually shook.

"It's a great day for a match don't you agree?" a dreamy voice floated up to Taylor and she looked to see Luna climbing up the stairs towards her, wearing her huge lions head once again, that she had worn in sixth year.

"Most definitely! How come you're not down with the Gryffindors? I see you are supporting them," Taylor asked as her eyes once again went to watching for the teams to emerge from the changing rooms.

"I thought that maybe you would like to have some company. Cheering for other than one's own house can be very lonely."

Taylor looked back at the Ravenclaw witch and a grin spread over her face. "Luna I think you hit the nail right on the head! I'd love to have some company, thank you!"

"Oh, no problem," Luna replied in her dreamy voice before she touched her wand to the lions head and it roared very loudly.

A few seconds later a voice boomed out over the quidditch pitch, "Welcome everyone to the last match of the year! Hufflepuff versus Gryffindor!" a huge roar filled the air as both houses attempted to out do the other. "Today's match will determine who wins the House Cup! And here come the Gryffindors onto the field!" Another roar filled the air as the Gryffindors, as well as Luna's lion, and Taylor all cheered at once.

"This will be the last match for the Gryffindor captain and seeker, Harry Potter, who is in his seventh year. Also in their final year is keeper Ronald Weasley. Chasers for Gryffindor are Ginny Weasley and…"

Taylor yelled as each team member was announced, suddenly glad that it was a Ravenclaw who was announcing the game so it wouldn't be very biased for either team.

"The Hufflepuffs are coming out now!"

Taylor yelled just as loudly as she had for the Gryffindor team, her voice lost in the roar from across the pitch where the Hufflepuffs all sat.

"The Hufflepuff captain is Barnabus Binns and he is also keeper. Beaters for the Hufflepuffs are Greg Hunter, who is in his final year and…"

Taylor thought she might lose her voice already as she screamed and whistled for the Head Boy. A couple of Ravenclaws actually turned to look up at her but she didn't care.

Taylor could feel her body quivering in excitement as her brother and Binns shook hands and then the teams mounted their brooms.

"The snitch is released, and remember the snitch is worth one hundred and fifty points. There go the Bludgers, the Quaffle's up and they're off!"

Taylor screamed again as she watched her brother soar straight up high into the air, his messy black hair whipped out of his face by the wind as he started to look for the snitch. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Ginny catch the quaffle and take off for the Hufflepuff goal hoops.

"It's Weasley with the Quaffle, she's got a clear path to the Hufflepuff goal… Whoa! Look out! That was a bludger from Hunter! Nearly unseating the Gryffindor and she drops the quaffle, picked up by Connor Smith the Hufflepuff chaser!"

"Look out Ginny! Hunter! Don't you dare hit her! Nice Bludger, though Greg! Go Ginny!" Taylor yelled, earning her a few more odd looks from the nearby Ravenclaws though she was too wrapped up in the game to notice.

A few minutes later Ron missed a quaffle and the Hufflepuffs scored.

"That's all right Ron, get the next one! You are our King, Ron! Good work Hufflepuff!" Taylor's voice was drowned out by the cheers of the Hufflepuffs and the announcer's voice.

"Hufflepuffs score! Ten to zero. It's Weasley with the quaffle, look at the witch fly!"

"Go Ginny! Go! Yes… Yes!" Taylor's hand punched the air as the Gryffindors roared for Ginny's goal.

And so it went nearly goal for goal. The keepers were playing a spectacular game. It was just that the chasers for each team were playing equally as well.

"The score is all tied up at fifty a piece, what a game! Oh! Holy smokes! Hunter caught that bludger and missed the Gryffindor seeker Potter by just a few inches as Potter flew past one of his chasers! And Potter looks mad! Watch yourself Hunter! The Gryffindors won't take kindly to that!"

"Harry!" Taylor screeched as she actually ducked as she watched how close the bludger had come to hitting her brother. "Hunter you goon! You leave Harry alone!"

The game got steadily dirtier after that, as a beater for Gryffindor smashed a bludger at Binns, hitting the Hufflepuff captain a glancing blow. Madame Hooch blew her whistle and gave the Hufflepuffs a free shot that Ron saved.

A few minutes later Hunter hit the bludger once more, though this time at one of the Gryffindor chasers with the quaffle. The beater for Gryffindor sent it back at Hunter, but when he went to swing at it the other Gryffindor beater swung his bat and hit Hunter in the side instead of the bludger. The sickening thump was easily heard and nearly took the Hufflepuff beater off his broom.

"Hunter! Merlin, Greg!" Taylor yelled as she watched him slowly head for the ground, holding his side, as Binns called for a time out. Taylor raced down through the stands jumping from seat to seat instead of taking the stairs and was trembling from fear as well as anger as she reached the bottom and ran out to the Hufflepuff team, thankfully not far from the stands.

"… do you think they are broken?" Binns was asking as she elbowed her way through the Hufflepuff players to get to the Head Boy in the middle, as he had a hand wrapped around his middle holding it. "What do you think you are doing here?" Binns demanded when he caught sight of the Gryffindor witch.

Taylor ignored him completely as she stopped in front of Greg. She could see his face had paled and he was breathing rather shallowly. "Let me see." Taylor commanded as she reached out and pulled his hand away from his side and pulled up his yellow jersey to see his side.

"Binns! Is your beater going to be able to keep playing?" Madame Hooch called down to the Hufflepuff team captain.

Taylor glanced up at the Head Boy's blue eyes and saw the pain in them.

"Porter do you think you can fix him or what?" Binns asked quietly, wondering what the witch was up to.

"Give me a sec." Her wand came into her hand as she felt the spell she needed form on her tongue. She could see the Head Boy's eyes widen as hers darkened and her necklace burned, barely muttering the words, she looked down at Greg's ribs. She sighed in relief after a moment. "His ribs aren't broken only bruised. I can bandage them up. They're going to hurt like hell, but as long as you don't get hit in the ribs again, you'll be fine until the game ends." Giving her wand a wave bandages flew out and wrapped around the Head Boy's ribs tightly. Her time spent in the Hospital Wing wasn't a complete waste anyway.

"How do you feel Greg? Do you think you can keep playing?" Binns asked.

Greg looked down at his witch, he could see the darkness fading from her eyes, "Yeah, I'm good to go." He heard Binns telling Madame Hooch, his eyes never left hers. "You shouldn't…"

"Be careful! Those bandages will not stop your ribs from breaking!" Taylor cut off the Head Boy. "Now I believe you have a quidditch game to play." Taylor turned and walked out through the Hufflepuff players, a movement above her made her look up to see her brother hovering thirty or so feet above her. His eyes when they met hers were inscrutable and she merely shrugged at him before heading back up into the stands.

"Well it looks like Hunter is going to be able to keep playing! I think I've seen it all! Porter from Gryffindor went to see Hunter, who looked like he was out of the game, and did something to the Hufflepuff and he's back in the game! Of course everyone knows Hunter and Porter are dating but what will the Gryffindors think now if Hunter manages to connect with one of his magnificent Bludgers!"

Taylor was only half listening as she climbed all the back up to the top row where Luna was still waiting.

"Hufflepuff scores on the free throw…"

Taylor groaned. If the Hufflepuffs won… she'd probably be sleeping in an empty classroom for a week before she was allowed back into Gryffindor Tower. Of course the Hufflepuffs might let her sleep in their study room.

"I think you did the right thing. It is only a game after all." Luna said dreamily when Taylor reached her and turned to watch the game.

"Yeah tell them that." Taylor grumbled as she glanced again over at the Gryffindor stands where Seamus, Dean and a couple of other Gryffindors were making obscene gestures at her. Taylor flipped them the finger.

"And Hufflepuff scores again! That makes it eighty to fifty!"

"Come on Ron! You can save those! Come on Gryffindor!" Taylor yelled.

Taylor resumed cheering as the chasers fought for the quaffle, elbows were thrown as well as the odd fist. She cheered the loudest when Gryffindor had the quaffle but she still cheered the Hufflepuffs on as well. Ginny was able to score again, before Hufflepuff, after a flurry of throws at the Gryffindor goal, put it past Ron at last.

A few minutes later she watched as her brother called a timeout and the Gryffindors all landed around their captain. She could feel her heart pounding in her chest, as she worried her bottom lip. Nerves made her foot jiggle and her hands constantly stay in motion.

Feeling like she was being watched she glanced up to see the Head Boy hovering not far from her. She smiled up at him and he returned it, before heading back out over the pitch.

"Well let's see if Potter was able to give his team any words of wisdom as the Gryffindor team heads back up into the air! The Quaffle's up and they're off!"

It wasn't ten minutes later when the Hufflepuff captain called a timeout.

"Well with the score at eighty to sixty it is still anybody's game! The two seekers have yet to spot the snitch, so all the work has gone to the chasers, and Miss Weasley has an impressive four goals so far in this game…"

Taylor watched as the Hufflepuffs mounted their brooms again, and saw Greg shaking his head at Binns as he mounted his broom.

A short while later Taylor had a good idea why the Head Boy had been shaking his head. When not far from where she stood…

"Oh! It looks like Weir has spotted the snitch! He's in a dive! Potter right on his broomtail! Holy Merlin!"

Taylor watched in horror as the Hufflepuff seeker streaked between the other Hufflepuff beater and two chasers. The Hufflepuffs slammed into Harry as they closed off the lane that Weir had used. There was sickening crunch as the three Hufflepuffs collided with the Gryffindor seeker.

"NO!" Taylor's scream ripped out of her throat and she took off again racing down through the stands even as she watched her brother emerge from the mass of bodies clinging to his broom, with blood covering his face. He had barely touched down on the pitch when Taylor burst out of the stands and raced towards him.

She wasn't the first to reach him though. A small crowd of Gryffindors plus the team were already there. She blindly pushed through the crowd needing to get to her brother when a hand caught her above the elbow, her own momentum swinging her around to see who had a hold of her arm.

"This is the Gryffindor side, Porter!" Seamus snapped angrily.

Taylor didn't even stop to think she just hauled back her fist and plowed it into the wizard's nose. There was another sickening crunch and blood started to pour out of his busted nose.

"Let go of me Finnigan or the next one will be between your legs!" Taylor ground out and the wizard let go of her, howling about his nose. Another hand caught her arm and Taylor cocked her fist back.

"Taylor! Bloody Hell!" Ron bit out.

Taylor didn't say anything, only nodded and let her friend lead her to her brother. Hermione and Ginny were already there kneeling beside him.

"Harry, how many fingers am I holding up?" Ginny asked in a tight voice as she had her hand on his chest holding him down.

"Dammit Ginny I don't need to see your fingers, just the snitch!" Harry said in an unsteady voice.

Taylor dropped to her knees as she surveyed the damage. There was a nasty gash on his forehead, as well as one under one eye where it looked like his glasses had cut him. His glasses were broken and hanging off the side of his face. His lip was split and another cut on his neck was bleeding.

"Potter, you hurt any where except your empty head?" Taylor asked in a sharp voice and saw her brother attempt a smile.

"No, just bruised." She could tell when he looked up at her, that his head was clearing. His green eyes focused on her, even if he was squinting.

"Here, Harry," Hermione said in a concerned voice as she took his glasses off and with a flick of her wand repaired them and handed them back to him.

"Thanks Hermione."

"You don't happen to have any of that healing potion with you do you, Hermione?" Taylor asked and saw her friend shake her head.

"Weasley, is Potter going to be able to return to play?" Madame Hooch asked from above.

Ron glanced down at his best mate, "Yes! Just give me a second Ron!" Harry said as he pushed Ginny's hand off his chest and sat up.

Taylor watched as the blood started to run into her brother's eyes and frowned. She really needed to look up a spell to stop cuts from bleeding! Palming her wand she gave it a wave and a strip of bandage flew out. "Here Harry this should keep some of the blood out of your eyes." Wrapping a ribcage up with magic was easy, but a head was a lot more difficult so she did it the old fashioned way. When she had wrapped the bandage around his head enough to soak up the blood, she tied it off and then siphoned the rest of the blood off him.

"Thanks Taylor," Harry said with a small smile, before he stood up, wavering slightly on his feet. "Okay team! Let's go!"

Taylor caught her brother's arm before he could mount his broom. "Harry, that wasn't an accident. Binns planed that move!"

A half smile came to her brother's face. "I know. He's going to live to regret it too."

"Be careful!" Taylor warned. Harry nodded and mounted his Firebolt.

Hermione joined Taylor and the two witches walked back to the stands and up.

"Potter looks to be okay as he takes his position up high. The Quaffle's up and the game is back on!"

Taylor was furious at Binns. The Hufflepuffs had deliberately tried to take her brother out of the game. Fuming she stopped beside her friend to watch the game.

"Porter, you figure out which house you're in finally?" a Gryffindor sixth year taunted.

Taylor turned around slowly and glared up at the wizards standing behind her. "Keep it up and I'll break your nose too!" she fired back and saw with satisfaction that the leering looks fell off their faces, as they all glanced at Seamus who had just reached the stands holding a blood soaked rag to his face.

"Barmy witch!" was the only other thing she heard from them for the rest of the game.

"It's Gryffindor with the quaffle. Oh nice bludger, Hunter!"

Taylor yelled with the rest of the Gryffindors, even as she cringed for the Head Boy as he swung his bat knowing his side had to be killing him. Only a slight flinch after he swung gave away how much it had to hurt.

Still angry at Binns, Taylor quit cheering for the Hufflepuffs and only cheered for Greg. Though usually it was drowned out by the many voices around her cheering at the same time.

Watching her brother circling the field far above, she could easily pick him out even among the other Gryffindors, because of the white bandage that stood out starkly against his black hair. She was relieved to see that he seemed to be fine. The Hufflepuff seeker shadowing him as Harry continued to search for the snitch.

If anything, the Hufflepuff attack on Harry spurred the Gryffindor team on to play even harder. Ginny scored on the two free throws awarded to Gryffindor for Hufflepuff's unnecessary roughness to the Gryffindor seeker.

The Hufflepuffs responded by trying to get the quaffle past Ron, who seemed just as determined to keep it out.

Taylor cheering wildly heard Hermione start to sing and she quickly joined in, as did others, until the grounds echoed with the song.

"_Weasley is our King,_

_Weasley is our King,_

_He didn't let the Quaffle in,_

_Weasley is our King…_

_Weasley can save anything,_

_He never leaves a single ring,_

_That's why Gryffindors all sing,_

_Weasley is our King!"_

"And Weasley makes another spectacular save! Listen to those Gryffindors sing! The Gryffindors have the quaffle now. They pass it back and forth, Weasley shoots… And she scores! Gryffindor have tied it up with the Hufflepuffs! Each with eighty points…"

The Gryffindors cheered wildly and took up their chant again, as the Hufflepuffs stormed back but Ron made save after save, before Ginny stole the quaffle again and narrowly missing a bludger, put it past Binns.

"Gryffindor finally take the lead! Ninety to eighty!"

Taylor watched her brother as he looped the pitch, now keeping the Hufflepuff seeker close as well. A sudden movement and both seekers were in a dive. Flashing past where she was standing, Taylor could see that Harry was trying to force the other seeker off course to keep him from catching the snitch. It seemed to work as soon both seekers rose up and started searching once again.

"Weir needs to catch the snitch before the Gryffindors get a six goal lead or not only will Hufflepuff lose the match but also the Quidditch Cup!"

Screaming and then singing, the Gryffindors watched as the beaters on both teams tried to knock the Bludgers into the opposing team, as the chasers streaked about after the quaffle. Slowly, the grit of the Gryffindors came through and the score inched up, one goal, three goals…

"Weasley scores again! Gryffindor now in the lead one hundred forty to eighty! That witch is amazing! What a game!"

Now the Hufflepuff seeker was right on Harry. His job now to keep the Gryffindor from getting the snitch. Harry had no intention of letting that happen, as he scanned the pitch for the little gold ball.

In the stands, Taylor and Hermione screamed wildly as the Head Boy connected his bat to a bludger sending it at Ginny, but at the last second the Gryffindor beater swooped down and smashed it right back at the Hufflepuff, who had to roll in mid air to avoid it.

"It looks like Potter's seen the snitch!"

Taylor's head whipped around to see her brother in a steep climb, the Hufflepuff seeker hard on his tail.

"Come on Harry! Come on!" Taylor yelled into the sea of noise around her.

And then she caught sight of the snitch, just a gold flash, ahead of her brother as he laid flat on his broom reaching for it. Taylor cried her encouragement as Harry cut this way and that, getting closer and closer to the snitch.

"Yes! Yes! Harry! Yes!" Taylor and Hermione's voices spiked several octaves above normal as they jumped up and down, and then hugged one another in their euphoria, before heading for the pitch where the Gryffindor team was slowly descending, a mass of red robes all hugging one another.

"Harry Potter has caught the snitch! Gryffindor wins the game! As well as the Quidditch House Cup!"

* * *

><p>AN Sorry to all those who were hoping that Hufflepuff would win... I am a Gryffindor supporter through and through! :D Plus it set the stage nicely for the next chapter! ;) Well hopefully you enjoyed this game... or ah chapter :)

Thank you to all those who left a review! I am sorry for not replying yet(I am going to as soon as I post this chapter!) but weekends are getting busy here. Thank you to those who Alerted and Favorited as well thank you to my beta barbc! Well unitl next time, cytpotter.


	78. Celebration

I don't own Harry Potter just playing in their sandbox for a while!

After a game like that you know there will be a Celebration... hope you enjoy!

Warning! All those consuming alcohol in this chapter are of legal age... well for a witch or wizard anyway!

* * *

><p>Chapter Seventy-eight<p>

**Celebration**

All of Gryffindor poured onto the field to congratulate their team. Taylor and Hermione among them, pushing their way to the front, as Madame Hooch flew over with the Quidditch Cup.

A huge grin covered Harry's face as he stepped forward to take the Cup from the witch and then held it high over his head to a thunderous roar. His eyes immediately searching the crowd and finally coming to rest on his sister, as she cheered, jumping up and down in excitement. He passed the Cup to Ron who hoisted it up high to more cheers, but Harry stepped away from his best mate.

Taylor wasn't sure if she had ever been so happy, as she screamed watching as her brother hoisted the Cup. Tears of joy poured down her face and she cheered as Ron hoisted the Cup too. She laughed as she saw Hermione throw her arms around the redheaded wizard and kiss him right there. Only a set of red robes moving towards her made her look away and her eyes met her brother's green ones and she ran the rest of the way to him and threw her arms around him.

"You did it! You did it, Harry!" Taylor cried as she hugged her brother.

"Come on," Harry called by her ear, to make himself heard above the cheering, as he hugged her tight and he led her back to where the team was still standing and mounting his broom, he pulled his sister on in front of him. Ron mounted his broom, pulling Hermione on and the rest of the team did the same before rising up in the air to take a victory lap of the pitch.

Taylor laughed and held on tight, as the thrill of being on a broom once again filled her.

"You did it Harry! Oh Merlin, I thought I was going to die! I'm so proud of you right now! No Dementor would stand a chance! Not even a hundred!"

Harry laughed. "It feels great from this side too! I don't even think a thousand would stand a chance right now!"

Taylor could see the rest of the Gryffindor team as they swooped and weaved through the air to thunderous cheers from everyone except the Hufflepuffs and, of course, the Slytherins who had been cheering the Hufflepuffs on.

"Dad and Mum would be ecstatic! I'm so happy! I love you, big brother!" Taylor turned on the broom and hugged her brother and felt him laugh as he returned the hug.

"I love you too, sis." His voice sobered as they were nearly back to where they had taken off, the others already having landed. "I wanted to say thank you. I almost quit, but you wouldn't let me. This Cup belongs to you as much as to me. If things had been different who knows, maybe it would have been you out there catching that snitch instead of me. You'd have made one hell of a seeker!"

Taylor shook her head and laughed, as they touched down and she turned around properly and hugged him tightly. "You're the best seeker there is Harry! I think I'd have made a better beater! I have one hell of a swing!" Standing on her tiptoes she kissed him on his cheek as catcalls and wolf whistles went up as well as,

"Gryffindor common room, _Party_!"

Harry laughed as he rolled his eyes, "Try not to hit anyone between here and the party! And Taylor?" he could see the joy dancing in her eyes still, "bring the Hufflepuff along, he played a good game."

Taylor grinned as the crowd gathered around Harry and hoisted him up on their shoulders and carried him off. As the rest of the Gryffindor team whooped and celebrated with other Gryffindors. She stood there for a few minutes just savoring the wonderful feelings coursing through her. The vast majority of the Gryffindor fans and the team had left the pitch carrying the Gryffindor captain off to the party, when she thought about what her brother had said to her last. Looking around she didn't see a single yellow robe or any Hufflepuffs at all. A few straggling Gryffindors hurrying out of sight and some Ravenclaws and the odd Slytherin were about. She looked over at the changing rooms and wondered if maybe the Head Boy might still be in there.

Taylor gave a great sigh, wondering if maybe facing some Dementors might be easier than going over to the changing room after the Head Boy.

When she reached the changing room, she could hear talking from inside and decided that she'd try here first. A small smile pulled at her lips as she thought about her brother's other hint about not hitting anyone else. That might be a little harder to do, especially if she ran into Binns…

"Oi! What are you doing here? The Gryffindor gloating party already left!"

Of course it would be Finch Fletchly who would happen to come out of the changing rooms and find her.

"Yeah they have, but I came…" another voice cut her off.

"What's the matter? Potter drop you and now you want to come sniffing around for a real man?" Binns said in a nasty voice as he stepped out and shut the door.

Taylor snorted, "I always thought Hufflepuffs didn't resort to cheating to try to win! Good thing Gryffindor had more integrity! Or you'd still be wiping your team off the pitch!"

Binns eyes narrowed and he stepped towards her menacingly. "I seem to recall your, oh so _innocent beaters_ nearly crushing Hunter's ribs!"

Taylor glared up at the Hufflepuff captain but didn't back up one inch. "That was in the heat of the game and you know it! What you did was despicable! You purposely told your players to take Harry out! You should be wearing green and silver not yellow!"

For a moment she thought the Hufflepuff captain was going to hit her before he curled his lip up at her, breathing heavily. "Get out of here Porter before I do something I might not regret!"

Taylor snorted again, "Unless you use your fists you don't stand a chance against me! But feel free to give it your best shot!"

"Binns! Porter! What the hell is going on out here!"

A few tense heartbeats went by before the Hufflepuff captain turned, gave Taylor a push and stalked through the small crowd that had gathered to see what the commotion was all about and back into the change rooms.

With a heavy sigh she looked up at the Head Boy standing in his undershirt and trousers, the heavy bandage visible through his shirt, hands on his hips glaring at her. She could see the others heading back into the change rooms leaving the Head Boy and her alone.

"Well?"

"How are your ribs?" Taylor asked contritely, as she glanced away from his angry glare.

"What the hell was that all about?"

Taylor flinched at his harsh demand and felt like a kid getting a dressing down. And she probably deserved it. She should have known the Hufflepuffs would be stinging from the loss.

"I'm sorry. I just came to see if you were alright," Well that was partly true, especially now that she was reminded that he'd been hurt as well in the game. She heard him sigh angrily.

"Maybe you should go. The guys are just a little sore at the moment!"

Taylor looked up into his blue eyes and saw the anger in them as well as something else… dangerous. Feeling a little confused at his attitude she merely nodded and headed around the changing rooms. She felt the last of the joy she had felt earlier leave her when he didn't even call out to her before she made it around the corner.

The Head Boy stood stock still as he watched his witch's retreating back. He really hadn't meant to be so short with her, but anger still coursed through him. He had thought he had his jealousy under control, but when he had caught sight of Potter taking his witch for the victory lap… Then he had seen her kiss him… It hadn't helped that a couple of guys on the team had seen it also and teased him about it. It'd been about all he could do not to hit something.

He stood there silently for a long while until finally he took a deep breath… and instantly regretted it, as pain shot up his side. He put his hand on his ribs and felt the bandage there. The one his witch had come out on the field to put on him… He pinched the bridge of his nose he walked slowly back into the dressing room. A bottle of Modgen's finest was pushed into his hand and he took a long swig before passing it on to Binns, who took a huge drink before passing it on.

"Ah! Forget about the bird! Let's just drink! If nothing else we can say we played one hell of a game!" Connor called from across the room as he tipped up a second bottle that was making its rounds and took a big swig.

Taylor wandered back to the castle. She didn't feel like going up to the party, not now anyway. Her brother wasn't likely to miss her for quite a while, so she sat down out in the courtyard by an old stone pillar. The sun would be setting soon, though hidden behind the clouds it wasn't visible. A light mist had started to fall again, making it feel colder than it was.

She glanced down at the two scarves that still hung around her neck and wondered if she had made the right decision after all. Slowly she took the yellow and brown scarf off, suddenly missing her robes that she normally wore and folded it neatly. Giving her wrist a flick she palmed her wand and shrunk the scarf, putting it in her pocket in her jeans. Then she did the same with the red and gold one. She had just put her wand away when…

"Huh! Well, look what we have here! Potter discard you already, Porter?"

Taylor felt herself bristle at just the sound of Parkinson's voice.

"If you know what is good for you Parkinson, you'll clear out. While the getting's good!" Taylor said in a soft, dangerous tone as she eyed the three Slytherins that had spotted her as they crossed the court yard.

"You think you're pretty tough don't you, Porter? But I don't think you are. I heard you cried like a little baby just last week…" Parkinson taunted.

"In case you've forgotten, I have my wand back now. So unless you have more than just those two to back you up, I'd leave. Now! Before I decide to get a little pay back that you owe me." Taylor slowly came to her feet, back to the pillar, glaring at the three Slytherins.

"Does there seem to be a problem here?" a pleasant male voice asked.

Taylor turned her head slightly to see the newcomer, while still watching the three witches in front of her.

"Oh no, sir, no problem." Parkinson purred, as the auror halted a short distance away.

Taylor could have retched at the way the Slytherin witch smiled at the wizard and coyly batted her eyelashes. The auror was one she hadn't seen before and he was quite young, and fairly good-looking she supposed. "No, there wouldn't be _no_ problem here!" Taylor twisted the words just a little and saw Parkinson got the message.

"Good! Move along then ladies." The auror spoke cordially.

Taylor waited for a moment to make sure she knew where the Slytherins were going before she started into the castle after them. She didn't trust Parkinson not to try to get the drop on her and hex her in the back.

"Miss Taylor Porter isn't it?" the auror asked when she was about abreast of him.

Taylor paused and looked at him as she nodded, suddenly wary.

"I knew Mrs. Briggs. She was a fine lady. She always spoke very fondly of you." The auror paused and saw the witch give a short nod. "I am Flo's son. Mrs. Briggs played bridge with my mother all the time."

Taylor nodded again.

"You had better be getting along. It's not very safe to be wandering about this close to dark all by yourself."

"Yes, sir," Taylor said and walked into the school and, making a last minute decision, slipped behind the tapestry to the hidden staircase and sat down to wait for the Hufflepuff to return. His attitude toward her still rankled and she wasn't going to leave it alone until she found out what his problem was. She sat on the stairs for over an hour before she heard the voices that she recognized as Hufflepuff wizards and peeked out from behind the tapestry.

It was most of the Hufflepuff quidditch team, as well as Flinch Fletchly, who were walking across the Entrance Hall laughing and joking with one another. She waited until they headed down the corridor towards their common room before she glanced around and then stole across the empty Entrance Hall. The sun had gone down and it was dark outside, torches lit the way.

She was surprised, as she reached the corridor and slipped along it, that none of the wizards ahead of her noticed her. She was wondering how she was going to get the Head Boy's attention, before he went into his common room when she saw a bottle being passed from one of the wizards to the other. With a sinking feeling in her stomach she realized they were all drinking.

"Oh just lovely!" she said to herself. Her experience with those who were drinking told her that they tended to be rather unreasonable. Six pissed off Hufflepuffs who happened to be drinking was more than she'd rather take on. Stopping, she turned to head back down the corridor, figuring they wouldn't notice her before she reached the corner and was out of sight. She didn't quite make it.

"Porter! What are you doin' lurking down here?"

"Wha's a matter? Come lookin' fer a real wizard?"

"Nay! It's those Gryffindors, they jus' don' know how to party!"

Taylor knew that if she was smart she would just keep going, but when did she ever turn a challenge down? And the challenge in the Hufflepuffs' voices was loud and clear.

Turning slowly she looked down the corridor and saw the wizards walking towards her. A couple of them, she noticed now, were actually weaving a little bit. Hunter was one of them.

"I'm surprised at you Hunter. I thought as Head Boy you were supposed to set an example." Taylor said in a cool tone.

"Why Porter, I am setting an example!" He grinned down at her wolfishly, but it was the dangerous look in his eyes that had her suddenly ill at ease. "I'm teaching my mates here how to drink!" The Hufflepuffs all laughed.

"I meant a _good_ example!" Taylor said evenly.

The Head Boy could see the unease in his witch's eyes, even if her voice didn't betray it. He could feel the Firewhisky burning in his veins as well as something… wild. He fought to think straight, his voice a little more sober when he spoke, "We were just doing a little celebrating of our own."

Taylor swallowed and caught her lip with her teeth, as the last thing her brother said to her made her voice a little uncertain.

"Oh, well… I was… well I thought maybe youcouldgotothepartywithme." She finished in a rush wondering how he was going to take being invited to the party of the team he had just lost to.

Binns' voice was loudest as he laughed and gasped, "Oh you are a cheeky little bird aren't you! Inviting Hunter to the bleeding Gryffindor party!"

Taylor felt her face burn bright red and looked down at the floor. What had ever possessed her to ask such a stupid question? She was going to hit her brother for even suggesting it!

In a voice she knew was lost in the raucous laughter, she muttered, "Well yeah, stupid me…" turning she headed for the Entrance Hall at a fast walk, willing herself not to run. She heard her name but she kept walking, too embarrassed to turn around, the laughter of the Hufflepuffs loud in her ears.

She was part way across the Entrance Hall when a hand caught her arm and turned her around, "Hey Taylor, wait just a second."

She didn't think she could meet his eyes so she didn't look up as she said, "Look, I'm sorry. It was a stupid thing for me to ask. Go be with your friends. I'll see you tomorrow." She turned to leave but his hand was still on her arm stopping her.

"Taylor," a finger under her chin lifted her eyes up to meet his, "I'm sorry about that. The guys, well, they're a little drunk but they were out of line. If you still want to take a loser who is a little tipsy to the party, well I'm willing if you are."

Taylor rolled her eyes and knew that was what he was after. "You git! You aren't a loser! Granted you might be a little tipsy, what have you been drinking? I can smell it!" Taylor waved her hand at him as he just chuckled.

"What are you two doing hanging around here? Move along."

Taylor felt the Hufflepuff's hand tighten on her arm at the sound of the auror's voice and he stepped partially in front of her. It was a different auror from before, and he kept walking and soon disappeared down another corridor on his rounds.

The Hufflepuff's voice was decidedly tighter as he said quietly, "Come on let's go," and led her to the tapestry she had been waiting behind and up the stairs. They were two floors up when the Hufflepuff finally slowed his swift strides and she could keep up without nearly running.

"What got into you?" Taylor asked quirking an eyebrow at him as they headed down a corridor for another set of less used stairs. She was surprised when the Head Boy drew his wand and put up a silencing charm.

"I don't like that auror. He always seems to turn up in odd places."

She waited for him to continue but he didn't. They came to the stairs partially hidden behind a marble statue of a wizard and she headed up, climbing steadily. She was on the landing about to start up the next flight of stairs when an arm caught her around the waist this time and pushed her back against the wall. The Hufflepuff's body against hers was holding her there. She looked up at him and felt her heart start to pound. That dangerous look was back in his eyes.

"I saw you flying with Potter… in the victory lap. You kissed him."

His breath fanned over her face and she could smell the Firewhisky on it. His voice was guarded and tense.

She caught her lip and chewed on it for a moment wondering just what to say, "Harry is my best friend. Why wouldn't he take me on the victory lap? Ron took Hermione."

"Exactly," his voice turned low and suddenly slightly menacing, "Ron took his _girlfriend_ on the victory lap. Why did Potter take you?"

Taylor didn't know what to say. It had never occurred to her what it might appear like to other people, when Harry had taken her up as a way to thank her. She had just been overjoyed at the time for her brother and cherished the fact that he had shared it with her. She could see the intensity burning in his eyes as they searched hers, waiting for her answer.

"Greg, Harry is my best friend. But he is just a friend. I kissed him, yes, on the cheek! I was so happy for him I thought I'd burst! I'd have probably given Ron a kiss on the cheek too if he hadn't been snogging Hermione! They are my friends, and the only family that I have." She might have said more but the Hufflepuff's mouth closed over hers in a demanding, heated kiss. After a few seconds she returned the kiss as her arms slipped around him and held him tight, mindful of his bruised ribs.

Only the need for air finally made their lips separate and the Head Boy trailed his lips along her jaw and down her neck, eliciting a soft moan from the witch.

"You drive me mad witch!" The Head Boy whispered before he caught her lips again and kissed her tenderly. "I'm sorry. Can you forgive a stove-in, newly retired quidditch player for making an ass of himself over his girl?"

Taylor couldn't help but giggle at the way he said it, kissing her all over her face as he talked. "Sure, no problem. I guess I'll have to retire my broom bunny title also…"

A low growl before he captured her lips was his only response to her cheek.

"So are you going to ever show me this spectacular Gryffindor party or not?" The Head Boy asked seductively after a few minutes.

Taylor grinned up at the Hufflepuff and catching his hand led him up the stairs.

They were nearly to the Fat Lady when Taylor broke the comfortable silence, "So how're your ribs? I thought you'd have gone to see Pomfrey by now."

"What's the matter Porter? Second guessing your diagnosis?" but he stopped walking and turned to face her, his face going serious, "What you did out on the pitch was dangerous! What if one of the guys had noticed? Or Madame Hooch? Or worse yet one of the aurors?"

Taylor looked away but she felt his finger touch where her necklace lay and rub back and forth gently over her sweater. Shrugging a little, "I knew if your ribs were broken that you couldn't keep playing. It was the only way I knew to tell if they really were broken or not."

"Hey," his finger touched her cheek and turned her head so her eyes met his, "I appreciated the gesture, but it was dangerous. I don't want anything to happen to you."

For a long moment they stood just staring at one another before Taylor nodded, "Let's go to the party. I need to apologize to Seamus."

"Finnigan? What do you need to apologize to him for?" The Head Boy asked curiously.

"Quidditch Cup!" Taylor said to the Fat Lady as the sound of a party going on pressed through the stonewalls, before turning and grinning at the wizard beside her, "I think I might have broken his nose." She then ducked through the open portal into the pound of a charmed music player, loud voices and laughter.

Frowning, the Head Boy followed his witch and found her waiting for him when he straightened up.

"Taylor! Well Bloody Hell! It's about time you got here!" Ron's voice boomed out over the noise and he grabbed her up in a huge bear hug and swung her around before putting her back down. "Hunter! Glad you came! Care for a drink?"

Taylor wrinkled her nose as the smell of Firewhisky wafted off her friend. "Where's Hermione? Does she know you're drinking?" Taylor called up and saw Ron grin.

"Right here Taylor!"

Taylor turned to see Hermione grinning and holding a glass. She raised an eyebrow at her friend who started to giggle.

"Oh loosen up Taylor! I put a charm on the table so no one under age can have any! Besides it's not every day we win a Quidditch Cup!" Hermione looked over at the lone Hufflepuff and went pink in the face. "Sorry Greg… ah, want a drink?"

The Head Boy laughed at the Head Girl and said, "I'd love one!"

Taylor watched as Hermione led the Hufflepuff over to a table set up in the corner and saw an age line clearly drawn around it. A grin pulled at her lips, and she shook her head knowing where her friend had gotten that idea from. The two returned to her a few minutes later carrying a glass each.

Hermione pointed at Taylor and wagged her finger back and forth, "You can't have any Taylor! You are still underage! And don't be asking Greg either, like I told him, he'll be covered in boils if he gives any to anyone underage!"

Taylor rolled her eyes in exasperation her voice dripping in sarcasm. "Yeah, thanks for that reminder Hermione! I'll be the only sober seventh year, as well as a lot of the sixth years!"

Hermione just giggled as she took another drink before she and Ron drifted off to talk to Neville.

The music was loud, as was the boisterous crowd. A dance floor of sorts had been set up by pushing a couple of tables and a sofa out of the way. Several couples were dancing at the moment, one was Lavender and the fifth year beater on the Quidditch team. Their lips were locked and they didn't seem to be moving exactly in time to the music.

The Head Boy saw where his witch was looking and bending down by her ear to be heard asked, "You want to dance?"

Taylor looked up surprised and swallowed. She'd never danced before, "Nah I can't dance." She saw his eyebrows go up and, downing the rest of the drink in his glass, took her hand and led her to the dance floor. A new song started to play, one with a slow beat and the Hufflepuff put his hands on his witch's hips.

"Put your arms around my neck, and let me lead, its not that difficult," his voice was low and husky as he looked down at her.

Heart pounding, she did as he instructed. His hands pulled her hips against him and he moved easily to the beat of the song, his hands warm even through her jeans. He didn't try to kiss her, like the other couples but his gentle swaying in time to the music made her whole body heat up where ever his touched hers.

When the song ended he stepped back a half of a step and let his hands slip off her waist. "I think I could use another drink," his voice was husky and heavy as he led her over towards the table with the Firewhisky.

Taylor caught sight of her brother then, sitting in the corner in a large chair with Ginny sitting on his lap. She noticed that there was no bandage on his head and his cuts looked healed. His eyes were watching her though and he motioned for her to come over. She held up a finger to say she'd be there in a few moments.

After the Hufflepuff had a full glass in his hand and returned to her over the age line, he asked, "I see a table over there. Do you want a drink too?" Another table was set up on the opposite wall with pumpkin juice and snacks.

"You wait here. I'll get it." Taylor suggested, wondering what her brother wanted and deciding that maybe keeping the slightly inebriated Hufflepuff with his jealous tendencies away from Harry might be a good idea. At least until she found out if her brother was drinking as well and how that was affecting him. The Hufflepuff seemed to be a little more on edge than usual.

"So you finally made it. I was beginning to think I'd have to go looking for you." Harry said as soon as his sister stopped beside his chair.

Taylor noticed right away the brightness in his eyes, as well as the glass he held loosely in his hand. She said hi to Ginny before she shrugged, "I had to wait for Greg. I didn't think it'd be a big deal."

Harry found the tall Hufflepuff across the common room easily and noticed the other wizard was watching him closely as he sipped from a glass in his hand.

Harry looked away from the Head Boy and up at his sister. "It wasn't. I was just curious what was taking you so long. Taylor…" his voice held a sharp, warning tone, "don't leave Gryffindor Tower tonight. For any reason."

Taylor rolled her eyes, "Harry, I'm a big girl…"

"You are underage, and the Hufflepuff is drinking. Now please promise me."

"Ginny's underage! What…"

"I mean it Taylor! The girl's dormitories won't allow guys in them…"

Taylor could feel her temper flare. "Great so I can't drink and I have to stay in the common room! Anything else _Daaad_!" Taylor asked sarcastically but she didn't give her brother a chance to reply before she snapped. "Ginny either shut him up by snogging him silly or I'll hit him!" Wheeling she marched back across the room. Forgetting about the drink she was supposed to be getting in the first place.

"So what did Potter say to make you so mad?" Greg asked his witch when she stopped beside him, though his eyes hadn't left the wizard across the room yet.

"He's just being a git!" Taylor snapped before she noticed the Hufflepuff glaring at her brother. "Oh for the love of Mike!" she groaned and wrapping her arm around his elbow she tugged on him until he moved and she led him over where she couldn't see her brother.

They were silent for a few minutes watching several couples dancing as the music thumped out in a sensual beat, each thinking about the Gryffindor seeker, just in slightly different contexts.

"Don't you have patrol tonight?" Taylor asked as the thought occurred to her.

"Nope! McGonagall gave us all the night off. I think she suspected something like this." And he gave his hand a wave towards the rest of the common room.

Taylor nodded. "I'm going to get that drink."

The Hufflepuff's hand caught her arm. "I'll go, you wait here." He could see she was about to argue, "I promise I'll be a good boy and be right back with your drink, okay babe?"

Taylor nearly choked and he gave her a cocky grin before he headed across the room weaving only slightly to the punch table.

"Porter _only you_ would bring a player from the losing team to a celebration party!" Seamus said loudly as he lurched over to where she was standing. She could tell he was completely drunk. So much for apologizing!

"Watch it Seamus! I'd hate to have to break your nose again today!" To her great disappointment the wizard didn't take the hint.

"Porter, you have got to be the cheekiest bird I know!" Seamus called out laughing.

"Finnigan go or I'll break more than your nose!" a hard voice said and made both Taylor and the drunk wizard turn to see the Hufflepuff with a glass of pumpkin juice in his hand standing not five feet away.

"Hunter!" Taylor knew before he continued that this wasn't going to be good. Seamus couldn't keep his mouth shut at the best of times. "Your _broom_ not _good enough_ for _your witch_? She had to go for a _ride_ on Potter's?"

Taylor saw red! "Shut up Seamus!" she snapped as she stepped towards the Gryffindor wizard, her fist came back but before she could swing, a hand caught it.

* * *

><p>AN Oh! A bit of a cliffie! LOL! I know that this might be a bit out of charactor for some but I thought hey this is the last party any of the seventh year Gryffindor's will have at Hogwarts so it should be good! I know some of you are going to say hermione is way out of charactor too as Head Girl and all, but when I started writting this I wanted to show that Hermione wasn't such a goodie two shoes as she has been in the past! :) She isn't above breaking the rules... sometimes! LOL! I know some of you will be wondering where they got the Firewhiskey... but really do you expect the likes of Seamus to not know how to get some Firewhiskey? I kind of based this party off some that I have read from fanfiction stories from when James and Lily went to Hogwarts. I thought Harry, Taylor and the others deserved a little relaxing and partying like any normal seventeen year olds do! Hope you enjoy!

Thank you for your reviews! Alerts and Favorites! And thank you for reading! Thank you as well to my beta barbc! Well until next time(I promise I will not leave you hanging for long!) cyytpotter.


	79. And the Morning After

If I owned Harry Potter I would of known Ginny's birthday wasn't until August! (rolls eyes at self!)

There is a warning here for more alcohol and I thought that everyone who was drinking WAS over 17! But again my horrid math skills let me down! So please just pretend that Ginny's birthday is in March or April!

Also I want to say that I don't own or mean any copyright infringements on the Bryan Addams song that is mentioned in this chapter.

This is one of my Favorite chapters! Hope you enjoy!

* * *

><p>Chapter Seventy-nine<p>

**And the Morning After**

The Hufflepuff held his witch's arm as he stepped in front of her. "Finnigan, I suggest you shut your trap before I shut it for you. Drunk or not if you say one more thing about my witch I will put you in the Hospital Wing! Now go!" The low, dangerous growl of the Head Boy made people in the immediate vicinity turn and look, as he glared down at the intoxicated Gryffindor.

Taylor knew that things could turn ugly in an instant. Finally pulling her arm free from Greg she moved in front of him and put a hand on his chest as she turned to look at Seamus. "Seamus you are drunk!"

Dean and a frightened looking Neville came over to Seamus and after a bit of arguing moved off with the intoxicated Gryffindor.

Taylor shook her head slowly wondering how something as innocent as her ride with Harry on the victory lap, could be misconstrued by so many people.

"Hey," the tall Hufflepuff said softly as he bent down to be heard above the noise. He could see the hurt still in his witch's eyes when she looked up at him. "Come here," and he gathered her against him and hugged her, careful not to spill the drink he had gotten for her.

A few moments later he released her from his hug, but he took her by the hand and moved over to a vacant chair in the corner. Sitting down in it he pulled her down on his lap, passed her the glass and then comfortably wrapped his arms back around her.

They sat in it quietly for a long while just watching the party going on. Lavender had moved on to another wizard, this time a sixth year. The two sat in a chair not far away, snogging, their hands all over one another. Taylor looked away, glad the Head Boy wasn't like that. She didn't like public displays like that. Ron and Hermione were sitting on one of the sofas snuggled together with Ron's arm around her friend's shoulders, talking to Neville who had just joined them.

The song that started to play was a muggle slow song that she remembered from when she was younger and she hummed along with it softly. She didn't know the Head Boy even noticed until he spoke softly in her ear.

"You know this song?"

Taylor softly sang the words for a few more lines as she leaned back into the Hufflepuff's shoulder. The song spoke so much about how she felt it was almost scary.

"… _Yeah, I would fight for you,_

_I'd lie for you, _

_Walk a while for you, _

_Yeah, I'd die for you, _

_You know it's true, _

_Everything I do, _

_Oh, I do it for you."_

She felt a shiver go through the Hufflepuff's body, as his arms tightened around her and she just listened to the rest of the song. When it was over she spoke quietly, "I used to hear that song every morning on the bus to school. It's called,_ 'Everything I do, I do it for you'_, by a Canadian singer named Bryan Adams. At the time I didn't know truly what the words meant, now…" Taylor looked over where her brother and Ginny had joined Ron and Hermione on the other sofa and the words became all too real. Only now her whole plan, her whole idea, the verse she had sang from the song had somehow become so complicated by her feelings for the tall wizard whose lap she was sitting on.

It was some time before the Head Boy spoke his voice heavy, "It's just a song Taylor. I hate it when you talk like that."

Taylor sighed. She knew she could never make the Head Boy understand how she felt, not without telling him the few secrets that she still had, and that just wasn't possible. Maybe someday… hope flared in her heart, but not now, not until Voldemort couldn't hurt anyone ever again.

"I'm sorry," she said gently as she leaned her head against his chest and felt his arms shift her around so that she was cuddled into him more. The two of them sat there like that for a long time. The common room began to empty as the younger Gryffindors headed off to bed, as well as quite a few of the older ones. The music was still playing, though it had been turned down so that it was more background noise than anything else. She watched as her brother and Ron emptied the last bottle of Firewhisky into their glasses and toasting one another, drinking most of the glass in one go. She noticed Hermione had been still for some time and began to wonder if maybe her friend had passed out.

A few minutes later she decided to get up and go see. She wanted another drink anyway, seeing as how there was still some pumpkin juice left. "Come on. Let's go sit with the others over by the fire." Slipping out of his arms she stood and offered him her hand, which he took after only a slight hesitation. She smiled a little when she saw the normally very coordinated Hufflepuff stagger slightly and she put her arm around him as she headed first for a drink and then to the sofa.

"Hi guys," Taylor greeted her friends as she approached, and saw that Hermione was in fact passed out. She rolled her eyes. "How much did Hermione have to drink anyway?"

Ron snickered, "Not much! 'Mione just can' hold her licker!" Harry laughed and even Ginny giggled.

"Ginevra Weasley, have you been drinking?" Taylor demanded as she put her hand that wasn't supporting the Hufflepuff on her hip.

"Just a little! A body doesn't win the Quidditch Cup everyday you know!" Ginny grinned up at Taylor before giggling again, "Seamus had a bottle 'Mione didn't know about!"

"Figures! The one I just about hit has the bottle!" Taylor grumbled and she heard the Head Boy chuckle.

"What'd ya wanna hit Seamus fer?" Ron asked as he looked up at her unsteadily. "Well again anyway?" and he laughed.

Taylor just rolled her eyes, _that_ she had no intention of telling. She looked over at her friend and decided that Hermione wouldn't want anyone to know that she had passed out in the common room.

"I'll take Hermione up and put her in bed." She looked up at the Hufflepuff who was wavering on his feet slightly. "You sit down, right over there."

Palming her wand, she levitated Hermione up off the sofa and then plunked the Head Boy down in her spot. She floated her friend up to her dorm room and into her bed, pausing to pull off the Head Girl's shoes and tuck her in under the covers. Taylor turned to go and noticed Lavender wasn't in her bed and wondered vaguely where, or probably more precisely who, the other witch was sleeping with.

When she reached the bottom of the stairs, she heard deep male laughter and walked over to the sofa and sat down beside the Head Boy who promptly put his arm possessively around her shoulders. "So, what's so funny?"

Ron laughing so hard he could barely make himself understood, recounted what had happened to a fifth year who tried to sneak across Hermione's age line earlier. Taylor laughed at her friend's ingenious idea to make the offender bray like a donkey for a few minutes.

The next half hour passed in laughter as Ron, tongue loosened by Firewhisky, told one hilarious story after another. Taylor laughed so hard her sides hurt and she felt sorry for the Hufflepuff who held his side while he laughed and yelped at the same time.

"I think I need to go to the loo, so excuse me boys!" Ginny said with a grin over at Taylor, but when she stood she swayed and nearly fell.

"I'd say you need to go to bed!" Taylor said with a laugh and rolled her eyes as she stood and wrapped her friend's arm around her shoulder to steady her. She couldn't help laugh at the other witch's production of saying good night to Harry, Ron and even Greg.

When Taylor returned this time she noticed that her brother and Ron were both absent.

"Where did Ron and Harry go?" Taylor asked as she sat down beside the Hufflepuff again and he said the washroom.

Taylor heard the two wizards snorting laughter then, as they came down from the washroom and made a big production of sitting back down. It was more than an hour later and sometime past midnight when Harry went to stand up and fell down as the other two wizards laughed.

"You're going to hurt yourself Harry! Good thing someone here is sober!" Taylor griped half heartedly, as she stood once more and helped her brother to stand. She needed both hands to help steady him.

"You're a good kid you know Taylor. A really good kid!"

"I'm only a year younger than you are Harry!" Taylor said in exasperation as she rolled her eyes at him.

"I mean' ya' have a big heart, witch," Harry said slowly and as seriously as his slurred words would let him. "You treat her right, Hufflepuff! Don't you do nothin' to hurt her! I love this witch! She'sa… a sis'ter to me, you know!"

"Okay Harry, let's go before you start crying on my shoulder!" Taylor said lightly trying to make light of her brother's drunken words. Thankfully he seemed to take the hint and allowed her to help him up to his room. She was just about to sit him on his bed when he pulled her into a tight hug.

"I mean' wha' I said! I love you! You know tha' right?"

"And I love you too, Harry. Now it's time you went to bed before you stick that big foot of yours any further into your mouth!" he just laughed and sat down, and Taylor pulled off his shoes and tucked him into bed. "Goodnight Harry."

All she heard was a slurred "nigh…" before he started to snore softly.

Returning once again, she heard snores coming from the sofa and could see Ron stretched out there, passed out.

"Oh for the love of Merlin and all that is holy!" Taylor groaned in exasperation. "Well at least I don't have to carry you!" Palming her wand she was about to levitate Ron when she happened to glance over at the other sofa where the Hufflepuff was silently watching her. His intense gaze made her suddenly uncomfortable and she cast around for something to say.

"Firewhisky seems to make people a little crazy! I'm glad I didn't have any!" She laughed, attempting not to make it sound forced.

"Yeah, makes people say crazy things, all right!" The Head Boy's voice was light and joking, even slightly slurred, but Taylor couldn't help but think it didn't quite match the look in his eyes.

"I'll be right back," and waving her wand she levitated the last Gryffindor wizard up and into his bed as he snored, pausing to pull his shoes off as well and throw the blankets over him.

Sighing as she reached the foot of the stairs, she walked through the deserted common room to the sofa and sat down beside the Hufflepuff.

"I think you had better stay right here tonight." Taylor ventured, turning so she could look up at him.

"I didn't plan on leaving," the husky sound in his voice made heat flood through her and she was glad she was sitting because she doubted if her suddenly weak knees would have held her up.

His fingers brushed gently over her cheek once and then he lifted her glasses off and put them on the small table at the end of the sofa. He then lifted her up and sat her on his lap as his arms went around her and one of his hands slipped under her sweater to trail across her lower back. "I've wanted to do this for the past three hours," he breathed, Firewhisky laced breathe fanning over her face, before his lips caught hers and he kissed her slowly, making an ache start in her lower belly and her toes curl. Breathing heavily he trailed his lips along her jaw and down her neck.

In a move that belied his intoxication he shifted, laying her on the sofa as his body partially covered hers, his lips returning to hers, leaving her gasping for air and fighting to think straight.

The Hufflepuff's hands roamed down his witch's jean clad leg and up again, as desire raced through his veins, making his thoughts as sluggish as they had been with the Firewhisky. He'd drank more tonight then he ever had, not as much as Potter and Weasley though, and it had also been spread out over more time. He'd been trying to get rid of the bad taste that his jealousy had left behind. He would be glad when his thoughts were finally clear again, free of the alcohol.

He'd run his hand over the same place a few times and was curious what the bump in his witch's pocket was. Kissing her again, he slid a finger in and pulled out the offending lump. "What's this?" he asked as he brought his hand up to see. A smile curved his lips at the sight of the miniature scarves in his hand.

"Oh, I forgot about those. I should have put them in my room…" he loved the light blush that spread over her face and the bashful way she glanced into his eyes.

"I never did thank you for wearing my scarf today. I suppose that had something to do with why you punched Finnigan?" The way she avoided his eyes told him more than her off hand words.

"He was just being a git."

"I saw you up in the stands with Luna. I could hear you cheering sometimes." He nibbled on the hollow of her neck and felt her breathe hitch. Dragging his lips up her neck, he claimed her willing lips once again. Her light raspberry shampoo, as well as her own unique scent, filled his senses and he felt a powerful need to possess this witch. His hand slipped under her sweater once more, her skin so soft beneath his fingers. Breaking off the kiss he dragged in great lungfuls of air and he went back to nibbling on her neck as he fought to control the desire that roared through him.

Time and again he sought her lips, as her hands rubbed up over his back or tangled in his hair. Each time he would end the kiss breathing raggedly not just from lack of air but also from the effort to keep his libido in check. He was nibbling on her neck, and heard her stifle a yawn, as she stretched beneath him. He knew he should be tired also but he wasn't, though he knew it had to be after one in the morning by now.

He knew he shouldn't but he just couldn't stop the words before they fell from his lips, "Stay with me here, tonight."

He heard her sigh contentedly, "Yeah, of course." Picking his head up, he looked at his witch in the faint light given off by the dying embers of the fire and could see that her eyes were closed already. Smiling he shifted her body over a little so he could lay behind her on the sofa and was pleasantly surprised when his witch snuggled back against him. Pulling his wand he conjured a blanket and floated it over the two of them. It wasn't long before he heard his witch's deep breathing that told him she was asleep. He wrapped his arm around her and held her possessively as his mind wandered over the different events of that day. Just before he dropped off to sleep, the last words Potter said before his witch helped him up to bed came back to echo in his mind. _"You treat her right Hufflepuff! Don't you do nothin' to hurt her! I love this witch! She'sa… a sis'ter to me, you know!"_

Slowly Taylor became aware of things. The first was that she was comfortable, as well as totally content, even the deep breathing behind her wasn't a cause for worry. She thought she would be perfectly happy to stay in this state for ever, though her body had other ideas and made her aware that it had business that needed tending to. She fought it as long as she could but her body was insistent and soon she was awake and fully aware of the wizard who was sleeping soundly behind her with a arm wrapped tightly around her and one of his long legs curled over hers. It took some wriggling but she was finally able to get up off of the sofa. The sky outside the narrow windows of the common room showed a grey dawn that offered a fair amount of light to filter in, telling Taylor that it was indeed later then she first thought.

Taking care of her early morning need, she slipped up to her dorm room to find Hermione still sound asleep, as well as Lavender. Taylor wasted no more than a passing thought as to when the witch would have made it back. Instead she grabbed her housecoat and headed for the shower.

Fifteen minutes later she returned refreshed and wide awake, pulling on an old pair of sweatpants and a comfortable sweater, she quietly set up her cauldron and began gathering ingredients as she flipped through her Potion's notes, until she came to the potion she was looking for.

An hour later, Taylor made her way back down to the common room, a stopper full of potion in her hand. An evil grin spread across her face as she heard a threatening growl coming from the sofa.

"Whoever is making that god-awful racket had better clear out!"

Taylor glanced around and saw two first years trying to move a table and chairs back into place so they could do some homework. The two young witches kept glancing nervously over towards the sofa.

"It's fine, Mary and Lacey, I'll look after the grouch." Taylor failed to keep the amusement out of her voice as she walked around the end of the sofa to see the Head Boy stretched out on it with a pillow over his face. "Well aren't we setting a fine example now Mr. Hunter!" she chirped brightly.

"Either kill me now or go and take those two noise makers with you!" The growling voice said from under the pillow.

Taylor laughed a little and heard the Head Boy groan. "Well lucky for you Hufflepuff, I was not drinking last night!"

"Augh… not so loud witch."

Taylor ignored the complaint and continued, unable to keep the amusement from her voice. "And I also happen to be very good in potions. Now sit up I've got something to make you feel better."

The Hufflepuff groaned loudly before pulling the pillow off his face and squinting up at her. "You can make the gnomes in my head stop beating that retched drum?"

Taylor snickered as she crouched down beside him. "Hufflepuff you look like hell! Here, roll over and drink this, it'll help."

He eyed her through one eye before he did as she instructed and took the vial she handed him and downed it making a face. "Augh! What is that?"

"Baby!" Taylor teased, and waited as the Head Boy rolled back on his back and put his arm across his eyes. It only took a few seconds for the potion to go to work.

The wizard sighed, "That's better, witch. You know, I love you!"

"Yeah, yeah, I'm sure the others will say the same thing. Now I suggest you head on down to your common room before too many others get up."

He lifted his arm and looked at her blearily. "Yeah, I'd better. What about those two?" he motioned toward the two witches sneaking a peek at them from where they were studying at the table.

"I'm sure I'll be able to convince them not to talk. It's amazing how far an Outstanding essay can go to keep one from talking."

"You thought of everything didn't you?" the Head Boy asked as he pushed himself up into a sitting position stiffly.

Taylor grinned at him, her reply cocky, "Yup, pretty well everything. Now here's enough for your friends that were celebrating last night also." She saw him raise an eyebrow at her, "Tell them it's a peace offering. I'll see you at… lunch."

The Hufflepuff went to grin and then put his hand on his head, the pounding had stopped but he was still exhausted, "You know me well witch. I'll see you later."

Taylor watched until the portrait had swung shut before glancing around the common room and saw that the house elves had done a great job of cleaning up, as usual, before she headed over to where the two young witches were studying.

"Good morning ladies," Taylor grinned as she sat down with them. "So name your price, what can I do to ensure that word doesn't spread about what you just happened to be witness to? Keeping in mind that I can just as easily erase both your memories."

Taylor actually enjoyed the next few hours as she helped the two witches with their homework, particularly a potions essay, as well as just chatting with them. The odd Gryffindor came down from the dorm rooms but as it was Sunday most were electing to sleep in late.

At nearly eleven o'clock she left the two witches so they could study some more and headed up to her room. A noise in the girl's washroom made her pause and go in. She found Ginny in there holding her head as she stood at the sink.

"Hey Ginny, you want something to get rid of those pounding drums?"

The other witch sent her a dirty glare before demanding, "What do you have?"

Taylor just grinned and left knowing the other witch would follow. When she entered her room again she could hear Hermione starting to stir as well as Lavender. Her first impulse was to make as much noise as possible but she took pity and instead was standing bedside Hermione's bed when she pulled the coverings back and groaned.

"Hey Hermione! Smashing great day isn't it?" Taylor just couldn't resist teasing her friend.

"Be quiet! Or I'll hex you Porter!" Hermione groaned testily.

"Why would you hex the one who can make the pounding stop?" Taylor asked innocently. She just grinned when Hermione glared up at her and passed her a vial full of potion. "Drink, take a shower and then get something to eat. Doctor's orders!"

Hermione only groaned again as she massaged the side of her head before taking the potion and drinking it. Taylor gave some to Ginny and Lavender before taking the rest of the potion and heading for the boy's dormitories.

On the way up, as she passed the boy's bathrooms. She could hear someone being sick and shook her head. When she reached the seventh year boy's room she knocked, waited a moment and then went in. The boy's still weren't up, except Seamus who was missing from his bed and she suspected she knew where he was.

Walking over to her brother's bed she decided that he probably wasn't asleep. He was laying stretched out on his back with his arm covering his eyes, but he was moaning very quietly.

"Hey Harry, how are you feeling this morning?" Taylor asked cheerily as she sat down beside him on his bed. The answering groan said it all.

"Go away! And shut up!" Ron growled from his bed.

"Now why would I do that?" Taylor knew if looks could kill she'd be dead as her brother, Ron and Dean all glared at her and she laughed. "Especially when I have something to make the pounding go away?"

"Bloody Hell Porter! Do you think you could lower your voice! Awww, it feels like there's a Hippogriff dancing on my forehead!" Ron ground out.

"Taylor what do you want?" her brother groaned as he held his head.

Taylor sighed and took pity. "I have a potion here that will make all the hurt go away. If you don't want it…" Taylor shrugged and went to stand but her brother's hand grabbed her arm to stop her.

Looking up at her blearily he groaned, "Give it here!"

Taylor fought to keep from laughing as she passed the potion to her brother. He rolled over on his side and downed it, making a face and handing her the empty vial. "Where'd you get it?"

Taylor looked down at him and rolled her eyes. "Well, doubting Thomas, I happen to be a cracking good potion maker and I made it myself this morning." She stood up and went over to Ron's bed as she continued. "Plus I'm pleased to say that all the time I've spent in the Hospital Wing wasn't a complete waste. I heard about it there, something Pomfrey muttered about Black and Potter perfecting it caught my ear." She handed the potion to Ron who took it gladly. "Of course its main purpose is for menstrual cramps…" Ron blew the potion back out of his mouth and stated coughing, Taylor even heard her brother start to cough.

"Really now!" Taylor snapped, a little perturbed, and pulled her wand out and vanished the spewed out potion. "Were you not listening? Sirius Black and James Potter perfected this. Do you honestly think it won't work?"

When Ron could finally speak he gasped, "And you just had to tell us the _other _thing?"

"Honestly Ron! Harry did ask and what does it matter? Jesh! Don't be such a Neanderthal! Now do you want some or not? I just have enough to go around now, so if you spit this out you go without!" Taylor handed him another vial and then went over to Dean and Neville giving them each one. "I'll leave this here for Seamus." She put the last one on the nightstand by the Irish wizard's bed. "You might want to take it to him Dean. I think he could really use it!"

Taylor walked back over to her brother's bed and saw that he was reaching for his glasses, a good sign that he was feeling better. "Feeling better?"

Harry looked up at his sister and nodded thankfully. "You are a godsend, thanks Taylor."

Taylor grinned and headed out the door with a wave, calling over her shoulder, "Don't thank me, thank Padfoot and Prongs! They're the ones brave enough to try using menstrual potion to cure a hangover!" She heard the oaths that followed her out and she laughed.

* * *

><p>AN Well there you have it! One of my favorite chapters! I could _so_ see James Potter and Sirius Black looking for a hang-over potion! And well the real purpose for the potion was something that just popped into my mind and I laughed as I wrote it! LOL! The song that Taylor sang to is one of my favorite songs! It's from the movie Robin Hood:Prince of Theives, a great movie by the way! And when I started to write about Taylor listening to music well that song just wouldn't leave me alone... because I could really see her connecting with the words in that song. Anyway hoped you liked it! Sorry I didn't get this posted on Saturday like I had planned but this weekend was crazy busy!

Thank you to those who left a review! As well as Added this to their Favorites and Alerts! Plus thank you for just reading! Thank you to my wonderful beta barbc! You are great girl! Well until next time, cytpotter.


	80. Unforeseen Symptoms

Still looking for a couple of things for the PolyJuice Potion... ;)

This chapter may be a little AU from what we know in the Potter Universe about werewolves... but this is my take on them. Hope you enjoy.

* * *

><p>Chapter Eighty<p>

**Unforeseen Symptoms**

Taylor walked down to lunch with her friends, laughing and joking about the hangover potion. When they reached the Great Hall it was relatively empty, a common occurrence on Sunday when many would have just eaten breakfast not so long ago.

Taylor was still laughing at Ginny's tale about something that had happened after the match, when a group of mainly seventh and sixth year Hufflepuff wizards came in and sat down at their table. The Head Boy was with them and she was glad to see that he did look a lot better, if maybe a little tired. She also noticed Binns was with them and she glanced away.

She knew it would be very easy for her to remain irritated with the Hufflepuff captain, but she didn't want to. She would just leave him alone, and he'd just ignore her, and they'd both be happy.

When they finished eating, the five-some remained just enjoying each other's company and talking. A few Ravenclaws came over to congratulate Harry, Ron and Ginny on their win yesterday. Finally, deciding that they had better go start on the mound of homework they had waiting, they stood about the same time the group of Hufflepuffs did and walked out through the doors just ahead of them.

"Oi, Porter!" a male voice called and Taylor cringed. She recognized Binns' voice right away.

Turning slowly she looked back over her shoulder, coming to a stop, as did the others. "Binns." Taylor said shortly.

"I just wanted to say I'm sorry for my words yesterday. As well as thank you for the potion. That…" the burly wizard looked away not accustomed to making apologies, "well that was very considerate, considering… How'd you know about it?"

Taylor smiled as sweetly as she could, "Sorry Binns, that's a family secret. But you are welcome."

A confused look came across his face, "But I thought you were muggle-born?"

"I am. But my great uncle was a wizard."

The burly wizard nodded, "Well, thanks Porter. Potter." The quidditch captain acknowledged his counterpart before turning and walking away. A chorus of thank-you's followed and the Hufflepuffs all headed across the Entrance Hall. All except the Head Boy.

"What'd that tosser say to you that he needed to apologize for?" Ron demanded loudly glaring after the Hufflepuff captain.

"He apologized Ron, so it's a moot point." Taylor replied firmly indicating that she wasn't going to say anymore about it.

"A family secret?" Harry asked raising an eyebrow at his sister. He'd deal with Binns sometime when there weren't as many witnesses.

Taylor tried and failed to keep in her giggle, "Well I didn't say whose family!"

The Head Boy rolled his eyes at his witch and grinned. "So where are we studying today?"

"Our common room! You tosspot! You think we're going to let Taylor hang out with blokes that need to apologize?" Ron asked glaring at the Hufflepuff.

"You know Ron, you had better be nice or the next time I'll let you suffer! Especially after you spit the first vial out!" Taylor threatened as she caught the Hufflepuff's hand and held it.

The ensuing discussion had them all laughing by the time they reached the Fat Lady.

That night at their _research session,_ Moody was there for the first time since he had interrogated her. Though he didn't do anything to her, he also didn't do anything to put her at ease. The result was that Taylor was incredibly tense and ended up nearly blasting a hole in the Defense classroom when she reacted too aggressively. Earning her a reprimand from Shacklebolt and apologizing to her brother for singeing his hair in the process. After that she tried to relax and managed it, somewhat. The following sessions were easier at least.

By Monday morning the antagonism between the Gryffindors and the Hufflepuffs, that had arisen as the big match approached, had all but dissipated. No one was more relieved by this than Taylor. She was greeted heartily by Sally-Ann and Connor in the Entrance Hall as she approached them and the Head Boy. The only ones who still seemed upset, or maybe they were being their usual surly selves and everyone else was just happier, were the Slytherins.

Taylor really didn't notice it in the morning, or even at lunch, but by supper she could see it, and that was how tired looking the Head Boy was. When Sally-Anne mentioned it at supper he just passed it off as having a hard day and the Hufflepuff witch was content with his answer, though Taylor knew different.

That night she had suggested that they study in the Hufflepuff study room and she began to notice how unsettled the normally unflappable Head Boy was. She didn't blame him at all, with the full moon only five days away he had to be getting very anxious. She worked at joking a little more to make him laugh and also just holding his hand or touching him to show that she was there.

Tuesday morning she noticed he looked tired and a little drawn when she met him in the Entrance Hall for breakfast and she went and sat with him at the Hufflepuff table, after telling her brother and friends that she'd see them in their first class.

That night she had a _research session_ again and the Head Boy was on late patrol. Though when Hermione returned to Gryffindor Tower after her patrol, she made a comment about how tired Greg looked.

Wednesday morning started out much the same way, except the Head Boy was more on edge and Taylor tried to reassure him with her presence by keeping one of her hands on him all through their breakfast; even going so far as to walk with him to his first class, which made her late for hers, though it was Potions and after a gentle scolding Professor Slughorn let it go. When the bell rang to end class, Taylor took her time packing up and was the last one to leave.

"You had better hurry up Miss Porter, you don't want to be late for your next class." Professor Slughorn chided jovially.

"Professor… I was wondering if you would mind showing me how to make the Wolfsbane Potion that I asked you about a while ago. I could come by the next time you make it." Taylor suggested, smiling sweetly at him.

"Ah yes! You did ask about that didn't you? Well I suppose it won't hurt. Come by after supper tonight. That's when I brew up the new batch. Now you had better run along Miss Porter, you're going to be late!"

Taylor called a thank you as she hurried from the class and had to run all the way to Defense and was still nearly late, something Professor Shacklebolt commented on.

At lunch she told the Head Boy about needing to go to see Professor Slughorn after supper. She could tell he wasn't pleased but he didn't say anything.

She sat at the Hufflepuff table again at suppertime. She could feel the tension in the wizard beside her and almost decided against going when she saw Slughorn leaving after he was finished eating.

"I thought you said you needed to go see Slughorn," The Head Boy said quietly beside her ear.

Taylor sighed and glanced up into his troubled blue eyes.

"Go, I have early patrol tonight but I need to see you before curfew." He squeezed her hand and gave her a tight smile.

Standing Taylor gave him a kiss on his cheek saying quietly, "I'll meet you in the Entrance Hall." Before she grabbed her bag off the floor and hurried to the Potions room.

An hour later, a fine sweat covering her brow, Taylor stirred the potion simmering in her cauldron as Professor Slughorn beamed down at her. "Very well done Miss. Porter! Ten points to Gryffindor! That is a perfect Wolfsbane Potion! I couldn't have done it better myself! I think I need to watch out! The Head Mistress is likely to hire you as the next Potions Master!"

Taylor grinned as she ladled it into a goblet that Slughorn had given her. The potion had to be made fresh every day leading up to the full moon, though one cauldron was enough for two werewolves. She vanished the rest of the potion from her cauldron, knowing that it didn't do Greg any good this time around. She made a few more detailed notes on the parchment with the instructions, as well as the ingredients, for the Wolfsbane Potion and then packed it away with her things.

"Well my dear, I must get this up to Mr. Lupin. Please close the door when you leave."

"Thank you Professor!" Taylor said, and she meant it. Now she had the knowledge to help the Head Boy, so that he wouldn't have to become a mindless bloodthirsty beast. After this full moon she'd be able to help him.

She was still thinking about it as she headed for the Entrance Hall. She knew she was a little early, so her feet traveled at a leisurely pace as she carefully went over each difficult step in the potion and committing it to memory. She was so absorbed in thought that she didn't even notice when someone stepped out in front of her before she bumped into them.

"Oh sorry!" Taylor said automatically as she stepped back and looked up, and then she groaned.

"Hey Porter! Can't say, as I'm so sorry. Maybe you and I should get close again," Derek Smelter, the Hufflepuff that she'd petrified at the Hufflepuff party, leered down at her, making her feel exposed even in her school robes.

"Shove off Smelter!" Taylor snapped and made to step around him. His hand caught her wrist, on her wand arm.

"Oh I don't think so, _witch_," he made it sound like a dirty word, "the way I see it you and I have some unfinished business! You owe me!"

"I don't owe you a thing unless it's a good hex! Now let me go!" Taylor snapped angrily.

"Oh you're not so fierce without your wand are you, _witch_?" The way he was looking at her made her skin crawl, his voice low and sinister as he stepped towards her and she stepped away, right into the wall.

"Smelter!" the voice was hard and dangerous.

Taylor looked and saw the Head Boy stalking down the hallway and felt a flicker of fear at the dangerous look in his eyes, as he glared at the wizard now pinning her against the wall. The look wasn't lost on Smelter.

"Hunter, I… I was just talking…"

"Let go of her!" the command was snarled out as the werewolf reached them.

Smelter's hand released her as if she had suddenly burned him and he stepped back warily. "No harm, no foul. I… I was just…" his voice trailed off frightened at the sound of a growl coming from the Head Boy standing only five feet away.

"Taylor go!" The werewolf ordered not even glancing at her.

The menacing threat in his voice made her move, but not away like he had ordered. Instead she stepped between the two wizards and put her hand on the werewolf's chest. She could feel the anger radiating off him and knew that if she left he'd do something he'd later regret.

"Greg, no! I'm fine," The look in his eyes was truly frightening when he glanced down at her. She could see his nostrils flare as he inhaled. If she hadn't have known deep down that he wouldn't hurt her she probably would have stepped away.

The werewolf stared at the unmoving witch who stood in front of him, her hand still on his chest, as he fought to rein in his desire to hurt the wizard who had been touching his witch. He could see a hint of fear in her eyes but still she didn't back down or move away. That, more than anything, helped him again gain control.

Looking up at the other wizard he could see the fear that seemed to root him there in the hallway. "Smelter, go! If you _ever_ touch my witch again…" the threat was clear in the low snarled voice.

Taylor didn't breath an easy breath until Smelter disappeared around the far corner. Even then she wasn't sure just what to expect when she looked back at the tall werewolf.

His voice had lost its menace even if the dangerous look still hadn't left his eyes. "He hurt you." It was a statement as he took her arm gently in his hands and pulled up her sleeve, revealing a mark there that was already starting to darken into a bruise.

"I'm fine," Taylor said again as the tall wizard nudged her back until she was once again against the wall, though this time her heart was starting to pound for a different reason.

"You are now." The low timber of his voice vibrated in his chest as he moved his arms to cage her in as he stared down at her. "You were scared. What did he say to you?"

Taylor swallowed. She wasn't about to tell him that it wasn't so much what Smelter had said, as it was how he said it or the creepy way he looked at her. "It doesn't matter."

The tall Head Boy dropped his head down by her neck and inhaled deeply before lifting his head again to meet her eyes. "I finished patrol early and was coming to meet you. I heard your voice first then his. I really should have pounded the piss out of him. I just might yet," his voice turned menacing again.

"He didn't do anything, Greg. He just insinuated, okay?" Taylor was suddenly scared not for herself but what the Head Boy might do. She shivered as Smelter's voice seemed to echo in her mind making her feel somehow dirty again.

"Hey," the gentle rumble of his voice as he gathered her against him went a long way in chasing the echo away. He kissed the top of her head as he rubbed her back soothingly and she relaxed into him, unaware until then just how tense she had been. "Come on. Let's go before someone comes along." Keeping his arm wrapped around her protectively, he led her down the hallway, up two sets of stairs to a broom cupboard.

By then Taylor had shaken off the way Smelter had made her feel and was back to her old self. "I suppose this is your answer is it?" she teased as she willing slipped through the door he held open, "Snog me senseless?"

"Yeah, witch that is the plan," his voice was low and husky as he closed the door behind him and pulled her hard against him. "It's either this or go and find Smelter and make him pay!" the last came out as a low growl.

"Oh, I _way _more prefer this." Taylor whispered as she slid her arms around the wizard tipping her head back as his lips came down on hers in a demanding, hungry kiss.

Thursday morning Taylor hurried down to the Entrance Hall a little earlier than usual. Her brother, Ron, Hermione and Ginny were all way behind her. Of course Ron and Harry had started in on her again this morning about the fact that she hadn't gotten in last night until well after curfew and looked, as Ginny had claimed with a grin, thoroughly snogged. A fact her brother and Ron just weren't about to let her off easy about.

That was her ready excuse anyway, that she had told herself, as she jumped onto a moving staircase and easily got away from her friends. Her real reason though was worry. She was worried about the Head Boy. She'd seen his reluctance to leave her last night, had even needed to remind him that the curfew bell had gone sometime ago, and still he didn't want to leave. She hoped he didn't do anything rash when he returned to his dorm…

Hurrying down the last of the marble staircase she moved across the Entrance Hall at a jog and was nearly at the corridor that led to the Hufflepuff common room when the reason for her haste walked into sight.

Taylor gasped and saw his head come up sharply as his eyes fastened on her. Dark circles were under his eyes and his face looked drawn and ragged, though at the sight of her, his whole body seemed to relax and he moved toward her with a ghost of a smile on his face.

"Hey,"

She heard the relief and exhaustion in his voice and she smiled reassuringly at him, "Hey, how are you feeling?" She asked as he pulled her into a quick hug before catching her hand and leading her away from the Great Hall to a small alcove where they were fairly hidden. She went quietly, though she raised her eyebrow at him when he turned to face her, leaning his shoulder against the wall.

"Tired and…" his voice trailed off and he dropped his eyes towards the floor but not before she saw the fear in them.

She felt her heart constrict painfully for him, and wrapped her arms around him in a tight embrace. When she loosened her arms, she didn't let them fall. She just shifted away enough so that she could look up into his face. "I wish I could do something to help you with your furry little problem. Oh Greg, I feel so helpless, when I just wish I could take it all away!" She tightened her arms around him again and rested her head against his chest.

"You do help. You help by just being near me." His voice was slightly husky but there was another darker, possessiveness there as well.

It took her a moment to process his words, so when she finally looked up at him again she asked, "What do you mean?" his eyes didn't meet hers as he answered.

"You keep the fear and the…" she could see him casting around for a word, "beast at bay. It's easier to control when I can at least smell you."

Taylor felt her eyes grow wide and she swallowed trying to fully grasp what he'd just said. "You can smell me?" She asked and she gave her shoulder an unconscious sniff.

The werewolf chuckled darkly, "You smell _good,_ witch." His voice became hard, "That's how I knew you were scared yesterday… I could smell it… as well as Smelter's… interest in you." The last part came out as a menacing growl.

Shocked she stared at him, unsure what to say. She'd never guessed when Lupin had said he'd be able to hear and smell more acutely, that he meant to this extent.

"Does that scare you witch?" he asked in a suddenly guarded voice.

"Well… no," she saw the skepticism in his face, "not exactly, scare… more like really surprise me. You didn't do anything to Smelter did you?"

"No. Even though I thought he bloody well deserved it."

Taylor felt herself sigh and realized that was one of the reasons she had been so worried. "So what do you want to do?"

The dangerous look flooded into his eyes and she noticed he seemed to be struggling for a moment, "Take you someplace where we can be all alone…" stunned she stared at him as a smile spread across his face and that dangerous look faded from his eyes. "I really don't scare you do I?" and she knew the words had been at least partially a test. "Though I suppose I will content myself with having breakfast with you before going away to class."

She shook her head and smiled up at him. "You, dear sir, are developing a dark sense of humor. And I am not scared of you! Now come on before Sally-Anne eats all the blueberry muffins at that end of the table!"

The rest of the day passed much like the previous ones, though when it was time for supper Taylor knew she needed to talk to someone. She needed some answers. The Head Boy seemed to sense it and asked,

"What's up?"

Taylor leaned over and said quietly, "I'm going to see Lupin. I have a couple of questions. Do you want to come?"

Twenty minutes later Taylor and the Head Boy stopped outside the makeshift office that Lupin had talked to her in a couple of weeks ago. Lifting her hand she knocked and a few seconds later it was opened by Moody. Irritation coursed through her as she looked up at the ex-auror.

"Miss Porter, Mr. Hunter, what can I do for you?" Both of Moody's eyes studied the witch carefully. He knew his presence unsettled her and he thought that wasn't a bad thing.

Working to keep the irritation out of her voice she asked, "I was hoping I could talk to Lupin. Is he in?"

"Taylor? Greg? Come in," Lupin called from inside the office.

Moody merely grunted as he swung the door open to let the two teenagers in.

Taylor was a little surprised when she walked into the small office and didn't see Lupin, then she noticed a door that was partly open and decided he had to be in there. A second later her suspicions were confirmed as her parents' friend came out pulling on his tattered robes.

"Sorry, I'm afraid you caught me napping. What can I do for you?" Lupin's voice was tired and the lines in his face more pronounced then usual.

"Oh, I'm sorry Moony. We could come back." Taylor apologized feeling sorry for disturbing the rest he looked like he desperately needed.

"Taylor, that's fine. It was time I had to get up anyway. What can I do for you two? I take it this isn't a social call?" Lupin took in the tired features on the younger werewolf, as well as the concern in the witch's eyes. He smiled to himself when he saw her concern only deepen as she studied him. The witch's concern deeply touched him.

"No, uhm, sorry for not coming by to see you…" Taylor said as heat flared up her cheeks, as she realized she hadn't seen her parents' friend in over three weeks.

"I've been away Taylor. Just got back day before yesterday actually." His voice became gentle, "I know you've had a lot to deal with. I was sorry to hear about it."

Taylor glanced away. "Thanks," she could feel the Hufflepuff's hand reach out and touch her back. She took a deep breath and pushed the hurt away. "I wanted to ask you a couple of questions, actually if you don't mind, about werewolves."

Lupin really wasn't surprised. It would only be natural to have questions or concerns as the full moon drew closer. "Of course. Why don't we have a seat?" He drew his wand and conjured two more chairs, that he waved at for them to sit in, as he sat in one that was already there. "What did you want to know?"

Taylor really didn't want to ask or talk in front of Moody. Even though the old auror knew about Greg, she still didn't feel comfortable with him. She was just trying to figure out what she was going to do when the Hufflepuff spoke.

"I was wondering if it's normal to become… very _aware_ of the whereabouts of certain people."

Lupin's eyebrows rose. "What do you mean by very aware? And by certain people do you mean Taylor, or someone else?"

Greg thought for a moment as how to best to describe his feelings. He could sense his witch's unease with the old auror and he couldn't blame her. He was a little surprised that he didn't view the old wizard as a type of threat. "Most definitely Taylor. I've become very… aware of her. When she's with me there's no problem but when she's not… well it can be a bit of a problem."

"What do you mean by a problem?" Moody asked gruffly as he studied the young werewolf.

"I find I'm becoming very… anxious. It doesn't help that last night I happened to find someone…" his voice dropped low and menacing, "threatening her."

"Who was threatening her?" Lupin demanded immediately.

"It wasn't what you think Lupin. It was just a git, being a bigger git. He didn't do anything." Taylor hurried to let her parent's friend know that it really wasn't anything.

"You mean he didn't get the chance!" the Hufflepuff growled. "He still bruised your arm, as it is!"

"Taylor, what happened?" Lupin demanded, surprised by the surge of anger that coursed through him that some guy had laid a hand on James' daughter.

Taylor sighed but told the brief story of the night before. "So, see he didn't do anything."

"Taylor I'm surprised you didn't report this. That is not acceptable behavior. What if the next witch he decides to pick on doesn't have someone to break it up? I want you to go and report this to the Head Mistress." Lupin's voice was full of concern for the underage witch, as well as disgust that a wizard could be such a bastard. He had no doubt what James would do if he were alive. "You didn't tell Harry either did you?"

Taylor snorted, one furious wizard was enough to deal with at a time. "No! And I don't intend to! I'll go to Professor McGonagall if you want, but that's it! We are getting off topic. We came here to ask about werewolves, not talk about me."

The Head Boy felt the usual ping of irritation at the mention of Potter, but he was more curious why the older werewolf had wanted his witch to tell Potter as well as McGonagall. He hadn't failed to notice none of the other Gryffindors had been mentioned. A thought nagged at the edge of his consciousness, but then it was gone. He knew it was something important but the harder he tried to reach for it the blanker he came up. Moody's voice brought him back to their current discussion.

"It is a little unusual for a new werewolf to experience such an awareness. Especially, before your first transformation. Most new werewolves, as well as young ones, tend to be leery, if anything, of others in the days leading up to the full moon."

Taylor was watching Lupin while Moody talked and saw the way he looked at Greg, almost as if he didn't quite believe the Hufflepuff's claims.

"So I'm different? What does it mean though?" the young werewolf asked staring at the older one.

"It's _not_ a common occurrence for werewolves to find a mate, a witch in this case. It's much more common for us to go through life alone. Though when we do find… a mate… the feelings around the full moon tend to be … strong." Lupin spoke slowly as if he were speaking about himself as much as about the younger werewolf.

* * *

><p>AN Well there we go another chapter! And #80... WOW! I know like I said at the first of this chapter that the werewolves seem to be a bit different then the ones that were protrayed in the Potter books but when I thought of werewolves well... in my mind they were just a bit different. This will be explained in coming chapters. Hopefully you enjoy!

I know some of you have expressed concern about Greg's attitude toward Taylor, and said he is jealous and overbearing... well I want to give you a bit of insight as to why he is like that. I am a woman's advicote I really am! I think girls/women can kick butt! That they are as good as men in nearly every job there is! I was a tomboy growing up and I set out to prove I could do **_everything_** a boy could do! And I did! But when it comes to writting... and reading I like a strong female charactor(as evidenced by Taylor) but I also want to know that chivilry isn't dead. I want a male charactor who is going to protect and fight for his love... so Greg has become a werewolf with senses that will help him to do that. I hope that you enjoy the result of that need of mine!

Thank you for those who Reviewed, Alerted, Favorited and read this story up to this point! Thank you to my wonderful beta barbc! Until next time, cytpotter.


	81. Friendship

No I do not own Harry Potter, but I can keep wishing I did!

Okay people, you know how I told you before that this story was like a roller coaster? Well the last few chapters were just a lull in the ride! I suggest you grab a hold because as the shrunken head said in the POA movie... "it's going to be a bumpy ride!"

* * *

><p>Chapter Eighty-one<p>

**Friendship**

A short while later Taylor left with Moody to go to her _research session_ in the Defense classroom and Greg stayed behind for a few more minutes to talk to the older werewolf. He asked a few more questions about what he could expect in the next two days, though the older werewolf assured him that while the senses could become a little stronger, that nothing else changed until the full moon Saturday night.

An idea occurred to the Hufflepuff and he acted on it. "Lupin, you seem to know Taylor well… do you know if she has any family? A brother maybe… somewhere?" If he hadn't been watching the older werewolf very closely he would have missed the slight tightening around his eyes and the tiny bit of firming in his jaw.

"No, why? What makes you ask?" Lupin's voice was steady, if only mildly curious, as he shut his thoughts away. Though he was sure the younger wizard didn't know how to do Legilimency, he knew the young werewolf was very perceptive.

"No real reason." The Head Boy said as the older werewolf stared hard at him for what seemed like a long time.

When Lupin spoke his voice, though light, held a warning. "Greg, I know Taylor has taken you into her confidence and told you certain things. You must understand just by what she has told you that knowledge is a very dangerous thing. If she hasn't told you everything it's because it's too dangerous. From what I have seen, I believe you care very much for her," he paused as the Hufflepuff nodded. "Then you should know asking questions about her is dangerous! Very dangerous, especially for her."

The Head Boy looked down at the floor, the censure at the end very clear. "Yes sir, it's just that she is such a mystery…"

Lupin sighed. He knew all too well how a mystery about a friend could drive friends to figure it out. "If she has secrets still, maybe now you can appreciate a little how hard it is not to be truthful with your friends."

The Hufflepuff sighed. Yeah he knew that all too well. Justin especially wanted to know what was the matter with him but he just couldn't bring himself to tell his friend the truth that he was a werewolf. "Yes sir. I do."

"Concentrate Porter! You won't be able to do this in battle if you can't do it here!" Moody barked as Taylor once again picked herself up off the floor, wiping the sweat from her forehead with her sleeve.

Taylor had no doubt now that the spells and wand work they were working on were only taught in auror training. The spell she was struggling with was a complicated combination blocking and hexing spell all in one. They had been working on it for the last few sessions and Harry had gotten it down pat but she was still hit or miss on it. When she missed… well with Moody as a partner she picked herself up off the floor.

Turning to face Moody again she caught sight of her brother and Shacklebolt watching her over by the far wall. Pushing them from her mind she prepared herself to duel with Moody again. Taking a deep breath she raised her wand, to simulate a true duel they were to use at least two spells before they tried the new one.

Moody's wand was a blur as Taylor easily blocked his first spell and then attacked with one of her own, stepping sideways she ducked the next one fired at her and then fired before conjuring a shield to block the next. Moody's spell hit her shield hard, and without even thinking, she dropped her shield and fired as her necklace burned against her neck.

"Oh! No, you don't!" Moody roared and he blocked the Dark Magic spell and then hit the witch hard with a vicious stunner.

Taylor groaned as the blackness receded and she woke up after being revived by either her brother or Shacklebolt. Rolling over she pushed herself to her feet.

"Miss Porter, how often do I need to tell you, no Dark Magic!" Shacklebolt said sternly.

Wiping the sweat from her face, "Sorry Professor. It just happened… again. I really didn't mean to." She found that when she faced Moody she usually ended up reaching for the Dark Magic at least once a session. Though Moody could always tell somehow, she suspected that it was his magical eye.

"Porter the next time I'm going to Crucio you!" Moody snapped, his gravelly voice adding menace to the words.

Taylor only nodded, as she shook herself, mentally getting ready to face Moody again. She didn't doubt that he meant what he said. In their _sessions_ school rules, and a lot of Ministry ones, didn't apply. Like Shacklebolt had told them, these _sessions_ were to prepare them to be able to face down Death Eaters when they finished school, so they practiced just shy of doing major, lasting bodily harm. The 'lasting' part being the key to making Moody's threat very real.

Turning Taylor raised her wand again. Her wand was a blur as she fired and blocked looking for a place for the new spell, shifting sideways she whipped her wand through the air and performed it flawlessly.

"Good Porter, now let's see if you can do it again!" Moody barked.

Walking up the hallway after their _session_ was through, both brother and sister showed signs of fatigue as well as the workout they had just endured.

"That was a better work out than quidditch practice!" Taylor said after a short while.

"Yeah because you've had so many of those!" Harry teased, bumping his sister in the shoulder.

"Oh yes, I forgot, the great quidditch star here!" was Taylor's saucy comeback.

"I would have thought Moody took some of that sauce out of you witch!" Harry cut back in a mock stern voice.

Taylor laughed at the comical look on her brother's face as he tried to look serious but the corner of his lips kept twitching. When she stopped laughing she noticed the tall Head Boy leaning against the wall in a supposedly casual attitude, though from the tenseness in his whole body he was anything but. She could tell that he had been listening to her conversation with her brother and made a mental note to caution Harry about the Hufflepuff's new hearing range.

"Hello Hunter." Harry greeted as he drew close enough.

"Potter," the Hufflepuff greeted in a tight voice and a jerky nod.

Taylor felt like groaning but didn't. She could tell the werewolf was holding on to his control, though it wouldn't take much to bring out that dangerous side. She was well aware of the tension between the two at the best of times. "Hey Greg," she greeted with a smile, "You finished patrol early?"

The Hufflepuff nodded as he took a deep breath. He could feel himself starting to relax as the smell and sight of his witch soothed the beast that seemed to lurk just inside his chest. "Yeah, I think I walked poor Hermione's legs off though."

Taylor sighed, "I think she understands, Hufflepuff, what with your furry little problem making you a little anxious and all."

The Head Boy looked down for a moment, "So, where to now?"

"Well for starters I need a shower! And then I suppose I'd better tackle that essay for Professor Sprout, ugh three feet long! Maybe Hermione has it started…" The tall Head Boy fell in step beside his witch and they talked about their homework assignments all the way to the Fat Lady. Harry only commented once or twice the whole way.

The rest of the evening passed easily as the five Gryffindors and lone Hufflepuff secured their usual spot in front of the fire and worked on their homework. The tension between the three wizards almost non-existent in the presence of the three witches, though they did enjoy teasing one another at times. Especially the Head Boy who thought it rather amusing that the two Gryffindor wizards had the Head Girl check their work when they were finished.

Taylor was pleased early on to see the Hufflepuff relaxed and acting like his normal self, though as the hour grew later she noticed that he was becoming tenser and tenser. When the curfew bell rang the Head Boy nearly jumped off the sofa. Glancing over at Hermione and then the others, she could see it hadn't gone unnoticed by them either.

"I suppose I'd better get going," the Hufflepuff said quietly, refusing to meet anyone's eyes as he began to gather his books together and put them in his book bag.

Taylor could hear the worry in his voice and was shocked to see his hands actually tremble. "Hey," she caught his trembling hand and bent down to look in his eyes, the fear in them plain to see. She didn't need to ask what was wrong, she knew. Helping him put his things away she made up her mind. She wasn't going to make him leave her again tonight. Though she knew he had to leave the common room, there were just too many Gryffindors there and she didn't want it to get out that he was staying, because she knew they would both get into trouble. "Come on, I'll walk you out." She said quietly as she packed his quill and ink in his book bag and then shrunk it for him so he could put it easily in his pocket, where he normally carried it. Standing she caught his hand and started across the common room.

"Taylor," it was her brother's voice, "I need you to help me with that potions question."

She knew it was his way of telling her he expected her right back in. The snarky reply that came to mind made her bite her tongue to keep from uttering it. She gave a jerky nod knowing if she opened her mouth some, if not all, of the cutting reply would fly out. She was glad when the portrait of the Fat Lady swung shut behind her. The sound of the Hufflepuff's shaky voice drove all thought of her brother from her mind.

"I don't know if I can do this or not."

Looking up she could see the fear and worry in the werewolf's eyes, "Hey, it's going to be okay. Just let me think for a moment." She stepped in to give him a hug and was nearly crushed in his arms as his body trembled slightly around her. This more than anything solidified in her mind the need to come up with a plan for the Head Boy to stay here tonight.

A conniving smile curled across her lips as she worked through the details. Finally she asked quietly, "So what are your dorm mates going to think if you don't return tonight?"

The Hufflepuff gave a shaky laugh, "They'll probably be glad. I've kept them up the last few nights with my restlessness. I knew I couldn't go into the common room alone, the temptation to leave and come up here would have been too great."

Taylor could see the sorrow for what he had put his friends through, as well as the conviction for what he said in his eyes. "I have an idea, but you are going to have to wait out here for a little bit while I go and get something. Do you think you can do that?" A wave of something close to panic passed through his eyes, before he nodded resolutely.

"Yeah I think I can do that… as long as you promise that you will come back out."

Taylor smiled gently, "I promise. Now go on down to the broom cupboard so no one will see you if they come along and I'll be back as soon as I can." She watched him as he walked slowly down the corridor glancing back at her several times, before he reached the broom cupboard halfway down and opening the door slipped inside, once again glancing at her before he shut the door.

Turning she said the password and climbed back through the portal. Straightening she made her way quickly over to her friends, discreetly putting up a silencing charm as she sat down beside her brother.

"I need the cloak." She said without preamble.

"What for? It's after curfew!" Ron asked staring at her.

"You can't go with the Hufflepuff! For one thing you can't go wandering about under the cloak. It's too dangerous. For another you ARE NOT spending the night with that wizard just because…" Taylor cut her brother off.

"Potter, I AM NOT letting him suffer through another night alone! Now you either let me use the cloak to bring him back in here where you can keep an eye on us if you so wish or I am leaving without it and staying where ever we can find an empty room!" Taylor glared at her brother making sure he knew she wasn't joking.

"Taylor!" Harry growled in warning.

"Potter!" Taylor snarled back, "I'm not trying to sleep with the guy you bloody berk! He is terrified! Something you would see if you'd only look instead of snipping at him every chance you get! Merlin! You can be such an ass at times!" Taylor yelled coming to her feet, furious at her brother.

Hermione and Ron's admonishments blended together, one saying to calm down, the other yelling in outrage.

"Dammit Taylor!" Harry roared as he came to his feet too. "You don't think I can see that? What do you think people will say if they find out you've been staying with a guy?"

"You are going to start worrying about my reputation now? After I spent three weeks last summer alone with you? As well as you and Ron at Christmas! Bloody Hell! I can do Dark Magic and you're worried about my bloody, stupid virtue?" Taylor yelled as a few of the younger Gryffindors in the common room peeked over towards the four seventh years. Even without sound it was easy to see they were in a heated argument over something.

"Yes I worry about your virtue! Merlin Taylor, you are an underage witch! You being able to use Dark Magic has nothing to do with it!" Harry shot back, as he glowered down at his little sister.

"Fine!" Taylor snapped and wheeled to go, Harry caught her arm stopping her.

"You are not leaving this common room again tonight!" there was a steely quality to his words.

"Potter unless you are going to stun me, which I will say if you do I will hex you into next week for! Then you have no say over where I go or where I don't!" Taylor bit back, meeting her brother's furious stare with her own.

"Taylor! That is enough!" Hermione said sternly in her best McGonagall-ish voice, as she stepped between the two angry friends. "Harry, you too! Now if you two would just calm down we can think about this." For good measure Hermione pointed her wand threateningly at the two of them and motioned for them to sit down. When they had both complied she continued. "I agree with Taylor… Harry let me finish," she held up her hand towards the black haired wizard, "I saw how worried Greg was earlier, when we were on patrol this evening. I know he tried to hide it but… I also happened to overhear Ernie earlier today and he said Greg hasn't been sleeping at all, and that he's been very agitated. It has to be incredibly difficult to know what is going to happen in a few days without also having to deal with this anxiety he has over being away from Taylor." Hermione held up her hand again. "Harry and Ron, I know what you are going to say but he is not looking to do anything other than be near her. If that helps him then I say fine. I am Head Girl after all."

Taylor couldn't help the grin. The way Hermione had said she was Head Girl sounding so close to the way Ron's older brother Percy used to pompously say it, that it was uncanny. She could hear her brother muttering under his breath and decided she didn't want to know what he was saying, as words that sounded very close to berk, git, and werewolf could be heard.

"Fine! But we do this my way!" Harry finally relented. "I'll go out…"

Taylor cut him off, "No! I promised Greg I'd be back."

"…and get the Hufflepuff," Harry continued, as if his sister hadn't interrupted. "Taylor if you think you need to go to keep the Hufflepuff in line then you will be under the cloak. You both can come back in under the cloak and wait until the common room empties before either of you take it off." Harry went on to say that his sister could make a show of going to bed and then come back down under the cloak so no one would think she wasn't in bed. He also said he'd be staying in the common room all night.

Taylor agreed. She didn't care. She only wanted to make sure that the Hufflepuff wasn't alone tonight. When her brother came back down with the cloak she carefully slipped it into her book bag and then deciding to make it look good, "Well if that's the way you're going to be about it then I'm going to bed!" She made a bit of a show of marching across the common room and stamped her way up the stairs, slamming her door.

It was less than a minute though before, under the invisibility cloak, she was back down the stairs, after closing her coverings on her bed, and touching her brother on the shoulder from behind to let him know she was back. She then followed him silently out through the portal and down to the broom cupboard just down the corridor.

When her brother opened the door she could see the Hufflepuff grinning, relief apparent in his voice as he whispered, "Hey Taylor," looking past the Gryffindor wizard to where she was standing invisible to the naked eye.

"How?" Harry asked perplexed as he stared at the Head Boy.

"I can smell her, as well as hear her feet moving."

"Fine!" Harry held up his hand not really sure he wanted to hear that. "This is how it's going to work Hunter. You are going to get under my cloak and stay under it until the common room empties. Then you can sleep on the sofa. Come morning, you are to go before anyone gets up. Deal?"

"Deal!" Greg said with a sigh of relief. He could handle anything as long as he could be near his witch for the night. He waited until his witch slid past Potter into the broom cupboard. When she opened the cloak he slipped under it with her. Breathing deeply he bent down by her neck to make sure his feet stayed hidden, as well as to reassure the beast that his witch was well and right next to him.

Getting back into the common room was simple and the Hufflepuff and the witch went over to an empty corner and sat down to wait for the common room to empty. It didn't take all that long, being a school night.

A small argument ensued when Harry tried to make his sister go up to bed but after a few minutes and her threatening to slip back down anyway, he relented once more. An hour later Harry was sound asleep on one sofa as the Hufflepuff laid on the other with his head resting in his witch's lap.

Taylor's fingers brushed gently through the Hufflepuff's hair. His eyes were closed and a blanket covered him but she knew he wasn't a sleep. "What's the matter?" she asked quietly. "I thought you'd be asleep by now."

"Yeah, me too. I just can't seem to get what's going to happen out of my mind." Worry was clearly evident in his voice.

Taylor was quiet for a while. The only sound was her brother's soft snores and the snap of the dying fire. It was the only light in the dark common room as well. "Hufflepuff, how about I tell you a story?" She felt him chuckle as much as heard the soft sound. "My uncle used to tell me stories when I was a little girl before I went to sleep at night, or if I woke up and was scared. The thunder and lightening storms out on the prairies could be really bad and they used to wake me up." Taylor told the wizard about her life before she started at Hogwarts until his breathing deepened and she knew he had finally fallen to sleep a little after midnight. Conjuring a blanket for herself she tipped her head back and soon fell asleep too.

The werewolf slept, able to reassure himself subconsciously with each breath that his witch was nearby. The first good sleep that he had been able to get in several nights, ever since he'd slept on this same sofa the night of the Gryffindor party with his witch. He only woke once, not even fully awake he picked up his witch and laid her down beside him and then wrapping his arm around her protectively he fell right back into a deep sleep.

In the morning Taylor woke up as the sun began to rise up over the trees in the Forbidden Forest. Waking both wizards she watched the Hufflepuff go out through the portal, promising to see him shortly.

Friday seemed to speed by and Friday night the Hufflepuff spent the evening in the Gryffindor common room going out through the portal when the curfew bell rang, only to slip back in under the invisibility cloak behind his witch when she came back in. Later he fell asleep listening to her voice again as she talked in a soothing voice, telling him the story of Beauty and the Beast that she remembered from when she was a little girl.

Saturday dawned bright and sunny and Taylor laid beside the sleeping Head Boy with his arm wrapped around her holding her tight, with one of his legs slung over hers. She could hear the soft snores of her brother who had insisted on again sleeping in the common room, though for what purpose she wasn't sure. He had fallen asleep well before she had.

She could feel the tension already forming in her stomach. She knew today was going to be especially hard on the Head Boy. Tonight was the full moon. She and the others had already planned today out. Ron and Harry had helped also which had made her feel thankful. She let the Hufflepuff sleep for as long as she dared before she roused him. She had no intention of leaving his side today, so after waking her brother also, she ran up to her room, quickly changing her clothes, and then going back down to the common room, only to exit through the portal a few seconds later with the Head Boy.

After going to the Hufflepuff common room where the Head Boy had a quick shower and dressed in jeans and a rugby style shirt, the two left heading for the Study Room where they could be alone for a while before breakfast. The two didn't talk much really, just sat quietly together. They met Harry, Ron, Hermione and Ginny in the Great Hall for breakfast at ten and then they all headed outside with their brooms, the ones that had them anyway, for a fly around the quidditch pitch. Taylor borrowed a school broom and they played an impromptu game of quidditch while Hermione cheered and laughed from the side.

Actually laughing, the six headed back into the castle for lunch around one and just caught the last of the food before the tables cleared. Their light mood dissipated when Professor Sprout came into the Great Hall and told the Head Boy that Madame Pomfrey wanted to see him after he finished eating.

As one, the five Gryffindors rose from the table and accompanied the lone Hufflepuff up to the Hospital Wing.

"Ah Mr. Hunter," Madame Pomfrey greeted him when they walked through the doors. The nurse took in the Gryffindors, "I thought maybe I should go over with you once more what is going to happen this evening. If you will come into my office please."

The Head Boy's hand found Taylor's and he held it tightly as he followed the nurse into her office, taking his witch with him.

The nurse didn't say anything about the witch as she said in a brisk professional tone. "The sun sets at seven forty, so you need to be here by seven thirty so we are not late. Moody and I will accompany you out to the Whomping Willow, through the tunnel and to the Shrieking Shack. Once there we will leave you, and close the trap door behind us. The moon is due to rise at eight ten. I will be back at the Shrieking Shack at sun rise tomorrow morning to treat you for any wounds that you may incur, as well as bring you back to the school where you can rest here until you feel well enough to return to classes either Monday or Tuesday. Do you have any questions?"

Taylor could feel the tension in the Hufflepuff as he stiffly shook his head. She glanced at him to see his face set in a grim expression. He didn't look at her he just thanked the nurse and led her out of the office. Hermione turned when they drew near and the Head Girl led the way out of the Hospital Wing and up through the school to the Room of Requirement where the five Gryffindors spent the rest of the day with the Hufflepuff. They played chess or exploding snap, sometimes they would just sit and talk about school or something that had happened outside. When suppertime came, several plates of food appeared on a table and they sat and ate, except the lone Hufflepuff.

"I think if I ate right now it would just come back up." Greg said in a tight voice.

"That's alright. Ron will eat your share." Taylor said in a light voice that she really didn't feel, trying a little gently teasing. She wanted him to know that it was alright to feel nervous and scared. A bit of light humored teasing followed as the Gryffindors all tried to help the Head Boy cope.

When it was time to go, the Hufflepuff had decided that it would be easier to say goodbye up here to the others. He wasn't sure just how he was going to make out leaving his witch to go face this on his own and he didn't want to have Potter and Weasley there if he broke down and started to bawl like a baby.

Ginny was the first to step forward and give him a hug. "Good luck Greg. I'll see you in the morning."

"For a git, you're all right Hunter. I'll see ya tomorrow too." Ron said with a nod.

"Ronald!" Hermione admonished to her counterpart, before she turned and hugged him tight. "Greg, I know you will be okay. I'll be thinking of you, we all will. I'll see you in the morning, okay?" She pulled his head down and gave him a kiss on the cheek.

Harry found himself standing in front of the Hufflepuff, no thanks to a shove from Ginny. "Hunter, oww!" his sister had kicked him in the shin, not even trying to be subtle about it. "I still think you're a git," he sidestepped his sister's next kick. "but I agree with Ron, you're alright. See you in the morning."

"Boys!" Hermione said in an exasperated tone as she rolled her eyes. "You need to get going or you're going to be late."

Greg nodded, "Thanks guys… for today…"

Taylor took his hand and together they walked out of the Room of Requirement and down towards the Hospital Wing. Neither said a word. By the time they reached the Hospital doors, tension rolled off the Head Boy. Pulling her wand out she put up a silencing charm and turned to him.

"Hey, listen to me." She looked up into his worried eyes. "I promised you long ago that I'm not leaving you and tonight will be no different. I love you Greg." She put a hand on the side of his face and he turned into it closing his eyes. "I promise you, I'll be waiting for you in the morning." She stood on tiptoe and kissed him tenderly on the lips. His arms came around her and pulled her into a heartrending hug, as he tried to overload his senses with his witch's smell and feel, enough to get him through what was coming.

A noise behind them, the werewolf knew it was Pomfrey and Moody, made him reluctantly let go of his witch, as he steeled himself to go and face this thing that was now going to happen for the first time, as well as the rest of his life. His eyes met his witch's and he could see her love burning brightly in them. It was a look that helped him to step away from her as the beast roared in his chest, knowing it was going to be let loose soon, as well as knowing it was going to be separated from the one thing that helped to calm it.

"I'll see you in the morning!" Taylor's voice rang strong as she told him with her eyes and heart that she wouldn't leave him. Vanishing the silencing charm she watched him nod once more. Straightening up to his full height he squared his shoulders and turned to the nurse and the old auror.

"I'm ready." The voice was strong and firm.

* * *

><p>AN I know! A cliff hanger! I'm sorry but this is just were the chapter felt like it needed to end. I promise I will post the next chapter on Monday! As I warned at the first the next few chapters are... a little intense. I will try not to keep you waiting too long in between! A lot happened in this chapter... some things that might not seem important right then but will be in the coming chapters so hopefully you were paying attention! ;)

Thank you to everyone who has left a review! They mean so much to me! I really apperciate the add to Alerts and Favorites as well! Thank you for just reading! I also need to thank my wonderful beta barbc! Who without all of her hard work this story wouldn't be what it is! Well until next time, cytpotter.


	82. The Howl of The Werewolf

Do I really need to say it again? No I don't own Harry Potter.

Hope you are hanging on! ;)

* * *

><p>Chapter Eighty-two<p>

**The Howl of The Werewolf**

Taylor watched as the Head Boy walked down the hallway with Madame Pomfrey and Moody until they turned the corner and disappeared from sight. Turning she raced up the other hallway, to a set of stairs and up. Running as fast as her legs would carry her she made it to the Fat Lady in record time. Calling the password as she approached, she didn't slow down as she tore in through the portal. She took the stairs two at a time and shoved open the door to the seventh year boy's dormitories and made it to her brother's trunk before she even acknowledged Neville who was standing there staring at her. Dropping to her knees she yanked the cover up, "Accio Map!" Catching the piece of parchment, she grabbed the cloak.

"Neville, tell Harry I'll see him in the morning."

"In the morning but…" Neville called but it was too late as the door swung shut behind the witch.

Taylor only waited until she was out of sight on an empty stairway before she threw the cloak over her. She couldn't be seen, by anyone! The cloak slowed her down some but not much as she kept to less used stairs and corridors. When she reached the Entrance Hall she slowed to a walk and slipped across it as quietly as she could. She was in luck and an auror was just opening the main door to go out and she slipped through with him and then headed off around the side of the castle. The sun had set and it was growing dark as she paused to check the Map. She knew Moody was out here someplace and he could see her through the invisibility cloak. Putting up a silencing charm she activated the Map and then asked where Moody was. The red dot that showed up showed the old auror just coming out from under the Whomping Willow.

Hiding behind a low stone wall she waited until the auror and nurse passed before she slipped across the grounds to the huge tree and grabbing the stick that Moody had just used she pushed the knot immobilizing the tree, quickly sliding down into the tunnel. She pulled off the cloak and lit her wand, hurrying along the tunnel, wondering for the first time if the wards would be back in place or if the tunnel would be un-warded all night.

She went all the way until she could just make out the trap door and then she stopped, as doubt suddenly assailed her. What if Greg caught her scent before he transformed and opened the trap door? What if her scent made the werewolf go crazy and Greg hurt himself even more?

An agonized yell froze her thoughts as well as her body. It was the Hufflepuff's voice. Another louder one followed, drawn out. It echoed down the tunnel. She heard something smash and then there was a thump. It sounded like it was right on the trap door itself. Silence, then the howl of a werewolf, followed by the sound of wood splintering as snarls ripped through the air.

Taylor stood perfectly still for a long, long time listening to the beast above her snarling and howling. Finally she sat down in the tunnel and pulling the Map out checked it. She was off the Map as she expected, but she still checked the grounds carefully. One of the reasons she had come was to make sure no one got near the werewolf to try to set him free or hurt him. She knew the Slytherins had something to do with the last werewolf and if they tried something then, they might try something again.

She hadn't been sitting all that long when the snarling turned deeper and the werewolf started to claw at the trap door. She could hear its nails digging into the wood, and then it howled as the hairs on her neck and arms raised. She hardly dared to draw a breath as she froze in place and listened. What if the trap door gave way? Would she be able to fight off the werewolf knowing it was Greg? More than likely, even if she did fight, she'd never make it all the way through the tunnel before the werewolf reached her. Fighting in a small space like this wouldn't be easy. As suddenly as it started the werewolf left the trapdoor and moved onto something else.

Forcing herself to move, Taylor checked the Map once more, noting the only person who wasn't in the castle was Hagrid who was in his house by the Forbidden Forest along with Fang, his dog.

The sounds of destruction became a little less pronounced and she thought the werewolf must have headed up to the second floor.

Looking around she wondered what James Potter would say if he knew she was here. She knew he would have been in the tunnel many times, and thought about her dad as the stag rushing through the tunnel with Padfoot and Moony. The smile fell from her face. She wasn't here to go on some grand adventure. She was here to make sure nothing bad happened to the Hufflepuff. If Voldemort knew who she was then he probably knew about Greg and the fact that he was a werewolf. She didn't really know what kinds of wards protected the Shrieking Shack. She knew there had to be at least some or else Fred and George Weasley would have been able to find a way in. She had faith in Dumbledore and knew he would have wanted to protect Moony all those years ago, from getting out as much as anyone getting in and being hurt. So that just left the tunnel she was in as the only way into the supposedly haunted house above her.

Sighing she glanced at her watch and checked the Map again. She had just finished when a thump from above made her jump, as a loud deep snarl came from just the other side of the trapdoor and then the werewolf started scratching at it again. It sounded like it was tearing pieces of wood away with each swipe of its paws. A howl and then the sound of something splintering.

The darkness, pushed back by only the dim light of her wand tip, stretched on forever. It reminded her powerfully of a time when there was only darkness, the howls and snarling from above not so different from the screams she had heard. More than once she had made up her mind that she was going to leave, only to get halfway up and then sit back down again. She kept an eye on her watch knowing that if Pomfrey found her down here there would be hell to pay. When her brother caught up with her there would be anyway.

Time played tricks on her, sometimes hurrying along, and other times barely moving at all. The werewolf came back to the trap door repeatedly. Its snarls seemed to get more vicious if possible, sometimes it even sounded like it was biting at the door.

Listen, glance at her watch and check the Map. Listen, glance at her watch and check the Map. As the night stretched on and on.

Taylor knew the sun came up at six twenty-five, so she had decided she would leave shortly after six. It took only about ten minutes to go through the tunnel so that should leave her enough time. She really couldn't explain why she felt she needed to stay so late. It was a vague feeling like she was somehow breaking her promise not to leave him if she left any earlier.

At five fifty she got stiffly to her feet, groaning as pins and needles assaulted her legs and she stumbled sideways bumping into the wall causing a few loose pebbles to fall.

A howl ripped through the air making Taylor actually point her wand up at the trap door as her heart came up in her throat, before taking up a wild beat. Snarling the werewolf attacked the trap door with a vengeance. Pointing her lit wand up she actually saw the door shudder under the barrage. Waiting an eternity, the wild snarls slowly died away. Then she heard a thump and all was still.

A noise behind her made Taylor wheel, wand at the ready. Then she heard it again, the muted sound of voices getting clearer. She glanced at her watch and realized as her stomach plummeted to somewhere near her feet, that time had done it again, had somehow sped up and it was six twenty-five. Knowing what she would find, she looked at the Map and saw a dot disappear off the edge of the Map and right behind it one labeled Madame Pomfrey. She was trapped.

She had two choices. Risk opening the trap door, though she was almost certain that the werewolf was once again in human form. Still, she'd run the risk of getting stuck up there if they put up wards when they left, plus she'd run a greater risk of getting caught. If Moody was with Pomfrey she was sunk anyway. Or she could just hide beneath the cloak here and follow the nurse out with Greg, if by some miracle the old auror hadn't come.

Swinging the cloak over her, she quickly vanished all the traces that she had been here and then extinguished her wand to wait in the complete dark huddled against the wall. She could hear Madame Pomfrey's voice and then a deeper one but she couldn't be sure… Then slowly she recognized it, Professor Shacklebolt's deep voice. She could barely believe her luck then she heard what they were saying.

"… Potter doesn't know?" Pomfrey's voice.

"No. Moody and I both asked. The boy was nearly beside himself." Shacklebolt's deep voice.

"What do you think happened? Surely not You-Know-Who!" Pomfrey's voice was close now and before the auror answered the two came into sight, wands lit, held up high.

"Right now we can't rule anything out." His voice was deeply concerned.

Taylor's heart was pounding. What had happened up at the castle? Had there been some kind of attack? She had been so focused on the grounds she hadn't thought to look inside the castle. It was all she could do not to pull off the cloak and ask what had happened.

The nurse and auror walked past her and the tall auror waved his wand at the trap door and it opened and they both disappeared up through it. Taylor crept closer trying to hear if they said any more.

"Oh dear! Well at least he's unconscious. Here I'll bandage that up before we move him." A pause, "Look at the place. The poor boy had a hard go of it. I always thought poor Remus was wild. Look at the marks on the trap door! Merlin! We'll need to reinforce that if we ever have to use the Shrieking Shack again."

"Do you want to put another bandage on him there before I move him?" Shacklebolt's deep voice asked solemnly.

"Yes I'd better. There that should hold him until we get him back to the Hospital. Here I'll cover him up. Poor boy is likely to catch a cold. I'll give him some pepper-up potion when he wakes up, that should help. Poor boy, he's had a difficult enough night without him finding out what else has happened. I'll probably need to sedate him. Oh dear…"

Taylor could hear them moving about and then Madame Pomfrey came down the stairs followed by a stretcher with the Hufflepuff and then Shacklebolt descended into the tunnel closing and sealing the trap door behind him.

She backed up carefully and let the three go by. She had to bite her bottom lip to keep from making a sound as a deathly pale Head Boy floated by on the stretcher. Fearing what she was going to find out when she reached the castle, as well as finding out how badly hurt the Hufflepuff was, she trudged along behind them.

It didn't seem to take any time to reach the other end of the tunnel and she was nearly blinded as her eyes met bright sunlight after the extended stay in the darkness of the tunnel. She was able to slip out of the tunnel before the Whomping Willow came to life and she hurried along, following as close as she dared to the nurse and auror. She caught the odd glimpse of the Hufflepuff but not enough to really see how bad he looked out in the light.

In through the castle doors and up through the school to the Hospital Wing, she waged an internal battle of where she should go first. The resounding silence of the castle helped her. It was only just after sunrise on a Sunday morning, her brother would still be asleep along with everyone else. She'd go to the Hospital and find out how the Hufflepuff was, and maybe she'd get lucky and hear what else had happened so when she did see her brother she'd be ready.

Moving silently she followed the nurse into the Hospital ward, Shacklebolt had bid the nurse goodbye at the door. She halted as Pomfrey floated the stretcher behind a screen. She suddenly remembered something that Lupin had said, and her face turned red. The Hufflepuff would be naked. Waiting until the nurse headed for her office she inched around the screen. The Hufflepuff's face was pale and exhausted, a bandage was wrapped around his left arm and his pajama clad right leg lay on top of the covers, also heavily bandaged. Taylor sighed, relieved, she didn't really know what she had been expecting, maybe something worse from all the snarling that had gone on above her. Wounds, she knew, would heal and rest would cure his exhaustion. He was safe, that's all that really mattered to her.

She knew the nurse would be back any second so she sat on the bed beside his, careful not to make it look like someone was sitting there, and waited. Pomfrey carried a tray with some potions on it and set it down on the nightstand before pulling her wand from her smock and carefully running it over the sleeping wizard, she administered two different potions.

"There we go Hunter. This one will help heal those wounds in no time, and this one will help you get some much needed sleep." The nurse spoke as she worked before bustling off again taking the tray of potions with her.

Taylor slipped off the bed and knelt beside the sleeping wizard. Glancing around she pulled the invisibility cloak off her head and kissed him on the cheek, brushing his dark hair off his brow. "You made it Hufflepuff. I promise it will be easier after this. I promised you I wouldn't go away. I'm here. I'll see you when you wake up." She kissed him again on the cheek before pulling the cloak back up over her head and then she picked up his hand and held it for a while.

At eight o'clock, as the school clock chimed, she stood, whispering that she'd be back and headed for the Gryffindor common room. She met no one and she didn't really expect to, though she kept to less traveled stairs and corridors. The Fat Lady was snoozing in her painting when she arrived and the painting merely swung open at the sound of the password. Straightening, she saw her brother, Ron, Hermione and Ginny all sitting on the sofas by the fireplace. They were all staring at her with blank expressions when she remembered she was still hidden beneath the cloak.

"Morning guys," Taylor said as she pulled the invisibility cloak off. She knew something big must have happened in order to have them all up at this time on a Sunday morning.

"Taylor!" Her brother's strangled voice called as he jumped up and crushed her against him.

"Oh thank Merlin!"

"Where the Bloody Hell have you been?"

"Do you have any idea how much trouble you are in?"

Taylor couldn't breathe, let alone answer, as her brother's arms held her in a bone crushing hug, then he grabbed her by the shoulders and held her at arms length. "Where the hell have you been?"

Taylor looked from one angry face to the other and it dawned on her. Nothing bad had happened, she had just gone missing. "I went to the Shrieking Shack."

"You what!" Harry yelled and Taylor was fairly sure a guy's voice wasn't supposed to hit that high of a note.

"Bloody Hell! Are you insane?" Ron roared.

"What in Merlin's name _were_ you thinking?" Hermione gasped.

"Taylor, are you mental?" Ginny snapped.

"Look guys, I didn't go _in_ the Shrieking Shack! I just stayed in the tunnel beneath…" Taylor's voice trailed off at the murderous looks on not just her brother's face but the others as well.

"Oh well, that's just fine then! Not Bloody well likely! What would have happened if werewolf Hunter had of gotten through that trap door? Did you even stop to think?" Ron bellowed.

"Taylor, I'm so mad at you right now… What did we have last night? Huh?" Harry's voice shook as he glared at her.

"Uhm…"

"We had a _research session_ with Shacklebolt! I had to show up there, after searching frantically for you, and tell them that I had no idea where you were! The castle was searched! McGonagall had every auror and teacher searching!"

Taylor could feel the blood draining from her face, "I… I didn't look at the school. I just kept watch on the grounds…"

"The castle was sealed Taylor! Sealed so that no one could come or go until first light! What if… Merlin, I can't _believe_ you did something so _stupid_!" Harry yelled as he shook her shoulders that he was still holding in a death grip.

"It wasn't stupid!" Taylor snapped back firmly as her temper started to rise. "I went there to make sure no one tried to hurt Greg!"

"Yeah because a blood thirsty werewolf can't look after itself!" Ron said acidly.

"The Slytherins let that other werewolf loose on the grounds…"

Hermione cut in, "We can't prove that!"

Taylor ignored her friend, "…last full moon! What's to say they won't try something again? Plus by now Voldemort knows Greg means something to me, as well as the fact that he's a werewolf! I couldn't leave him there unprotected!"

"He's a werewolf! I think he can look after himself!" Harry snapped.

"Dammit Harry!" Taylor twisted and broke his hold on her shoulders. "There are ways of killing a werewolf! I nearly killed the one that attacked Greg in the first place!"

Harry glared at his sister for a long moment. "You left without telling me, _again!_ Bloody hell Taylor when are you going to stop and think! Do you have any idea how much trouble you are in?"

"I did what I thought…"

"You mean you did what you wanted to as usual!" Harry yelled cutting her off. His voice was deadly when he continued, "Did the Hufflepuff ask you to go?"

"No! Absolutely not! He wouldn't have let me go! He'll be mad when he finds out!" Taylor cried in disbelief that her brother would think Greg would ever want her to do what she did.

"Good! Maybe he'll be half as pissed off as I am! Now let's go! I need to take you to McGonagall. She can punish you while I figure out what I'm going to do to you!" Harry ground out. "Give me that cloak and the Map, because believe me, you won't be needing them for awhile!"

With an aggravated sigh, Taylor took off her brother's invisibility cloak and handed it to him, along with the Marauder's Map. She could see a muscle twitching in his jaw and knew he was furious. She had been on the brink of saying something about his high handed attitude with her about punishment but had decided against it. Probably a wise move on her part as his hand grabbed her by the upper arm and he led her out of the portal and towards the Head Mistress' office. Ron, Hermione and Ginny all following silently in their wake, equally grim expressions on their faces.

Harry gave the password when they reached the stone gargoyle and silently led his sister up the stairs, only pausing to knock on the oak door. A call to enter was heard almost immediately and he led his sister into the Head Mistress' office.

"Miss Porter!" McGonagall gasped from behind her desk before her face became stern as well as her voice. "Where, may I ask, have you been all night?"

An hour later Taylor felt every bit of her exhaustion, and hunger as well, as she exited the revolving staircase. The Head Mistress had demanded to know where she was all night and Taylor had told her. She supposed she should feel lucky that corporal punishment was no longer handed out at Hogwarts, though she had two weeks of detentions to look forward to. To be served with Moody! Maybe corporal punishment wasn't quite dead after all! She was glad that her brother and the others hadn't stuck around down here after McGonagall had dismissed them.

Sighing Taylor set out for the Hospital Wing. She doubted that the Hufflepuff would be awake yet but still she wanted to check in on him. Plus if he were still asleep he wouldn't yell at her also. McGonagall had been under the same opinion as her brother, that a werewolf didn't need protection and had set about _explaining_ that to her.

Hermione had stopped at the bottom of the revolving stairs as she chewed on her bottom lip, a habit she had picked up from Taylor. "What do you think Professor McGonagall is going to do to Taylor?"

"I don't know but it won't be enough," Harry grumbled angrily. He was still fuming over what his sister had done.

"Harry you can't seriously be thinking of actually punishing her are you?" Hermione asked looking over at her best friend.

"What do you want me to do Hermione?" Harry exclaimed throwing up his arms in frustration. "Even you have to admit this is one of her more bone headed stunts! Honestly, protecting a werewolf!"

"Harry! Keep your voice down!" Hermione snapped as she glanced around and then put up a silencing charm. "What I think is that Taylor, right or wrong, believes she did the right thing. Harry, it couldn't have been easy to sit in the tunnel all night listening to that werewolf. Not after what we went through."

Harry looked over at the bushy haired witch. She rarely ever mentioned their capture by the Death Eaters. He could see now though the flicker of fear that came and then went as quickly. "She didn't have to stay or even go for that matter," but there was no heat in his words.

Hermione just shrugged.

"Let's go see Greg. We can let Pomfrey know Taylor's back too so that she doesn't tell the Hufflepuff that Taylor is missing. I'd hate to see Pomfrey have to tie him down." Ginny said in an even voice. She was going to hold her judgment on what Taylor did until she had a chance to talk to the other witch some more. Plus she was a little irked by how Harry had acted. She didn't want to do anything that would jeopardize her friendship with Taylor just because her boyfriend had shown a level of emotion towards the other witch that was way beyond friendship. Again.

"You think the git will be pissed off at Taylor?" Ron asked. "Hey! Ouch! What do you have to hit me for? Hunter thinks we're gits too!" Ron defended as he rubbed his arm.

Hermione gave him an eerily Mrs. Weasley like look before saying. "I don't understand why you two have to constantly nitpick at one another!" The resulting conversation lasted until they reached the Hospital Wing doors.

When the four of them entered the Hospital ward they saw Madame Pomfrey talking to the Hufflepuff's father and his uncle. They could tell the conversation was a serious one from the grave expressions on all their faces.

"I don't want you saying anything to Mr. Hunter to upset him. He needs his rest. The unfortunate news can wait." Madame Pomfrey said briskly as she glanced at the four Gryffindors.

"Unfortunate news?" Hermione asked as she studied the three adults for a second before saying, "Taylor's been found, she's fine."

"Oh! Thank Merlin! Well that is good news." Madame Pomfrey said somewhat relieved. "Mr. Hunter is awake. I'm sure he'd like to see you all."

Hermione couldn't help but notice the fact that the two wizards seemed even less relieved then the nurse. She had a feeling that something wasn't quite right. Walking with the others she was nearly to the screen when Harry muttered quietly.

"I wish I had a pair of Fred and George's extendable ears. If those three aren't talking about Taylor's disappearance then what are they talking about?"

"Don't know," Hermione whispered back as she stepped around the screen to see the Head Boy lying in a bed, looking exhausted but wide awake.

"Hi guys!" The Hufflepuff greeted with a tired smile. "Where is Taylor?"

Hermione sent a warning glance at Harry before saying, "She had to go see Professor McGonagall. I'm sure she will be along in a while. So how are you feeling?"

The Head Boy could tell that the four Gryffindors weren't telling him something, the same way he'd been able to tell that his father was worried and not telling him something. He kept the conversation with the four light, joking a little about being hungry when he saw Ginny looking at his bandaged appendages. He felt like himself again and with the full moon gone, so were the strong senses. Though at the moment he would have liked to have his acute hearing back so he could tell what his father, uncle and Pomfrey were talking about.

He was glad that the two witches were there, as they kept the conversation going. The two Gryffindor wizards weren't as talkative and he began to get the distinct impression that they were both angry with his witch. He was a little surprised too that the nurse hadn't been back to shoo the four Gryffindors away as was usually her way, especially when she had insisted earlier that he needed his rest.

His eyes were starting to grow very heavy when he heard the voice he'd been waiting for. He couldn't quite make out what she was saying but he heard the nurse saying that she could only stay for a short while. A few seconds later his witch walked around the screen.

"Hey! You are awake! I didn't think you would be." He noticed that her voice was light and happy, but she glanced at Potter and Weasley a little warily before she approached him.

"Yeah, though I doubt I will be for much longer. Why were you up at the Head Mistress' office so early this morning?" alarms suddenly went off in his head and he was wide awake as he watched his witch glance towards the others and stay on Potter for a few extra seconds before looking down at the floor. He didn't miss Potter's jaw setting or the way he glared at his witch.

"Taylor, what is going on?"

Taylor closed her eyes. She could try to lie, but like the Hufflepuff had told her so many times before, she was a terrible liar. "I… I have two weeks of detention." Maybe if he knew she was already in trouble he wouldn't be quite so mad.

"What for?" the Hufflepuff demanded and he had a sinking sensation in the pit of his stomach.

Taylor glanced up at her brother but instantly regretted it. His face was set and she knew if she didn't tell, he would. "I…" she wondered if she'd ever learn to not do things to piss people off, "I followed you out to the tunnel last night…"

"You did what…?" the Hufflepuff's voice was totally disbelieving.

She doubted that he'd get her reasoning either but she thought she'd try, "I wanted to make sure that no one hurt you…"

"Of all the…! What the hell were you thinking! Are you insane?" The Head Boy's voice was starting to rise and Taylor put up a silencing charm out of habit.

"My sanity has been questioned by a number of people this morning." Taylor said sarcastically.

"I wonder why? Bloody Hell Taylor! Do you see these bandages? They are from when the werewolf tried to chew its own leg off! Do you know what would have happened if it had somehow escaped?" The Head Boy felt his stomach roll unpleasantly as frightening images flashed past his mind eye. He could have killed his witch in a heartbeat and he'd not even know he did it.

"Yes I do! I was there when you were attacked, thank you very much!" Taylor had seen the look in the Hufflepuff's eyes go from complete disbelief to disgust and revulsion.

"Do you have a death wish? Or is it a twisted desire to become a monster! Merlin witch! I can't believe you!"

Taylor opened her mouth but no words came out. She didn't know what to say.

"Just go Taylor! Before I get out of this bed and throttle you!" the raw rage in his voice made her back up a step.

Turning, she kept her eyes down. She didn't think she could stand it if she saw the satisfaction in her brother's eyes at that moment. Stepping around the screen she walked swiftly across to the Hospital doors, not even glancing at the nurse or the Hufflepuff's relatives. Once outside she broke into a run. She heard her name called but she didn't stop, racing up stairs and down corridors, needing to be alone.

She knew her brother had the Map and would be able to find her, so she kept moving, up staircases and then down, heading down one corridor and then doubling back on the next.

With her feet moving at a brisk pace she thought about the mess she had gotten herself into once again. She didn't know if her brother was looking for her but she didn't run into him and at ten minutes to twelve she stopped at the kitchens and after tickling the pear in the painting, she asked the house elves for a couple of sandwiches and a glass of pumpkin juice before she headed up to the Defense classroom to meet Moody for her first detention.

* * *

><p>AN Oh dear... poor Taylor she is in trouble again! I hope you enjoyed this chapter, sorry to kind of leave you hanging again but this sequence of events is rather large! Sorry can't say any more don't want to give anything away!

Thank you to those who reviewed! And Favorited and Alerted this story! Plus if you have read this far then you deserve a big cyber cookie! Thank you to my wonderful beta barbc! Well until next time, cytpotter.


	83. The Truth

I still do not own Harry Potter, but I guess I can always keep hoping.

* * *

><p>Chapter Eighty-three<p>

**The Truth**

All afternoon Taylor worked scrubbing one of the dungeons with a brush and a bucket of water, as Moody sat watching her. She decided that this was part of her punishment having to put up with the cranky ex-auror. So she was really surprised when at only four thirty there was a knock on the door and Shacklebolt spoke quietly to Moody before leaving.

"Okay Porter. You're done for today. Go get your supper in the Great Hall and then go straight up to Gryffindor Tower and stay there! Or I'll see to it you are in detention for the rest of the year!"

Taylor stood and stretched her back as she nodded, "Yes sir." She was surprised when the old auror only grunted before leaving the room.

She didn't bother wasting any time either and headed straight for the Great Hall. Slipping in, she was surprised to see all four tables were full at this early hour and an angry buzz filled the air as everyone seemed to be talking about something. Spotting Hermione, as well as her brother, Ron and Ginny she decided her need to find out what had happened was greater then her disgruntled feelings for them.

"What's going on?" Taylor asked as she sat down beside Hermione and had the Daily Prophet shoved at her. Glancing down, her heart came into her throat as the headlines jumped off the page at her.

_Deadly Werewolf Attacks Kill Two, A Dozen More Bitten. _

Underneath the bold headline was another that dropped her heart somewhere near her toes.

_Hogwarts Head Boy Leads Attacks On Hogsmeade._

_Greg Hunter the current Head Boy at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry has been named as one of the three werewolves who attacked Hogsmeade late last night during the full moon, killing two and seriously maiming another before escaping capture and going back onto school grounds…_

Taylor looked up from the article unable to read anymore.

"But it's not true!" she breathed as she looked over at Hermione.

"True or not the Under Secretary came a short while ago to take Greg into custody and take him to the Ministry." Hermione said in a worried voice.

"But it's not true! He never left the Shrieking Shack!" Taylor said as her voice rose.

"Do you really think the Ministry cares? Even if you could somehow prove he's innocent, look around, he won't be able to finish the year. Everyone knows he's a werewolf and they are all scared!" Hermione said miserably.

Taylor felt like she would implode. Closing her eyes she dropped her head down into her hands. This just couldn't be happening. She knew the Head Boy was innocent. Slowly an idea came to her and without thinking it through to the end she acted on it.

Looking up she could see that the teacher table was decidedly empty at this early hour, only one teacher was seated up there, the Ancient Runes professor. Pushing to her feet she ignored the concerned looks on her friends' faces and taking a deep breath she steeled herself for the gamble she was about to play.

"Oi! I want to talk to you!" a few nearby Gryffindors looked up but other than that, no one except her friends.

"Taylor what are you doing?" Hermione whispered looking worried.

"You'll see." Taylor's determination ringing in her voice as she hopped up onto the Gryffindor table and yelled loudly. "Oi! I said I have something to say!" Again some more turned in her direction but far from everyone.

Taylor palmed her wand and made a loud popping noise as she bellowed, "I said, Shut Up!" The Great Hall fell silent as everyone turned to look at her.

"What the hell do you want Porter?" A Slytherin called.

"I said I have something to say!" Turning so that she looked at everyone she called out loud and clear. "The story in the Daily Prophet is false and I can prove it!"

"Which part? The part about Hunter being a werewolf or that he killed two people?" the same Slytherin called out in a derisive voice.

"The part about Greg Hunter hurting anyone last night!" Taylor snapped.

"So he is a werewolf then?"

"Yes he is!" Taylor confirmed. She wasn't going to lie.

A gasp went up around the room especially from the Hufflepuff table.

"I do not deny that fact but the rest is wrong about him!" Taylor called out.

"A werewolf! The whole lot of them should be killed!" the same sixth year Slytherin called in a disgusted voice. A few agreements could be heard around the room.

"And you're a Bloody Git too! But we still put up with you! At least Hunter is only a werewolf once a month! You're a Bloody Git every day!" Taylor called out in a challenge.

"How do you know Hunter wasn't in Hogsmeade last night? What proof do you have?" Ernie asked in his pompous voice.

"I know because I was with him…"

"You're a werewolf too?" a third year squeaked.

"No I'm not a werewolf. I stayed just outside where Madame Pomfrey took Hunter so that he couldn't hurt anyone. I hid there actually to make sure that Hunter didn't somehow escape and hurt anyone."

"And you can prove this? How?" Ernie asked the whole school listening intently.

"By my memories. As I stayed there I kept checking my watch, these memories should be enough to prove to anyone that Hunter was not in Hogsmeade!"

"Memories can be manipulated!" A seventh year Ravenclaw called out.

"Not if the person willingly submits to having their mind read."

"Taylor, are you insane?" Harry hissed.

"Head Mistress! I think you had better come! You need to see this!" Kingsley said as he hurried toward McGonagall, the Under Secretary, the Head Boy, his father and uncle, Moody and another auror as they walked down the Marble Stair case. Shacklebolt led them down a corridor and to the side door that opened into the Great Hall holding a finger up for them to be quiet. He opened the door to the huge silent room as one voice spoke for all to hear.

"Which I am willing to do to clear Greg Hunter of these charges! My only condition is that it be Professor Shacklebolt or Alastor Moody who does it."

"So why are you telling us this? Why not just go and save your boyfriend?" Parkinson sneered from the Slytherin table.

"Because I don't just want to clear him of these false charges! I want him to remain here at Hogwarts as Head Boy like he deserves!" a huge outcry was heard as students shook their heads and started to argue against such an idea.

"QUIET!" and the noise faded.

"Tomorrow letters will pour into Hogwarts from your parents demanding that Hunter be removed from this school even if I do clear him!"

"As it should be! A werewolf is dangerous!"

"_I_ am dangerous!" Taylor yelled, "I know how to fight with my wand, as well I can brew up a potion powerful enough to kill half the students in this room! The same as all you other seventh years can do! We are taught dangerous things! That doesn't mean we should all be kicked out!"

"You! When is a werewolf dangerous?" Taylor asked as she walked a few paces down the Gryffindor table to point at a third year Ravenclaw at the next table.

The third year girl turned bright red but managed to stutter, "Once a month, during the full moon."

"Exactly! Once a month! One night out of thirty! And for that we are going to punish someone? Sounds a bit hypocritical to me, if all of us seventh years can kill someone thirty days out of that month!"

"But werewolves are mindless beasts! They will kill anyone who gets in their way! Two people just last night! And more bitten! That should tell you just how dangerous they are!" A Ravenclaw yelled.

"Yes two people were killed last night as well as some bitten, and I don't doubt that werewolves did it!" a chorus of fearful calls went up. "BUT! They did not act on their own!" Taylor's voice cut across the mutterings and silenced them. "Werewolves are solitary creatures! Two males will kill one another if they happen to meet! Voldemort was behind these attacks! He is using werewolves just like he is using Dementors to strike fear into people!"

"So what now? Are we supposed to stand up to You-Know-Who? You're insane Porter!"

"No, Finch Fletchley I would never ask you to stand up to Voldemort! That would take a set of balls which you sadly lack!"

"What do you want then Porter?" called the Ravenclaw.

"I want us to stand together and demand that Hunter be allowed to finish out his year here, as Head Boy!"

The Great Hall broke into a noisy clamor again.

Taylor fired off the pops again. "There is only one full moon between now and graduation!"

"But he is a werewolf!"

"I didn't see you complaining when he saved the third year Hufflepuffs from a Manticore attack! I didn't see you, Thomas, complaining when he saved your ass from several Slytherins a week ago! Nor did I see you complaining Macmillan, Perks, and Finch-Fletchley when he worked to help you with your homework time and time again! Or any of the rest of you who Greg Hunter, in his duties as Head Boy of this school, helped in just the last month that he has been a werewolf! How many of you did he hurt? Anyone?"

"He threatened me!" Smelter said coming to his feet belligerently.

"Yeah he did! After you assaulted me and sexually harassed me in the corridor!" Taylor spit out glaring at him, as gasps and a few angry replies towards the bullying seventh Hufflepuff. "You are just lucky that _I_ didn't decide to do more than _threaten_!" A few red sparks shot out of the end of Taylor's wand to give strength to her statement. She ignored her brother and Ron who looked like they were about to jump the table after him.

"Anyone with a valid complaint?" Taylor looked around the Hall slowly. "Then I suggest we put it to a vote!"

"We don't live in a democracy, Porter! We aren't even out of school yet! We have no say!"

"How many of you are of age?" Taylor called and saw hands raise in the air, except from the Slytherin table. "Then we have a say! But I say let's vote as a school! Maybe we can't change anything at the Ministry, but we should be able to change one thing at this school! If we stand together, we can demand that Hunter be allowed to stay! What say you? Are you willing to stand together for a friend? To say that we will not judge someone just because he now has to suffer painfully once a month, through no fault of his own! What say you?"

A chorus of agreement filled the air.

"I say we vote! Everyone! Who votes yes? Who votes to allow Greg Hunter, Head Boy, be allowed to remain at Hogwarts to finish the school year?" Taylor's voice rang clear and strong as bench legs scraped and students stood, the whole Hufflepuff table was the first to stand, except Smelter who hesitated and then stood reluctantly. The Gryffindors were the next to stand, Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Ginny the first to their feet and the rest stood also. The Ravenclaw table was a little slower as they seemed to whisper back and forth before they too stood. The Slytherin table was noticeably absent, but even a few of their younger students rose.

A huge cheer went up, as well as some laughter.

The Head Mistress turned to the Under Secretary. "I believe that Hogwarts will retain its Head Boy after all. You will trust Alaster or Kingsley's testament to the truth in Miss Porter's memories to Mr. Hunter's innocence will you not?"

The Under Secretary looked at McGonagall flabbergasted, "You can't be serious? You are going to allow a bunch of children to decide to keep a werewolf here at the school? Even if he is cleared!"

"Unless your eyes have grown weak, the majority was still won by those who are legally of age. That makes the vote binding regardless of how many underage students voted."

The cheers were still echoing in the Great Hall when the Head Mistress turned and ushered their small group back through the door, unseen by those cheering in the Great Hall. "Kingsley, would you please go and get Miss Porter for me and bring her up to my office. We will go up and contact the Minister right now and inform him of this." A smile played at the corners of McGonagall's mouth. It grew a little when she saw the look on the Head Boy's face, as well as those of his father and uncle.

Taylor had just climbed down from the top of the table and was suddenly surrounded by Sally-Anne, Ernie, Justin, Connor as well as her four friends all grinning and talking excitedly at once.

It was a moment before they noticed the noise level in the Great Hall had died down. Even before they turned to see why, a deep voice called out.

"Miss Porter, will you come with me please?"

Taylor turned to see Shacklebolt waiting patiently for her.

"I hope you know what you are doing." her brother hissed in her ear as he looked at her worriedly. The others comments were a little more boisterous.

"Go clear Greg!"

"We'll be waiting!"

It was Connor who started the chant, "Hunter! Hunter! Hunter!"

Grinning, Taylor walked to the professor and past the whole hall ringing with the chant. Once outside the doors the smile fell off her face. She knew the danger that she was going into. She was going to allow someone to read her mind to be able to access things that she didn't want anyone knowing. For some it wouldn't be a big deal, but she had secrets that she couldn't share with anyone. It wasn't just that either, she was going to have to be able to keep from using Dark Magic as her mind was probed. She swallowed nervously. That was going to be the difficult thing as there was likely going to be a Ministry official there watching. She couldn't afford to slip up.

When they reached the stone gargoyle, Shacklebolt gave the password and a few seconds later knocked on the solid oak door. Taylor knew why she was feeling a little déjà vu, she'd just been here less then ten hours ago! After he was bid to enter, Shacklebolt held open the door for her and she walked in ahead of him.

Taylor looked around curiously at the large number of people in the office. The Head Boy was there, as well as his father and uncle. She avoided meeting his eyes, not sure if he was still angry at her or not. Moody was there and two of the aurors she had seen in the school, plus Tonks, as well as two wizards she didn't recognize, though by the way they held themselves they were somebody important. She also saw Percy Weasley with a quill and parchment. McGonagall stood behind her desk.

"Ah Miss Porter. I believe you know why you are here?"

"Yes Professor."

"You have made a very big claim young lady! I hope you can back it up!" One of the important wizards said as he looked down his nose at her.

"Yes sir," Taylor decided that the less she said the better.

"You are this boy's girlfriend are you not?"

"Yes sir. That does not make my memories any less true though, sir."

"Yes well, let's get on with this! I do not appreciate being dragged out of the Ministry!"

"I know Minister, but with the hoopla I thought it was safest for my students that they remain here at the school." McGonagall said with a smile, Taylor noticed that it didn't reach her eyes.

"Yes of course! Now let's get on with this! Cromwell you can…"

"I'm afraid Minister, Miss Porter was very clear that she would only let Alaster Moody or Professor Shacklebolt probe her mind. I think that is a good compromise. You may choose which one though, Minister." McGonagall said it cordially enough but there was an underlying hardness that suggested she meant business.

"Yes, yes! Fine. Moody would you please gather these memories so that we can decide if Hunter is guilty or not." The way he said it made Taylor think he was hoping that she wouldn't be able to prove the Hufflepuff's innocence.

"Very well Minister! Porter, have a seat please." Moody growled in his gravelly voice as he pointed to a chair in the middle of the room.

Taylor nodded as she tried to relax. She needed to do this for Greg. If she couldn't, he might go to Azkaban and if things went horribly wrong and she used Dark Magic she might be taken to see a Dementor. Forcing her legs to move she walked to the chair and sat down.

Moody moved in front of her and stared at her hard with both of his eyes, "Ready Porter?" Taylor closed her eyes for a second and concentrated on the memories from last night, willing herself to let Moody see those memories. Opening her eyes, jaw clenched she nodded.

Moody raised his wand and pointed it at the witch. He knew that this was a gamble, if the witch used Dark Magic here it would sign her death warrant. He looked deep into her eyes as he waved his wand. For a moment he thought it wasn't going to work and then her memories flashed past, her hiding under the cloak, watching as he returned to the school with the nurse and then down into the tunnel, the sound of Hunter transforming and then the witch checking a map and her watch many, many times, as well as the sound of the werewolf above in the Shrieking Shack. He even saw her hide from the nurse and Shacklebolt and then emerge into the bright sun that morning.

Moody was tempted to see what else he could see but then he felt it, a growing sense of Dark, even in her memories. He began to back out. He had what he needed to clear his friend's son. Whatever else the witch was, she had controlled her need to use Dark Magic and allowed him into her mind. As the witch came into focus he could see the strain on her as sweat dripped off her face. Her knuckles were white and he could see the bit of blood where her nails had broken the skin. He stared at her for a moment before nodding ever so slightly.

"Minister I believe that Miss Porter has conclusive evidence that Greg Hunter was in fact in the Shrieking Shack all last night. I will give you the evidence and you can take it back with you if you wish." Moody pointed his wand at his temple and withdrew the memory he had just witnessed from the witch and accepting a vial from Kingsley he put it in and put the stopper on it. He then handed it to the Minister.

As inconspicuously as possible, Taylor wiped the sweat from her face. She could feel her body trembling from the effort to keep the Dark Magic at bay. It was something like trying to keep a shield up past her limit.

"Thank you Moody. I shall view this as soon as I get back to the Ministry. I shall give you my verdict accordingly."

The Minister and the Under Secretary, as well as Percy Weasley and one of the aurors, stepped into the fireplace and vanished in a flash of green fire.

"Thank you Miss Porter, you may return to your common room now," McGonagall said briskly though she hadn't missed the strain on the witch's face.

Taylor was just thankful to be able to get out of there. "Thank you Professor." Standing on shaking legs she didn't dare look up fearing that her legs might give way and she didn't dare show just how much what she had done affected her. Someone might start asking questions. When she was safely out of sight with the door closed, she sagged against the wall. A stray thought that Moody might still be able to see her still couldn't make her summon the energy to push away from the wall, so she leaned heavily against it as the revolving stairs moved her downward and she stumbled out nearly falling beside the stone gargoyle.

A welcome voice called out her name and she looked up to see Harry and the others heading towards her.

"Taylor! What happened?" Harry asked as he caught his sister around the waist to keep her from falling.

"I'm tired," Taylor said.

"Bloody Hell what did they do?" Ron asked.

"Just took a memory. I had to keep from using Dark Magic. It was a little harder than I thought." Taylor explained as her head started to hurt. She was exhausted.

"So how did it go?" Hermione asked curiously.

"Moody said the memory should clear Greg. He gave it to the Minister to take back to look at." Taylor leaned gratefully on her brother and felt him shift his arm around her more so that he could support her better.

"The Minister for Magic was up there?" Ginny cried.

"Yeah, that was why I had to be so careful," she knew her voice sounded tired.

"You take far too many chances, Taylor!" Harry admonished his sister, though there was no real heat in the words.

"Yeah, let's just go to the common room, my bed is calling me."

They were just about to the end of the corridor when…

"Taylor! Hey wait up!"

Taylor could have groaned. Maybe she did as Hermione gave her a funny look. She pushed away from her brother a little as she turned to see the Hufflepuff hurrying towards her with a bit of a limp, his father and uncle with him.

"Hey! I'm glad I caught you. Are you all right?" the Head Boy had seen what it had cost his witch to help him, and from the way she had been leaning on Potter she was still weak from the effort.

"Yeah, I'll be fine. I just need a good night's sleep. Someone howled all last night and I didn't get a minute's rest." Taylor said with a tired smile.

"Yeah, well I'll talk to _you_ about _that_ later. Right now I just wanted to let you know the Minister sent word back. The charges against me have been dropped. As well McGonagall said I can remain here. I have you to thank for all of that. I saw what you did in the Great Hall…" The Hufflepuff's eyes met hers and she could see his thanks in them.

"Yeah, well, someone had to speak up. I was just saving that speech for a rainy day."

"Taylor, I'd also like to thank you. You saved my son from going to Azkaban as well as made sure he could finish his schooling… Those simple words just don't seem enough." Greg's father said with feeling as he looked down at the tired witch. He was unwilling to see more into her exhaustion when she had just given his son so much.

"Thank you as well, Miss Porter. What you did means a lot to our whole family." The Hufflepuff's uncle said with a sincere smile.

"I only told the truth, nothing more. The rest I left up to everyone else."

"Come on son, we need to get going before it gets dark. Thank you again Taylor, even if it was only the truth." Mr. Hunter gently patted the witch on the shoulder nodded to the others and started down the corridor, Greg's uncle with him.

"Thanks Taylor. I'll see you tomorrow alright?" The Head Boy said with a smile knowing he had to go see his father and uncle out.

"Yeah. In between classes and detention." Taylor quirked a half smile.

By the time she made it back to the common room all traces of humor had left her, as a pounding headache made each step painful.

When they climbed into the common room they were bombarded with questions and she let the others do most of the talking. As soon as she could, she whispered to Hermione that she was going to bed and escaped up to the relative quiet of her room. Earlier she had envisioned a nice hot shower, now she barely managed to pull off her clothes and get into her pajamas before crawling into her bed and pulling the hangings shut. Head pounding, she didn't know if she'd be able to get to sleep or not.

Not ten minutes later she fell into a deep exhausted sleep.

* * *

><p>AN Well there is another chapter and I know what many of you are going to say! And that is that this would never happen! The students would NEVER accept Greg knowing he was a werewolf and the fear that comes with that... my arguement... For one how many times have you heard of a group of people being moved to DO something by being motivated by a speach from someone? I know that there likely is a word to discribe it but I can't think of it right now. Plus everything that Taylor said was true... in Hogwarts they learn to do dangerous things... I mean in sixth year they learned to brew a potion so strong that it was called Living Death! So I am sure seventh years learn even more dangerous potions and spells! So would it be such a stretch that she could convince the students to vote for Greg? Hopefully not anyway! :)

So Tayor acted once again without fully thinking through the ramifications of her actions... I doubt she will ever learn to curb her impulsive acts! LOL!

Thank you for those who left a review! A Alert or Favorited! As well just for reading! Thank you to my wonderful beta barbc! Well until next time, cytpotter.


	84. Attack of the Snake

I do not own Harry Potter. Just playing in his sandbox for a while! :)

* * *

><p>Chapter Eighty-four<p>

**Attack of the Snake**

Hermione and Ron both had late patrol together. It was quiet which wasn't unusual for a Sunday night. Though every time they met a different prefect there was always a discussion about the Head Boy. Depending on which house the prefects were from decided the topic of how he made out. She thought it was really amazing how Taylor had been able to unite the school to keep the Head Boy here. She knew tomorrow would be the real test when parents found out and wrote demanding that he be removed. If the students stood together they had a real chance of making a difference. She had read in _Hogwarts, A History_ that from time to time students had been able to make a difference, especially the ones who were of legal age. Their votes had a magical binding effect that even the school governors would be hard pressed to defeat. She wondered if Taylor had thought of that little fact when she called for a vote. She'd had to smile when her friend insisted that the whole school vote, that way Taylor could vote as well even if it didn't exactly count.

By the time Ron and her returned to Gryffindor Tower, she was tired. Last night had been a long sleepless one as she had sat up with Harry and the others worrying about where Taylor had disappeared. She really didn't blame Harry for being angry with the underage witch. She was angry as well. Taylor was just too impulsive, she never thought anything through. She just jumped in and hoped for the best. Her stunt to clear Greg by agreeing to have her mind read was just another example. It had worked but she had seen the toll it had taken on her friend. Harry had practically carried her back to the common room.

Straightening up she spotted Harry and Ginny sitting on their usual sofa in front of the fire and she headed over to join them. She noticed that the common room was nearly empty. Only two fifth years were sitting at a table in the corner studying. She sighed. Normally by this time of year she'd have revision tables made for everyone and be studying every waking minute. This year, with NEWTS less then six weeks away, she was struggling just to get her homework finished. She really needed to get her act together.

"Some day, yeah?" she said sitting in her favorite spot as Ron sat down beside her and threw his arm casually on the back of the sofa behind her. He often played with her hair, unnoticed by Harry, Ginny or Taylor when they were sitting all together.

"Yeah. So how was patrol?" Harry asked more to pass the time than the fact that he was really interested, unless something had happened of course.

"Quiet. That Slytherin git of a prefect was shooting his mouth off but that was all," Ron replied as he met his best mate's eyes.

"What was he saying?" Harry asked suddenly curious.

"Oh just rubbish really about werewolves. Though if they can stir up any trouble you know the Slytherins will."

Hermione sighed and then told them about the vote and how it was magically binding.

"Huh, do you think Taylor knew all that?" Ginny asked impressed.

"Well, she has **read,** _Hogwarts, A History_!" Hermione emphasized the read part.

"Really? I thought that's what we kept you around for?" Ron teased as he rubbed her shoulder.

Rolling her eyes she said, "One thing for sure, life is never boring is it!"

"I think I could do with a little boring right now," Harry said tiredly.

"Yeah, it's been a rough go of it, for sure the last little while." Ron agreed nodding.

"What do you think is going to happen tomorrow? Parents are going to have found out about Greg by then. I don't doubt it will be in the Daily Prophet as well." Ginny said as she looked over at Hermione.

They talked about the repercussions of what happened today, for some time.

The corridor was long and eerily lit as she walked slowly down it, looking constantly over her shoulder, feeling like she was being watched though she saw no one. Finally when she reached the door at the end she opened it and stepped into a dark, round room with many doors. Taylor recognized it immediately. It was the revolving round room in the Department of Mysteries at the Ministry of Magic.

Stepping through the door, the room spun just like she remembered. When it stopped she was standing in the middle of the room, doors surrounding her.

Thinking that she would need to mark the doors like the last time, when she had been here with Harry and the others, so that she would know which ones she had tried as she tried to get out, she gave her wrist a flick… and nothing happened. Lifting her hand she looked at her arm. She could see the wand holder there strapped to her arm as usual but her wand was missing.

That is when she heard it, faintly at first, and it grew steadily louder… a high, cold mirthless laugh. Only this time she recognized the laugh, had heard it in person just after Christmas.

It was Voldemort's laugh.

Feeling the panic overtake her, she ran, trying desperately to open a door, it didn't matter which one as long as she could get away. The cold laugh seemed to be coming from everywhere at once.

There was a bright flash of green light and then it stopped.

Her hand was on an ancient looking door handle. She pulled desperately at it as the hissing of a snake started, looking over her shoulder she could see it. A huge snake was sliding across the round room towards her. Tugging frantically at the door she pleaded for it to open. To let her escape. She knew suddenly if she could just get this door open that she would be safe. Her whole body seemed to know that safety lay just on the other side of the ancient door. But it wouldn't open despite her best efforts.

Feeling her legs trembling, and a cold sweat break out all over her body, she slowly turned, as if her legs acted of their own accord, to look at the snake.

The snake rose up off the floor until it was eye height with her and she looked into its black soulless eyes, as its tongue flicked in and out and it spoke, hissing each word, "Thissss Potter'sssss sssssoul." Then before she could do anything, even scream, the snake attacked, rapidly coiling its body around hers until she was entirely within its cold coils, except for her head. Suddenly, even though she fought the desire with everything she had, her mouth opened and she began to scream, the snake's head dove for her soul as its tail wrapped around her heart.

Harry fought to stifle a yawn as he stretched, "Merlin I think I'm going to fall asleep! I wonder if I even know which bed is mine!"

Ginny grinned, "Yeah that's right, you slept down here in the common room Thursday and Friday night chaperoning! You ruined all Taylor's fun!"

"I'll fun her! I couldn't let her and Hunter stay down here all night alone!" Harry defended.

"Harry's right, Taylor shouldn't be staying all night with a bloke. It just isn't right!" Ron agreed.

"Oh really? I seem to recall she pointed out that she'd spent a fair number of nights alone with you and Harry!" Ginny shot back, raising an eyebrow in challenge.

"Well that's different! She's like a sister to us! It'd be like kissing you!" Ron said with a shudder, making a horrible face.

"Hey! Ahhh, Mate! I happen to like kissing Ginny!" Harry said as his face turned red, and Ron gave him a withering look.

Ginny and Hermione looked at one another and broke into a fit of giggles as they remembered a similar conversation not so long ago with Taylor.

Suddenly a blood-curdling scream echoed down from the girls' dormitories, stopping the laughter immediately.

"Taylor!" Harry yelled jumping to his feet, as his blood ran cold. He knew that scream.

Hermione jumped up too and just caught Harry's arm as he reached the bottom of the stairs, "Harry, you can't go up the stairs! I'll go! Touch her neck with a lit wand, right?" Hermione asked quickly as she started up. She could see the desperation in Harry's face.

"Yes! Go! Hurry!" Harry called as he stared helplessly up the stairs that he couldn't go up because they would turn into a slide. Hermione hurried up and disappeared as the sound of his sister's scream continued to echo down.

"I'll go too!" Ginny called as she raced up after Hermione.

"Bloody Hell! That isn't fair. There should be a way up!" Ron said as he paced looking up the stairs.

"Of course! Accio Firebolt!" Harry yelled palming his wand and pointing it up at his room.

Hermione reached the top of the stairs and pushed open the door to the seventh year girls' dorm, the sound of the screaming increasing as the door opened. Racing in, she could see Lavender standing beside Taylor's bed with the hangings pulled open and staring open mouthed at her visibly shaking friend.

"She won't wake up!" Lavender cried in a terrified voice over the screams.

"I know! Move!" Hermione ordered as she reached the bed. Pulling her wand, she ignited the tip and touched it to Taylor's neck. Almost instantly the screaming stopped, though Taylor's body continued to shake as she opened her terror filled eyes.

Ginny had arrived in time to see Hermione touch Taylor with her wand, and even though the screaming stopped, Ginny felt a shiver travel down her spine at the look of utter terror in her shaking friends eyes. Not sure what to do, she went over to Lavender who was staring horrified at Taylor. "Come on Lavender, why don't you come down to my room?"

"What's wrong with her?" Lavender asked in a frightened voice.

"Taylor!" Harry's anxious voice called from the doorway, making all three witches look to see the wizard jumping off his broom and rushing to Taylor's bed.

Ginny felt a prick of irritation that her wizard was so obviously worried about the witch shaking in the bed and then felt immediately ashamed, knowing it wasn't a whim that brought him.

Harry looked down at his sister. He could see she was shaking and soaked in sweat. Her eyes, still unseeing, were filled with terror. He knew though, now that Hermione had stopped her screams, that she'd be alright. Now, whatever happened to her when she had these _nightmares, _it no longer had control and she would slowly return to him.

Hermione stared at Harry surprised yet not shocked to see he had found a way to get up here. She could also hear calls starting up and down the stairway asking what was going on. Turning to Ginny she said in a brisk tone, "Why don't you take Lavender down to your room like you suggested? Taylor will be fine now. I'll go and let the others know that everything is alright." Her eyes met Ginny's for a brief second and she saw the other witch nod.

"But why wouldn't she wake up? I shook her!" Lavender said, her voice rising.

Hermione glanced at Harry as if asking what they should say.

His voice was a little harsher then he would have liked, "She… had a type of seizure. She'll be fine now."

"That's right. Come on Lavender and Ginny." Hermione said as she helped usher Lavender out with Ginny's help, closing the door behind them.

Harry turned back to his sister as the door closed. He knew his coming up here like he did was bound to raise questions but it had been an instinctual act to get to her. To make sure she was all right.

She was shaking so hard he could hear her teeth rattling together, as recognition slowly came back into her eyes, as the terror began to fade. Suddenly she rolled over and was sick. He could see it was an effort to roll back over.

Palming his wand he vanished the mess, and dried the sweat from her, as well as issuing a warming charm before he sat on her bed leaning back against the headboard, quietly holding her as her shaking slowly receded, as well as the terror in her eyes.

He could hear Hermione's voice as she spoke to the girls who all wanted to know what was happening. He couldn't quite make out what she was saying but he trusted her, as well as Ginny, to gloss over what had happened and raise as little suspicion as possible. It was some time before he heard the door open and both Ginny and Hermione came back into the room.

"How is she doing?" Hermione asked quietly as she sat on the edge of the bed. Her friend was still shaking but it wasn't nearly as bad and the terror had diminished in her eyes though it was still there.

"Better. You got everyone back to bed did you?" Harry asked softly.

"Yeah, I'm not sure Lavender bought your story but the rest have all headed back to bed. A few boys were wondering what was going on too but Ron was able to get them back to bed. He's waiting in the common room in case a teacher shows up" Hermione informed him.

"What did happen?" Ginny asked, though she thought she knew.

"She had another one of her… nightmares." Harry could see the questions in Ginny's eyes.

"But why? What causes them?"

"I don't know." He said simply as he looked down at his sister. He could tell that she was at least listening to what they were saying and knew she'd be able to speak for herself soon. Her shaking had receded to tremors now. He didn't know what caused these episodes and that's what worried him. He knew that her first one was in Godric's Hollow last summer, and then she'd had one last fall in her room, as well as the one in the Hospital just after Christmas. He just didn't see anything that was the same in any of them so he didn't know what the common denominator was.

They all sat quietly for a while until in a shaky voice Taylor said. "I-I dddon't know either."

"Hey, it's good to have you back. How are you doing?" Harry asked softly.

Taylor nodded her head. She wasn't sure if she could force her voice to work very well just yet, though she'd wanted to ease the worry she could see in her friends' eyes as well as her brother's.

"You're going to be alright now." Her brother said reassuringly and she nodded again.

"Psst! Oi! You lot!" they heard Ron's hushed voice calling up the stairs.

"I'll go tell him what's going on before he wakes everyone up again." Hermione said with a heavy sigh as she stood and headed for the door.

Taylor watched as Hermione left and she struggled to sit up, still feeling incredibly weak and shaky. Her brother helped her. "Let's jus' go down. I… I can' sleep."

"You sure?" Harry asked and Taylor nodded. "Ginny you go down first and take my broom please. I'll slide down with Taylor. I'm sure the stairs will change as soon as I step foot on them."

"Sure Harry," Ginny agreed in a tight voice before retrieving the Firebolt as she went out the door.

"I think Ginny's a little put out with me." Harry muttered as he stood from his sister's bed, threw her comforter over her and picked her up.

"I'm sorry," Taylor whispered, she didn't want to cause problems between her brother and Ginny but right now she needed him. Even just thinking that he might go made her shake harder again as the vivid images from her nightmare assaulted her already laboring mind.

"Hey, shh. Don't worry." He could feel her body shake harder and he paused and looked down at her. "I'm not going anywhere, okay? I'll deal with Ginny. It's nothing a good snog won't fix." He teased gently and was pleased to see a ghost of a smile on his sister's pale face. He kissed her reassuringly on the forehead before he stepped onto the threshold of the seventh year girls' dormitory and as predicted the stairs folded into a slide and he slid down with his sister firmly in his arms.

Ron helped Harry up at the bottom of the slide and the five of them settled on the sofas, Harry with Taylor on one and Ron, Hermione and Ginny on the other.

They sat in silence for a long time when Ginny spoke up in a slightly clipped voice. "Well I think I'm going to head to bed. I'll see you all in the morning."

Taylor watched as her friend left, a part of her felt bad that she was hurting her friend, though the thought was soon consumed by the images from her nightmare.

"Mate, I think my sister is pissed at you!" Ron said a short while after Ginny disappeared up the stairs to her room.

"Of course she is!" Hermione said wisely. "Your rushing up to Taylor, Harry, has upset her more then she's letting on."

"What was I supposed to do Hermione?" Harry asked heatedly. "I was worried sick about Taylor. If something was happening to her I'd have done the same thing!"

"I know Harry. You need to tell her that. I know she will understand. I think she was a little shaken up over seeing what happened to Taylor as well." Hermione continued in her knowing voice.

Harry nodded and sighed. Ginny wasn't the only one who was a little shaken up. Even though he'd seen it happen twice before, it was still extremely unsettling.

They talked occasionally about different things but soon Ron fell asleep. A while later Taylor finally spoke up. She would have liked to talk just to her brother but maybe Hermione would be able to help as well.

"This one was a little different." Her voice sounded hollow to her own ears.

"Different? How?" Harry asked in a slightly groggy voice as he shook his drowsy head to clear it.

"The… the snake… attacked."

Harry felt the shudder that that went through his sister.

"What else was different?" Hermione asked gently.

"Maybe we should see if Dumbledore is in the painting. He would want to know about this." Harry said as the thought occurred to him. Hermione nodded and, going to fetch the painting, was back shortly, sitting the frame on the coffee table.

"Good evening," the painting of Professor Dumbledore said politely. "I am glad you included me in your discussion. Miss Porter, I heard you had another nightmare, Miss Granger informed me of it when she called to me." The painted blue eyes shifted from one teenager to the other.

"Yes Professor," Taylor confirmed.

"I see. I would very much like to hear about it if you could please Taylor." Dumbledore's painted blue eyes took on a slightly troubled quality though his voice remained cordial.

Taylor shifted and Harry patted her arm encouragingly. Haltingly she began describing some of what had happened in her nightmare. She couldn't tell it all, some things were just too… So she told about being in the eerily lit corridor and about going into the round revolving room and about the laughter. As well as how the snake seemed to attack her this time. The rest she left out, unable to tell anyone any more. When she finished, the painted blue eyes stared hard at her for a long moment.

"Professor? Do you believe the difference in the nightmares is significant?" Hermione asked astutely.

"It certainly is interesting, Miss Granger." The painting of Dumbledore had a few more questions before the discussion turned to what had happened since the last time they had talked.

The sky was starting to lighten when Dumbledore said goodbye and walked out of the picture frame.

* * *

><p>AN Well there you have it one more chapter. I know this one is rather short but when I wrote it this just seemed to be the natural stopping place. Life is rather busy right now for both me and my amazing beta but I will post the next chapter as soon as I can! Hope you enjoyed!

Thank you to those who left a review! I love every one! Thank you for reading this far! Well until next time, cytpotter.


	85. The Aftermath

Still don't own Harry Potter.

Sorry for the long wait with summer finally here my life has gotten very busy. Hope you enjoy this chapter though! :)

* * *

><p>Chapter Eighty-five<p>

**The Aftermath**

Hermione and her brother both tried to talk Taylor into taking the morning off classes, but she refused. It wasn't so much the classes, it was that it would be the first time the Hufflepuff faced a student population who knew he was a werewolf. Also she didn't want to be alone with just her thoughts to keep her company. The talk with Dumbledore's painting raised some interesting questions, some new and some old.

She felt bad for her brother and Hermione who only had about an hours sleep between sunrise and when they needed to get ready for classes. She couldn't sleep at all. The thought of closing her eyes had her shaking again.

Walking down through the school, Taylor knew she was probably staying annoyingly close to her brother this morning but Ginny seemed to have gotten over her irritation from the previous night. She was carrying on as if she had anyway and that made Taylor feel better about it.

They were a little late getting to the Entrance Hall and the Head Boy was waiting for them along with his friends.

"Morning! I thought you guys weren't going to make it!" Greg called as he walked towards them, his friends with him. Ernie had suggested that they all go into the Great Hall together and the Head Boy had agreed. He wasn't sure if he had ever been more nervous. Last night in his own common room had been bad enough, though after a few awkward moments Connor had cracked a joke about having the baddest dog in the school and things had remarkably returned to close to normal. A few of the younger kids had eyed him a while but after one asked a couple of questions they also seemed to accept him. However, facing the whole school was… nerve wracking.

"Morning Hunter." Ron said with his usual grouchiness at this early hour.

"Good Morning Greg." Hermione greeted with a smile as she nodded to the others as well.

The Head Boy thought it was a little odd that his witch hadn't been in the lead as she usually was, but his worried mind didn't pick up on it right away until he caught sight of her pale face and the dark circles under her eyes. He was about to say something when he caught Hermione giving her head the tiniest shake. When he looked to make sure she did it again.

"So are you ready? We'd better hurry up or we'll be late for classes," Hermione said briskly, effectively bringing attention to her instead of the unusually quiet witch.

"Yeah, as ready as I'll ever be." Greg said nervously.

"Well at least you know you won't be thrown to the wolves!" Connor joked.

Ron snorted, and most of the others just rolled their eyes as they headed into the Great Hall as a group.

Greg fell in step with his witch who looked up and gave him a wobbly half smile. One look at her eyes told him that something had happened though she whispered. "It's going to be alright. Just be yourself. The students are behind you." He caught her hand to give it a squeeze and was startled when he noticed it was so cold. He looked down at her again. "I'm fine, let's get you through this." He would have liked to ask her what had happened but they were walking thru the oak doors into the Great Hall.

It seemed the whole school had been waiting for him to enter and even though he was near the back of their group, the Great Hall became silent as everyone turned to look. As if it was planned, the group spread out interspersing Gryffindor beside Hufflepuff until they stood in a line flanking the Head Boy on either side.

Taking a deep breath, he felt his witch squeeze his hand. Calling out in a calm, strong voice that belied his nervousness, "I want you all to know. Even… though I may… be a werewolf. I _did not_ attack anyone during the full moon. Taylor Porter's memories cleared me. The charges have all been dropped."

There was silence for another few heart beats before, "What are you waiting for Hunter, an invitation? Sit down we're trying to eat!" It was a seventh year Ravenclaw.

"Man I'm tired of speeches! Merlin! Are you our Head Boy or are you trying for Minister for Magic!" It came from the Hufflepuff table, and laughter broke out before the buzz returned to normal.

Greg couldn't keep the relieved grin from spreading across his face as a few individuals called out greetings to him. The Gryffindors and Hufflepuffs from beside him heading for their tables. He glanced at the teacher's table and saw most of the teachers smiling at him, as well as the Head Mistress before she turned to speak to Flitwick who was sitting beside her. It was then that he realized he was standing all alone and that even Taylor had left him to go eat.

His euphoria lasted only a few strides as he headed down the Gryffindor table, as the relief that he felt began to fade and his mind clicked in that something was wrong with Taylor. As he drew closer he saw even more evidence that something just wasn't right, as his witch sat beside Potter, not in her usual spot beside Hermione or Ginny.

Sitting down beside her he studied her profile for a moment before he happened to look up at Potter. The warning in the Gryffindor's eyes was clear. He inclined his head a fraction. He'd wait until they were finished breakfast and alone before he brought it up.

The post owls arrived then bringing with them the Daily Prophet as well a higher number then normal amount of letters to students, as predicted parents wrote their children out of fear for their safety.

Hermione skimmed the paper and finally found the article acquitting Greg of any wrong doing as well as stating that the matter of him being a werewolf and staying on at Hogwarts was to be left to the school to deal with. It was on the second to last page in small print.

Grumbling was heard all through the Great Hall as students read bits and pieces of their letters aloud before the Head Mistress stood.

"My I have your attention please. I would like to let you all know that I have informed all your families of not just my decision but also the result of the vote that you all took part in last night, that Greg Hunter will remain at this school for the remainder of the school year, as well as retain his duties as Head Boy." Loud cheers went up from all but the Slytherin table and McGonagall waited for a moment for it to calm down. "I also want to let you know that the vote that you participated in last night was magically binding. It showed that you were willing to stand beside one of your own to ensure justice was served and that he remain here where he should be. It is something you should all be proud of. That being said if anyone has any concerns of their own or from your parents please feel free to come and see me."

The noise level rose once again as McGonagall sat back down.

Greg could feel the grin return as he ate. Yesterday had been very difficult. His father and uncle had caught word about the werewolf attacks early and headed straight for the school. Madame Pomfrey had tried reassuring them and they were fine until Moody had come and informed them that his name had been specifically used in connection with the attacks in Hogsmeade. That was all after he had found out Taylor had followed him to the Shrieking Shack. His father had wanted to sneak him out of the school right then and there, knowing the Ministry would come after him. It had taken a lot of convincing from both Moody and McGonagall to get his father and uncle to relent and wait until the Ministry came for him. They had said that to run would look guilty. Shacklebolt had flooed the Minister, stating that they had a strong case that Greg was innocent and that they wished to meet with him about it. The Minister had sent his Under Secretary and Shacklebolt and McGonagall had presented their case even taking the Under Secretary to the Shrieking Shack and personally showing him the wards surrounding it and that none of them had been breached the night before. The only weakness in their proof was the trap door and the tunnel that they couldn't prove someone hadn't let the werewolf out of. Taylor's memories had been the evidence they had needed to clear him completely.

On one level he was still angry with his witch for taking such a risk and following him to the Shrieking Shack but he knew that if she hadn't have, he wouldn't be sitting here today a free wizard. He'd probably be in Azkaban right now if Taylor hadn't taken her promise to stay with him through all this so literally. It was a lot to come to grips with, and to be eternally thankful for.

Grabbing another piece of toast he glanced sideways and saw his witch hadn't even touched the bowl of cereal in front of her. She just stared at it fiddling with the spoon. Worry flooded him once more, what had happened? He remembered she had been exhausted last night even leaning against Potter some. Had she been worse off? Did something happen while Moody was reading her mind? He knew it had been a strain on her and that strain had come from not using Dark Magic to shield her mind…

With an effort he kept his questions to himself until it was time to head for first class. Standing with the others he put his arm around Taylor and felt her lean into him just a little as they walked out of the Great Hall, Ginny heading off for her first class with some other sixth years. He was silent until they were up one floor and heading down an empty corridor.

"All right guys I want to know what's going on," his voice was firm and hard. He wasn't about to be put off any longer.

"Look you toss pot!" Ron snapped as he turned to face the Head Boy.

Only Harry put his hand on his mate's shoulder and after glancing around said quietly, "In here!" and he led them into an empty classroom, immediately sealing and silencing the room.

Greg's stomach clenched. He knew this wasn't going to be good if Potter felt the need to go that far so they weren't overheard. Looking down at Taylor he asked quietly but firmly, "What's going on? What happened?" He could feel the slight tremors in her with his arm still around her. It was Potter who spoke up.

"Taylor had another one of her nightmares last night."

Greg's head snapped up and his eyes met the Gryffindor's, the worry clearly evident in them. "You mean, like… the one she had in the Hospital after Christmas?" Potter nodded and he felt the tremors in his witch increase. He wrapped his other arm around her and held her close. Ignoring the other three for a moment, he whispered in her ear, "Are you all right?" He saw her nod but her body gave him a different answer. Looking up again, "When?"

"Last night! You tosser! Weren't you listening?" Ron said with a huff.

Hermione narrowed her eyes at the redheaded wizard before she answered the Head Boy, "Not long before midnight." And she quickly filled the Hufflepuff in on waking Taylor up and trying to downplay the incident to other Gryffindors and getting them back to bed.

He knew he only had one episode to compare to but he was surprised that Taylor was still so… impacted by the nightmare when it had happened over eight hours ago. "You should go to the Hospital. You're far from fine." He suggested, concerned as he looked down at the witch in his arms.

Taylor shook her head, "No! There isn't anything Pomfrey can do. I'll be fine I just need some time…"

"Then take some! Skive off your morning classes and get some rest. Taylor you're shaking like a leaf and you look exhausted. You could just…" The Head Boy said trying to persuade her.

Her voice was harsh, as she pushed away from him. "No! Absolutely not! Look no one can know I had another nightmare all right! Also I don't want anyone to think that getting my mind read last night was anything big. My exhaustion can be easily passed off as being worried about this morning as long as I don't give anyone a reason to believe otherwise. I'll be fine. Now we need to get to class!" Taylor immediately regretted her harsh tone and it softened, "Greg, I'm sorry. I…" she ran a tired hand over her face.

"Hey, it's okay. I'm just worried about you, that's all." The Hufflepuff said, his voice full of concern.

"I'll be fine." Taylor said tiredly.

"We really do need to get going or we'll be late," Hermione said as she put her arm around the witch. "Taylor's right, we need to appear like everything is normal. As do you, Greg. You need to get to class and appear normal, until some of the sensation of you and your furry little problem dies down. We'll see you at lunch. Good luck!"

Taylor allowed her friend to lead her out of the classroom, after bidding the Head Boy so long and good luck. He'd returned the sentiment as he hurried off in the other direction.

They just barely made it to their first class, Potions, on time and as far as Taylor was concerned the day just went downhill from there. Being distracted by the lingering effects of the nightmare, her potion wasn't up to par and Slughorn took notice to the point of nearly beleaguering the fact. Her next class wasn't much better and by the time she was heading to lunch with a ton of homework, she still felt strangely shaky and either from her exhaustion, or something else far more ominous, her head was starting to throb.

They made it to the Great Hall before the Head Boy and the Hufflepuff seventh years, something to be thankful for at least, Taylor thought as she dropped tiredly down beside Hermione. She wasn't hungry and she wondered distractedly if it'd look too strange if she just laid her head on the table, not that she had any wish to close her eyes. No that was for sure, but to just let her tense body relax. She found a compromise and propping both elbows on the table, she dropped her head into her hands and watched as her brother and Ron dug into the food on the table across from her.

It wasn't long before she heard the greetings different students called as the Head Boy came into the Hall and headed for her. A few seconds later she felt him sit down beside her.

"Hey!" he said by way of greeting as he picked up a bowl and ladled soup into it. Hermione and Ginny both said hi, but the two wizards just mumbled something as they ate. He noticed his witch's lack of greeting as well her exhausted appearance. His eyes met the Head Girl's and he could see concern in them.

Leaning down close so he could speak right into her ear he whispered, "You need to try to eat something."

"I'm not hungry."

"When's the last time you had anything to eat?" He asked, knowing she didn't eat anything this morning, and he'd seen her on the Gryffindor table last night before the meal was served… "If you pass out in class they will make you go to see Pomfrey you know." He was hoping the threat would work.

"You're a nuisance Hufflepuff." Taylor griped as she tiredly picked her head up off her hands.

Ron snorted from across the table and said in a low voice, "And you're just figuring that out?"

"Stow it Weasley!" Taylor sighed, as she took some soup, hoping that it wouldn't come back up. She found that the soup actually did help and wondered distractedly why she didn't feel hungry.

Afternoon classes were just slightly better, though by the end her head was throbbing. She managed to eat a little more soup for supper and she nearly cried when Professor Shacklebolt stopped by and told them that they would have a _research session_ as soon as they finished supper.

"Wonder what Moody will do to me if I turn him into a toad?" Taylor groaned.

Their _research session_ that night was every bit as bad as Taylor thought it would be. Though she didn't turn Moody into a toad, her very poor performance had both Moody and Shacklebolt on her case and, to add insult to injury as Taylor saw it, she had detention with Moody right afterwards until midnight.

That night she practically crawled up the stairs into her room and didn't even bother undressing. Unable to keep her eyes open any longer, she passed out before her head hit her pillow. Pushed to its limits, her mind shut down as well and with the absence of any dreams at all, or the _nightmare_, she never heard a thing until Hermione shook her awake the next morning.

Over the next two weeks things settled down. The Hogwarts student population accepted the fact they had a werewolf as Head Boy and gossip turned from that to who was seen kissing whom.

First thing Tuesday morning, Hermione passed out the revision tables that she had been remiss in drawing up sooner. Taylor still half asleep as she tried to eat her breakfast and read her Herbology homework she didn't get done because of her detention, glanced at her revision table and said there was a problem. Hermione had snatched it back and glanced at it before handing it back and saying it was fine.

"But Hermione, you only have two hours a night for me to sleep!" Taylor had cried in disbelief.

Hermione's brisk reply was, "What's more important? Sleep or NEWTS?"

That night as soon as she finished supper, which was once again a working meal as she tried to eat and get a few questions done for the Transfiguration homework due the next day, she had another detention. Served this time with Lupin. She had thought the ones with Moody were bad. They had nothing on the way she felt after her parent's last friend had expressed his disappointment and displeasure at her for leaving the school Saturday night and staying in the tunnel under the Shrieking Shack. Her argument that she had helped clear the Head Boy had died in her throat at Lupin's furious look. Getting back after midnight that night she once again fell into bed, asleep when her head hit the pillow.

So it was Wednesday before the Head Boy was finally able to get a moment alone with his Gryffindor witch and confront her with his own displeasure over her jaunt to the tunnel. He caught her on the way to the Great Hall for lunch, where she was running late because Flitwick had kept her back because she hadn't had her homework assignment finished for Charms. Pushing her into one of the smaller empty classrooms, he had sealed and silenced it before he turned to look at her. He could see she looked slightly harassed and a little tired but the complete exhaustion and the look that had been close to despondency that had hung on her Monday was gone.

"We need to talk." The Head Boy said in a tight voice, as his anger over her recklessness came back full force.

Taylor looked up into his angry blue eyes and groaned aloud as she shook her head.

"What you did was…" he began.

"…was save your ass! Look Hunter I've had my ass chewed out enough. I did what I did because I thought I needed to and as it turns out I was right! I am not going to apologize to you or to Lupin or to McGonagall or even Harry for it! I'll serve my detentions and whatever more punishment anyone cares to dole out but I will not apologize and I'd do it again in a heartbeat!" Taylor yelled as her temper flared.

"Are you done?" the Hufflepuff asked in a clipped tone. At her glare he continued, "What you did was reckless! If that werewolf… if _I _had gotten through that trap door I would have killed you! Can you not understand that? I would have been powerless to stop it! But _I would have killed you!_ God Taylor, do you have any idea how that has been eating at me since you told me Sunday morning that you were in the tunnel?"

Taylor turned away from the tall Hufflepuff as she pinched the bridge of her nose. She really hadn't thought about what he would think about it. She'd been so consumed by her own problems she hadn't stopped to think how her actions would make him feel. She shook her head sadly. She truly had to be the worst person at relationships. She waited for what seemed like an eternity, waiting for him to tell her he'd had enough.

The Hufflepuff's voice was low and pained as he broke the silence, "What I went through Saturday night… the transformation…" his voice wavered slightly before he continued, "was incredibly painful but it was nothing compared to how I felt when I realized what I could have done to you. I couldn't live with myself if I'd've hurt you." The Head Boy paused as he swallowed the fear that welled up in him at the very thought. It was a few moments until he said from his heart, "Taylor, I've realized I can face the transformations, even the prejudice, but I can't do it without you."

He stared at his witch's back, her head bowed, and he moved up behind her and turning her, he lifted her head with his finger so he could look in her eyes. "I need to know though, when I become that… beast, that you are not going to do something dangerous. You need to promise me this Taylor. I need to know that you are safe. Please…" he could see the emotions in her eyes, sadness, regret, love and determination.

Her voice was thick, "I only went there to protect you. I swear. I'm sorry I hurt you. It wasn't my intention. I was afraid that the Slytherins would try to set you free… If I hadn't have gone… if I'd stayed in the castle and you were taken away for those murders…" Taylor struggled to make him see her side of it as well. "I'm sorry Hufflepuff but my safety is not worth as much as yours or Harry's. I can not make you that promise."

Greg starred at his witch too stunned to speak for a moment before he whispered, "How can you say that? How could you even think that?"

Taylor shrugged her shoulders, "Because I am alone. You have a whole family who loves you very much, and Harry has the fate of our world on his shoulders."

Greg shook his head slowly, "You are wrong witch. If something were to happen to you, do you think Harry would just carry on like nothing happened? I've seen him when you've been hurt. I've seen the fear and worry on his face. He would be devastated." The Head Boy knew as he spoke them the truth in the words.

"Harry has Ginny, she will help him."

"I'm not so sure about that but what about me? If something were to happen… part of me will go with you, Taylor. And no amount of family will ever be able to heal my fatally severed heart."

Powerful emotions welled up in Taylor. Her hand trembled as she reached it up to cup his cheek. "My life was so simple before you…"

The Hufflepuff's arms came around her and pulled her against him, his voice low and hard, eyes steel blue as they stared into hers, "Tell me you love me," he demanded.

"I love you Greg." Taylor whispered and his lips crashed onto hers in a demanding kiss that had them both gasping for air. Unable to tell his witch in words just how much she meant to him, he tried showing her in his kisses, some demanding and others incredibly tender. Only the bell signaling the start of their first class after lunch was able to break them apart.

The Head Boy had stopped outside the empty classroom watching his witch's back as she hurried to her next class until she turned a corner and he lost sight of her. He was still upset over what she had done and he knew that they would have to talk about it again. Despite that he knew he would be eternally grateful that she had risked her life and was able to clear him. The ache in his heart now was from her words, her conviction that she didn't matter, that she was somehow expendable because she had no family or destiny to fulfill. He needed to show her, somehow, that wasn't true.

Over the next two weeks their time together was limited to a couple of stolen moments in empty broom cupboards between classes and at meal times with their friends.

Even Taylor's weekend was taken up with detention, starting early in the morning and ending after curfew at night. Hermione finally took a little pity on her and agreed to help the underage witch with some of her homework, as long as Taylor stayed up until the wee hours of the morning doing it.

The second week of detention was just as bad as the first. Her days now consisted of getting up at the crack of dawn to try to get some of the homework done that was due before lunch, and she often worked while she ate at the Gryffindor table. At lunch she tried desperately to get something down for her afternoon classes, and at supper she was trying to get a start on what was due the next day. On nights that she had her _research sessions_ she went to them and then her detention. On her off nights she left the Great Hall for detention as soon as she was finished eating. And she never returned to the Gryffindor common room before midnight. If she could she'd try to get a little more homework done but she usually just ended up falling asleep on her work.

One thing all the detentions did do was give her time to think. All of her detentions involved manual labor of some sort and with her hands busy it left room for her mind to sort through things. One of the main things she wrestled with was what had her nightmare meant. Other than the night it had happened, she hadn't had time to talk to Dumbledore's portrait alone, something she was going to need to do in order to lay her concerns to rest. She never mentioned it to anyone but what had happened in the nightmare gnawed at her mind like some sort of creature just waiting to be understood.

Hermione, Ron and Greg weren't finding it easy either to find time to do all their homework, as well as patrols and revision. Hermione had even made up a revision table for the Hufflepuff too. Harry had it a little easier now that he didn't have quidditch practice, but he still had the _research sessions_ every other night.

It was in Taylor's second week of detention that Harry and Ron finally caught up with Derek Smelter in one of the boy's lavatories one evening and explained to him the error he made when he messed with the Gryffindor witch. The Head Boy happened to walk in on them during their explanation and after only a quick glance turned and walked back out suggesting a silencing spell might work well.

* * *

><p>AN Hope you enjoyed! I find it hard to believe but there are less then twenty chapters left! I am still working on fine tuning the end so that number isn't yet set in stone. I know I have to get my act together! I am just fretting about getting it good enough and not disappointing all of you who have been brave enough to read this far!

Thank you to all those who reviewed! Your comments and encouragement mean more then these words can hope to say! Thank you as well to those of you who Alerted or Favorited! Plus for just reading this far you deserve chocolate! :) Thank you to my wonderful beta who even with her busy schedule has been able to edit these chapters for me! Well until next time... which likely won't be until at least Tuesday as this is Canada Day weekend and I have Monday off! Yeah! Yours truly, cytpotter.


	86. The Truth About Broom Bunnies

The mirror doesn't lie and I still have short brown hair so I must not of magically changed into JK Rowling, so no I do not own Harry Potter.

* * *

><p>Chapter Eighty-six<p>

**The Truth About Broom Bunnies**

Early Saturday morning, Taylor rolled out of bed and pulling on a sweater over her pajamas, picked up her school bag and quietly slipped down the stairs to the empty common room. Spreading out her schoolwork, she started on it determined to get it finished and not spend her entire first free Saturday chained inside.

She had finished her two weeks of detention the previous Sunday, and had thrown herself into catching up on all her late homework, effectively tying herself to either the library or the common room all week as she struggled to catch up on all the work she'd had to let slide. Thankfully the Head Boy had been understanding and had been agreeable enough to do his homework in Gryffindor Tower or she wouldn't have seen him hardly at all the entire week, again!

Hermione joined her a half hour later and claimed the other table beside Taylor's and after a brief greeting, disappeared behind a mound of books. Other seventh years trickled down to the common room, as well as fifth years, all cramming for their NEWTS or OWLs whichever they were sitting in just a few short weeks.

By mid morning the younger students all seemed to have gotten the message that they were to move about quietly, and anything above a soft whisper earned them a telling off from any one of the older students. Even Hermione, who was normally understanding, had a very short fuse and had threatened to take ten house points from anyone causing a disturbance in the common room.

The sky was blue and the sun was shining outside the common room windows showing what a beautiful spring day it was. However inside the castle fifth and seventh year students in all the houses were trying to study and ignore the wonderful weather.

Around mid afternoon Taylor put her quill down and closed her book. She'd finished all her assignments for her classes over two hours ago and was working on revision to get ready for her NEWTS. She closed her eyes for a moment and could still see the complicated wand movements for Transfiguration that she'd been going over. Pushing to her feet she started piling up her books and putting her things away.

"What do you think you are doing?" Hermione hissed like an angry cat.

Taylor glanced over at her harried looking friend and whispered, "Going outside."

"Outside!" Hermione hissed in disbelief, "You have revision to do!"

"So I'll take my book, but I am going outside! I've been trapped inside for too long. You can come or stay." Taylor said as she put the last of her things into her book bag and closed it. She could see her brother and Ron looking at her with a nearly comical, hopeful expression.

With a look that clearly said she thought Taylor had lost her marbles, Hermione hissed angrily, "I have revision to do! As do you! Don't come crying to me if you fail all your NEWTS!" before retreating back behind the mound of books on her table.

Taylor shrugged. She'd been doing schoolwork for nearly nine hours and she needed a break. Dropping her bag off in her room she pulled on a pair of comfortable jeans and a t-shirt, picked up her charms book and headed outside. Her brother and Ron were waiting for her outside by the Fat Lady.

"You know Porter, every once in a great while you come up with an excellent idea." Ron said amiably as they headed down through the castle.

"I know. I need to spread my genius out you see or I'd end up like Hermione, trapped in her own revision tables!" Taylor said in very haughty voice.

The two wizards cracked up as did Taylor.

"So where to?" Harry asked when he could finally stop laughing.

"Why don't we go out by the lake? Ginny's probably out there with some of her friends. If not we can sit under one of the trees for a while." Taylor suggested. She really didn't care as long as it was outside!

"What no Hufflepuff?" Ron asked raising his eyebrows.

"You might wish! I'm stopping on my way out to see if he wants to come along. Of course he might be as crabby as Hermione… maybe it's a Head Girl or Boy thing. Remember how Percy used to get?" Taylor said with a grin.

Ron rolled his eyes. The three Gryffindors had reached the Entrance Hall, the huge oak doors stood open letting the bright sunshine spill in. The only person they saw was an auror walking across the foyer on patrol.

Taylor led them down the corridor towards the Hufflepuff common room and study room. Stopping outside the study room door she knocked cautiously wondering if Hufflepuffs were as crabby as Gryffindors when studying.

A few seconds later the door was opened by a frowning fifth year, "What do you want Porter?"

"Hi!" Taylor said as brightly as possible, "I was wondering if the Head Boy might be in there." She hadn't finished when the witch turned and called.

"Hunter! Door!" before disappearing back into the room.

"Friendly lot aren't they?" Harry asked dryly.

The door opened and the Head Boy looked out, looking distinctly disgruntled, though his expression changed the instant he saw Taylor. "Hey! I thought you were going to study today?"

"I have been since early this morning. I decided I need some fresh air. We're going out by the lake, want to come?" Taylor asked smiling up at the tall dark haired wizard in a wrinkled old t-shirt she'd never seen before and faded jeans.

A half hour later the four of them were seated comfortably out on the lawns on a blanket next to a large rock not far from the lake, eating sandwiches and drinking pumpkin juice.

"Great idea Hunter," Ron said around a mouthful of sandwich as he nodded.

"There is definitely an advantage to having one's common room not far from the kitchens," the Hufflepuff grinned as he took another bite.

Taylor just rolled her eyes. She was hungry too but the way the boys went on a person would think they hadn't eaten in two days.

When they were finished eating, Greg vanished the wrappers and juice containers and they settled back in a comfortable position in the warm sun. Ron and Harry were laying back on the blanket soaking up the sun, the Hufflepuff had his back resting against the rock and Taylor was comfortably leaning back against his side, his arm draped over her shoulder. The boys were talking quidditch and she was content to just listen, thoroughly enjoying her first chance to relax in weeks.

Taylor's eyes had drifted shut as the warm sun beat down on her, but one popped open as she listened to Ron, "… and there's these witches who hang around the pitch and when the players come off they like mob them. Bloody hell, could you imagine being mobbed by a whole passel of barmy broom bunnies all wanting a bloke?"

Taylor snorted, "A whole passel of broom bunnies? Hermione'd blast the whole lot of them!"

"What do you know about it? You're a girl!" Scoffed Ron.

"A girl? Well I want you to know I consider myself a broom bunny too, Ron Weasley!" Taylor said.

Harry nearly choked and she could feel the Head Boy chuckling behind her, before he said in a partly amused, partly exasperated voice, "Taylor love, broom bunnies are usually, ah… easy witches looking for a lay with a bloke."

Taylor turned around and stared at the Head Boy open mouthed before she turned to look at Ron, "Does Hermione know that?"

Ron's face turned bright red, "Blimey, how should I know?"

"Boys!" Taylor muttered as she settled back against the Hufflepuff. "How come guys always have to give girls stupid names anyway? I mean really? Broom bunnies? Birds? Chits?"

Harry looked over at his sister and shook his head. She really was naive when it came to guys. "Guys, well some guys, most guys I guess… well they just talk… about ahh…"

The Hufflepuff rolled his eyes, "I think what Potter is trying to say is that, when guys are together they talk, and well guys are guys and their talk can be rather crude at times. They just come up with names for girls, like code names so they can talk even when they are in mixed company. Girls do the same thing."

"No we don't!" Taylor said as she twisted to look at the tall wizard behind her.

"Sure you do." Ron put in. "You must have heard Lav Lav talking to some of the others."

Taylor wrinkled her nose in distaste, "Eww! Now those are revolting conversations to overhear! The way they carry on a person would think that guys are some sort of candy or something!" She could see Ron's ears were red and her brother was looking decidedly embarrassed. "Well _I_ don't talk like that! I mean, sure Hermione, Ginny and I have talked… ah… about guys but not like that!"

Harry rolled over on his side facing his sister and arched an eyebrow suddenly curious, "So what exactly have you three talked about, regarding guys?"

It was Taylor's turn to blush, she most definitely _was not_ telling her brother about that conversation! "Ahh… just girl stuff."

Harry's curiosity grew, as well as his desire to tease his sister a little. He could see she was more than a little embarrassed. "What kind of girl stuff? Like how masculine we look? Or dashing?"

Taylor snorted and her hand flew to her mouth as she tried to stop herself from giggling. Her voice squeaked out a "No!" before she could continue, "I can honestly say those particular words most definitely didn't come up!" she gasped out before she was overtaken again with a bout of giggles.

"So what words did you three use to describe us?" Ron asked with a mischievous grin that looked a lot like his sister's.

Taylor's face turned bright red and she looked away. There was no possible way she could tell her brother they had been talking about kissing! And… her face turned even redder, if that was possible.

"You know mate, I think our witches have been talking about us in a most embarrassing way!" Ron said looking over at Harry and then back at the witch.

"What are you three doing? Are you picking on poor Taylor?" Ginny's voice called as she made her way towards them from down by the lake, with a grin.

Harry glanced up at his girlfriend and smiled at her. He could see her eyes dancing mischievously and had the distinct feeling she had somehow overheard what had been said.

"They are!" Taylor said with a relieved grin. She was good at comebacks usually but she was all together too embarrassed right now to think of one.

Ginny shook her head and tisked as she sat down on the blanket. "Shame on you! You shouldn't pick on poor Taylor. Besides we were just talking about the different kissing techniques the three of you employed."

All three Gryffindors turned bright red, "Ginny!" their voices all rang. The Head Boy chuckled, thoroughly enjoying the discomfort all three were displaying.

"I thought we should swap, you know so we had a better base as to compare notes." Ginny said with an air of innocence.

"Yeah and I said you had to kiss Ron first!" Taylor put in heatedly trying to embarrass the other witch.

"Yeah, you did…" Ginny said as she gave her brother a calculating look as if she was possibly contemplating it.

Harry's eyes went round and he sat up fast, disbelief written all over his face that his witch would even for a moment think of kissing another wizard.

Ron's face went the other way, bright red but completely disgusted as he stuttered, "Bloody hell! That is just… bloody sodding disgusting! Are you barmy? Gross!"

The Hufflepuff couldn't help it, the look on the two Gryffindor wizard's faces was too much and he laughed, his whole body shaking with it.

Taylor turned around to look at the Hufflepuff and shook her head.

"I wouldn't laugh Greg, I challenged Taylor to kiss Harry," Ginny said coyly.

Taylor's head whipped around to stare at the other witch, "Ginny!" she gasped and then she glanced at her brother, and saw his eyes look at her in surprise and then his face screwed up about like Ron's had and he said, "No! Absolutely not! That is just… Revolting!"

"Ginevra Weasley! I thought you came to help me, not mortify me even worse! I think I'd rather kiss the giant squid than Harry or Ron!" Taylor shot back as she made a horrible face.

The Hufflepuff had stopped laughing and his eyes had narrowed but he had no doubt believing the reaction of the dark haired Gryffindor wizard and his witch. There definitely was no attraction there to kiss one another.

"Hey!" Ron called out, "I've never had any complaints about my kissing!"

"You obviously haven't heard Lav Lav!" Taylor said and then she laughed at the look on his face.

"Okay! Enough talk about kissing!" Harry growled. He was not comfortable with this line of talking especially with his girlfriend and little sister present.

"I think that might be a good idea," Greg said carefully as he pulled Taylor back against his side.

Ginny grinned but she settled next to Harry who immediately wrapped his arm around her waist possessively.

"I thought you came out here with your friends?" Taylor asked from her comfortable position.

"I did but they ran into a couple of guys from Ravenclaw and well, I spotted you four. I thought I'd grace you with my presence." Ginny replied with a grin.

"It had nothing to do with your boyfriend being here I suppose?" Taylor asked with a grin of her own.

It wasn't long, as they talked about classes, that the slight tension that had arisen disappeared again and the group laughed and carried on easily. All too soon it seemed to the seventh years that the sun started its descent towards the horizon and they had to head back into the castle for supper and then studying once again.

Making their way slowly back to the castle, the two couples holding hands, Taylor asked, "So what are we doing tomorrow? Other than studying of course. I don't know about you guys but I can only study for so long before my brain goes to mush."

"And here I always thought you were so studious. You always used to study about like Hermione!" Ron teased.

"Well, yeah… but that was before the Hufflepuff corrupted me." Taylor said off handedly.

Harry turned to his sister and raised his eyebrow but she just grinned at him, and he shook his head, "I think we had better have a meeting and talk about a few things. Say around two in the ROR?"

Taylor groaned, "Why does it have to be in the castle? Do you have any idea how much time I've spent in this place the past few weeks? What's wrong with fresh air? Sunlight?" She caught sight of her brother's face and sighed, "Fine! But I get to decide on the room!" she all but pouted.

"Sounds good to me," Greg nodded as he squeezed his witch's hand and winked down at her.

Sunday afternoon a little after two the five Gryffindors and Hufflepuff sat in a very different looking Room of Requirements. It looked similar to the Divination classroom they'd had when Firenze the centaur had been their teacher, with what looked like trees and grass all around a small clearing and sun shifting down through the leaves on the trees.

The portrait of Dumbledore was enlarged to nearly life size and his voice was clear as he spoke, asking them all how their studying was going. Hermione grumbled a little about how far behind in their revision table they were but the portrait smiled indulgently at the frazzled looking Head Girl and she seemed to relax just a little.

"Well that brings us to one of the reasons we are all here, to talk about destroying the last two Horcruxes that you have. Am I correct?" The painting asked as his painted blue eyes peered over his painted half-moon glasses.

"Well yeah, that was one of the things I thought we should talk about," Harry began as he nodded, "plus we need to start thinking about where the other two are. We suspect Nagini as one of those, the other I don't really have any ideas. Do you think there are any more artifacts from the founders that we should be looking for?"

"None that I am aware of, I am afraid. I think you should also start thinking about what is going to happen after the Horcruxes are all destroyed." Dumbledore's voice was heavy as he imparted this suggestion.

There was a few moments of silence before Harry spoke again, his voice low but determined, "Well that just stands to reason. I'm going to have to face him."

Taylor was immediately on her feet and she began to pace restlessly. The Hufflepuff watched her but the others were used to Taylor's aversion to this part, not that they liked or agreed with it, they just weren't pacers like the shorthaired, redheaded witch.

"Yes, however the place and the time are entirely of our choosing. I am positive Voldemort has yet to discover that any of his Horcruxes are missing let alone destroyed."

"So Harry has to decide where to fight Vol-Voldemort? It should be here at Hogwarts!" Ron said with a decisive nod.

"Here at the school? What about the students? If Voldemort comes he won't come alone! A lot of innocent people could die! No we need to figure out a place where innocent people won't be hurt." Hermione said as she thought about it.

"While I agree with you to an extent Miss Granger, I'm afraid there is nowhere that you can insure no innocents will be hurt. As you said, Voldemort would not come alone. He has amassed quite a following over the last year. The Manticore that attacked the school was but one of the many magical creatures he has managed to coerce or manipulate into following his orders. The place that you are to meet him Harry, needs to be as well thought out as the way in which you meet him. We cannot leave anything to chance. You will only get one opportunity to do this. Once Voldemort realizes his Horcruxes are gone he will indubitably make more. The consequences of that could be catastrophic." Dumbledore's voice was calm as he spoke but his blue painted eyes were piercing as they peered over the painted glasses.

Taylor paced as she listened, fear ate at her. She couldn't let her brother face Voldemort alone, no matter what a stupid prophecy said. Dumbledore and Hermione were discussing possible places for this battle. There weren't many to pick from. Someplace open like the huge moor where the Quidditch World Cup had taken place wouldn't do because it would give Voldemort too much room to maneuver his masses.

They had limited numbers on their side that they could call on to fight. The six of them, well five, Harry would never let Ginny go anywhere she'd get hurt. Taylor pursed her lips, four of them, she had no intention of letting the tall Hufflepuff get too close and get hurt either. So it was down to the four of them. She knew it wasn't like she wanted Hermione and Ron to get hurt but they were like her, they'd follow Harry to the ends of the earth if they had too.

So that left the four of them and however many witches and wizards were in the Order of the Phoenix, maybe three or four dozen? Fifty-two against a veritable army… Taylor ran a hand up through her hair, the odds were… overwhelming.

"Oi Taylor!"

Looking over where the others sat, she knew she had been lost in thought and had completely missed what was being said.

"Miss Porter what are your feelings as to where the fight might take place?" Dumbledore's painting asked shrewdly.

Taylor took a deep breath as her feet started to move once again, "It needs to be someplace where great numbers aren't going to be an immediate advantage." She said slowly as she thought. "If we can somehow lure old Voldy out away from his Death Eaters… It will give Harry the best chance. Cut the head off the snake the snake dies. Harry kills Voldemort the rest will fall."

"You've given this some thought," the Head Boy said quietly.

Taylor looked over at him and could see his eyes were suddenly guarded. "I've had a long time to think about it."

"A very good idea Miss Porter," Dumbledore said earnestly.

They spent a while longer talking about a place but none really came to mind other then Hogwarts, and none were keen to go that route with all the innocent students.

It was nearing suppertime and they were about to start packing up. Harry had brought Hermione's hand bag with all their stuff in it and they'd taken the tent out and set it up after a while and looked at the Dark Magic books again as well as the Horcruxes themselves.

"Harry, where's Gryffindor's sword?" Ron asked as he looked around inside the tent.

"It's still in Hermione's handbag. I didn't take it out." Harry called from outside.

"Why didn't you return it anyway?" Ginny asked as she picked up one of the Dark Magic books she'd been reading, after Taylor used the spell to change the writing to English.

"We thought it might come in handy," Harry answered with a shrug.

The swish and scrape of metal hitting something was immediately followed by a high pitched wail that had the three witches and two wizards outside the tent rushing to look inside. What they saw was a very surprised, but pleased looking Ron holding Godric Gryffindor's sword and on the table was Rowena Ravenclaw's tiara cleaved in two.

"Ron!" Hermione gasped.

"Bloody hell mate!" Harry exclaimed as a grin erased the stunned look that had been there. "What made you think to try that?"

Ron shrugged as his ears turned a little red, "I just thought, well it killed a basilisk and a Manticore it just might a Horcrux right?"

"Right because a horcrux and a living animal are so close!" Ginny said a little angrily.

Taylor palmed her wand and after a second the combined Dark and Light Magic spell rolled off her tongue as she moved her wand. No thin trace of green smoke came from the tiara. "They might not be close but the sword did it. The Horcrux is destroyed."

"Do you think it will work on the locket too?" Hermione asked as she cocked her head thinking.

"I don't see why not." Taylor said as she looked closely at the tiara. "Here, we might as well give it a try." Taylor reached down and picked up the silver locket and set it on the table. A strange shiver traveled up her spin and she backed away from it. "Just make sure you do what ever you did last time." She cautioned.

The Hufflepuff shook his head. In his opinion the Gryffindors were way too reckless. He remembered all to well what had happened the last time the other five had tried to destroy the Horcruxes. With a degree of apprehension he watched as Weasley lifted the silver sword over his head and swung at the locket on the table. This time there was a more solid sounding thud and then a high piercing wail as acidic smoke curled up from the broken locket.

The others were talking excitedly but the Head Boy watched as his witch carefully approached the broken locket, like she had the tiara, and muttering words he couldn't quite make out she waved her wand over it. Nothing happened. He saw her nod.

"We have two Horcruxes to go."

* * *

><p>AN First of all I want to say that I hope if you didn't know what a broom bunny was that you do now! ;) I really enjoyed writting that bit of lightness and I thought it was a much needed break not only for Taylor(after her detentions) but the others as well. There are dark times coming and they needed that bit of fun. Poor Hermione was too stuck in her revision to have some!lol! As for the second half of this chapter well a lot happened in it. I never was comfortable with the fight happening at Hogwarts when I read that so this was my way of airing that concern. Plus now the two horcruxes that they have are now distroyed and they can start to think about the last two... When I wrote this I tried very hard to not let the seventh book influence what I wrote. Hopefully you enjoyed.

I want to thank all of you who left a review! I really apperciate all of them! As well to all of you who Alerted and Favorited this story! And for just reading! I know the chapters are coming a little slower, I'm sorry! But summer is a very busy time for both me and my beta! So I will get the chapters out as often as I can! I PROMISE this story will be finished! Well until next time, cytpotter.


	87. Wizard's Frisbee

I do not own Harry Potter.

Sorry for the long delay between chapters. Life has been hectic, with my kids off school for the summer, all the work that goes into having a hobby farm during the short Canadian summer plus my job I just haven't had time. Please be assured though that I WILL finish this story! Hope you enjoy this chapter!

* * *

><p>Chapter Eighty-seven<p>

**Wizard's Frisbee**

Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday slipped by full of classes, homework, revision and research sessions. The only change from the previous week was with the Head Boy. The full moon was approaching and with it his extraordinary senses were back, his ability to hear and smell, especially his witch, were the same as the previous full moon. As was his over protectiveness and his unwillingness to leave her. By Tuesday night he was sneaking into the Gryffindor common room under the invisibility cloak and sleeping on the sofa with his witch.

The added complication that NEWTS and OWLs were approaching made it later at night before the common room emptied and some students were even getting up early to cram some studying in before classes started in the morning. The benefit to it was that students were more distracted and so they were less likely to notice a book disappearing in the far corner as Taylor passed the Head Boy one. They also didn't notice the fact that the Head Boy wasn't no longer sleeping in the Hufflepuff seventh year dorm room. That was in part due to Ernie Macmillan nearly having a breakdown from the pressure of the upcoming exams and threatened anyone to within an inch of their lives if they made a sound in the dorm room.

The only other change was that after supper every night Taylor would go with the Head Boy to the Potions classroom where Professor Slughorn would have the Wolfsbane Potion ready and waiting. In a way Taylor wished she could have a more active part in helping make the potion so that she'd feel more practiced in making it, but with her hectic schedule right now she just couldn't squeeze another hour into her day. The Hufflepuff would pull an awful face but he never complained about the potion. His desire to not become a mindless beast far outweighing the unpalatable-ness of it.

Friday morning Taylor woke up on the sofa with the Hufflepuff's arm wrapped around her securely, even one of his long legs was over hers effectively pinning her where she was. She could hear her brother's soft snores from the opposite sofa. Harry had refused to let her stay with the Head Boy without him being present. She shook her head slightly but it made her smile, her brother was only looking out for her, even if he was annoying while doing it.

From past experience she knew there was no wiggling away from the Head Boy when he was in his overprotective mode, as she thought of it as, so bumping him gently in the ribs to wake him up she whispered, "I need a shower and you need to get going. Come on before anyone comes down."

"I hate mornings witch," the Head Boy grumbled sleepily, as he tightened his arm around her.

"Okay grumpy, you say that every morning. Now remember what happened yesterday morning," she threatened quietly and heard him grunt with displeasure. The previous morning the crazy werewolf had taken it into his head he wasn't going to get up, or let her up, so as the sound of footsteps descended the stairs and the fear of being discovered mounted she'd palmed her wand, silenced, put a full body bind on him and then thrown the invisibility cloak over him. Of course he'd been more than a little put out when she released him after the fifth year had gone back up the stairs, still she had a valid threat.

"Witch, you get up way too early." The werewolf complained sleepily, though he removed his arm and leg so the witch could get up.

Taylor picked up her glasses and put them on before she turned back to him, and smiled. He really did look kind of cute in the morning with his hair all messed up and his face shadowed by his growth of beard. Bending down she kissed him on the cheek, whispering, "I'll see you at breakfast." She easily sidestepped his grab for her and headed for her room and the shower.

By the time afternoon arrived Taylor was wondering if the teachers had all decided to see if they could possibly drive as many students to having a nervous breakdown as possible. Taylor was incredibly thankful that she had double study. At least she'd be able to go to the library and look for the books she needed to complete her potions essay before someone else signed them out. She dragged Harry and Ron along with her, saying that they could work on their essay as well. She was glad she had when she reached the library and Madame Pince was already telling off a Ravenclaw that they were not allowed to sign out more than one book at a time and only for one day.

The two wizards staked out a table as she went in search of the books they needed. She was just walking down a narrow aisle near the back when the feeling like she was being watched made her turn, to see the back of black robes disappear around the end of the bookshelf. She chastised herself for being a little too spooky and turned back around only to run smack into someone. Gentle hands steadied her and then took a step back.

"Hey, sorry, I didn't think you were going to turn around that fast." The Head Boy grinned down at her.

"I thought you had Herbology? What are you doing skiving classes this time of year?" She demanded in a hushed voice, as she noted the tiredness in his face even through his smile.

The Hufflepuff shrugged and looked distinctly guilty, like a kid who had just gotten caught with his hand in the cookie jar, "I… couldn't go… I needed to see you. I just couldn't shake the feeling that you were in danger."

His face showed his worry suddenly and his blue eyes were haunted by it. She sighed, "What are you going to tell Professor Sprout?"

"The truth. I needed to make sure you were okay." The Head Boy said simply.

"All right, do you have your essay for Potions done yet?" When he shook his head she continued, "Good you can get started on it with us. Here you take these two books back to the table with Harry and Ron. Pince has a limit on how many books are allowed at a table right now. I just need to grab another and I'll be right there."

The three Gryffindors and Head Boy made some good progress on their Potions essay and by the time it was time for them to head for their last class of the day they had it over half done. Taylor checked out two books, well she had Harry check out one so that Pince would let them have them, and started down the hallway.

"Don't you need to head for your last class?" Ron asked as the Hufflepuff walked with them.

"Sure, I have Ancient Runes. You guys have Charms right? It's on the way."

Taylor had to laugh at the look on Ron's face as he rolled his eyes at the Head Boy.

"I'll be glad when your furry little problem goes away again!" Ron griped. The Ancient Runes classroom was two floors above Charms.

The bell rang and the rumble of students moving could be heard, and soon the hallway was full, as students shuffled along, going in both directions. An auror passed them on patrol and they turned down a seldom-used set of stairs to get out of the throng. Reaching the bottom they headed for the Charms classroom, the Hufflepuff still tagging along.

They were nearly there when suddenly the hairs on the back of Taylor's neck stood on end and she heard the Hufflepuff distinctly growl low in his throat as his hand caught her arm. She looked around carefully. The corridor only had a few students and most were heading away from them. She glanced over at her brother and saw that he sensed something as well. His wand was in his hand and he was searching the corridor.

Taylor knew it was an instinctive reaction. A voice called, "Hunter!" and looking in that direction she saw what looked like a Frisbee sailing towards them and the Head Boy reached out to catch it. Harry yelled as he grabbed at Hunter to stop him from making the catch. He didn't succeed. The instant the Frisbee touched the Hufflepuff, Taylor felt a powerful jerk right behind her belly button and her feet left the floor as she was spun away with Greg and Harry.

She might never have traveled by one before but she knew what it was. The Frisbee was a Portkey. Fear welled up in her, as she spun through the air. She was rapidly going someplace that was going to be very dangerous.

Suddenly her feet slammed into the ground and she nearly lost her balance. The Hufflepuff's hand steadied her as she looked around, palming her wand. Instinct ruled, as she yelled, "_Protego_!"

"Very smart Mudblood. But your shield will not protect you for long." A voice drawled.

Taylor looked around. They were in an overgrown yard by a run-down house. Six hooded figures stood loosely around them, all but one had their wands drawn. She could see her brother out of the corner of her eye as he looked around carefully. The Hufflepuff she couldn't see but he still had his hand on her arm, thankfully her left one as her right was held high holding her wand to maintain her shield. She could hear him growl again.

"I must admit. This worked better then even I imagined. With one Portkey we nabbed the werewolf, the Boy-Who-Lived and the Mudblood with Dark Magic! The Dark Lord will be pleased." Lucius Malfoy said as he lowered his hood. Several others followed suit.

An insane cackle, "Oh, Mudblood, do you remember me?" Bellatrix Lestrange asked as she pushed her hood down.

"Yeah, insane bitch. That seems to ring a bell," Taylor said coldly.

"I'll enjoy taking that spirit out of you Mudblood!" Bellatrix purred.

"You won't touch her!" the words growled out of the Hufflepuff low and menacing.

A harsh laugh was heard above all the others. "The pup has fire. Maybe he will live longer than the last one!"

Taylor recognized Fenrir Greyback. From the anger that was radiating off the Hufflepuff, he did too, but his voice was low and controlled as he asked, "What's that supposed to mean?"

"Ahh, so you don't know. I suppose I can see where the misunderstanding might come from, what with all three of you getting caught in the one trap. It was you, young werewolf that we were after. You eluded our last attempt to get you by having the Mudblood give up her memories. You see your predecessor died an untimely death, couldn't seem to stomach having bitten you. Well without him and his unique toxin, then the job fell to you. Did you not wonder why you were unique even among others of your kind? I know the Order's whipped dog talked to you. Surely after the last full moon you realized you were different? More animalistic longer before the full moon!" Greyback spoke softly but his eyes glittered with a dangerous wildness that Taylor had glimpsed in the Hufflepuff's eyes before.

"The Ravenclaw… you turned him?" Harry asked speaking for the first time.

"Yes, and no… you see my toxin was used but it was modified, strengthened by two others, real killers. To make a werewolf that isn't just dangerous on the full moon but leading up to it as well. You can feel it can't you pup? The beast waiting just inside you ready to break out at the drop of a hat. I will show you how to unleash it, and you will join me and we will rule the pack!"

Taylor could feel the strain that the shield was starting to have on her. She knew that the Death Eaters knew that as well. If she held it too long she'd be too spent to fight. She hoped her brother was thinking of a way to escape. The werewolf behind her was still growling low, the grip he had on her arm almost painful, though she doubted he realized it.

"I will not join you!" the Head Boy bit the words out slowly.

"Well that is a pity. It would have gone so much easier on you if you had just been agreeable." Luscious said, sounding a little bored.

Taylor felt her brother's foot bump hers and she glanced at him. She knew what he wanted. They had spent too many _research sessions_ together not to. Carefully she stepped back with her foot until she felt the Hufflepuff's and bumped it. The sudden stop of his growl told her he was at least ready for something.

"Potter you are always the same aren't you? Arrogant to a fault." An oily voice said coldly as another hood lowered to reveal Snape.

"You!" Harry hissed suddenly furious.

"As articulate as always Potter. I see your taste in company hasn't improved. Though a witch who can use Dark Magic could come in handy at times even if she is a Mudblood." Snape said nastily.

Taylor went to reach for her brother to keep him inside her shield but the Hufflepuff beat her to it grabbing her brother's arm and holding it. "Harry, he's just trying to get you to do something stupid." The Hufflepuff warned in a hard voice.

Taylor glanced around and saw that all the Death Eaters had lowered their hoods. The other one was Nott, she had to keep her own anger in check, when she saw Wormtail.

"Yes Potter please _do_ something stupid," one of the Death Eaters taunted.

Sweat was beginning to bead on her forehead and she knew she was rapidly reaching her limit. She could feel the Hufflepuff behind her shift and hoped he'd heed his own advice and not do something stupid.

"Don't worry, I'm going to kill you Snape but it won't be today," Harry ground out between clenched teeth as he fought to ignore the urge to strike at the wizard who used to be their professor. A few seconds later he mastered his temper and finding Taylor's foot again he bumped it, as he threw his arm in the air, "_Protego_!"

Taylor released her shield as her brother put up his, they had a few more minutes as long as the Death Eaters chose to wait. The shield wouldn't stop an unforgivable or a powerful Dark Arts spell. Relieved, she let her arm drop to her side and gave it a shake to restore the circulation and feeling in it. Slowly she looked around, six Death Eaters and only three of them. She knew Snape wasn't likely to hurt them, though he'd have to appear like he was fighting. Then there was Wormtail, a spineless git if she'd ever seen one. So that brought it down to four, still four skilled Death Eaters against three seventh years wasn't great odds. Though she knew Harry and she were more skilled, they were not in the same class as Bellatrix and Malfoy, and Nott was an unknown though probably as skilled. She didn't know about Greyback either but from all that she'd ever heard he preferred to fight hand to hand when possible and he more than outmatched her and Harry there. She even doubted Greg could handle the large burly brute in a fight. Greg might be tall but he was still only a teenager and didn't have the heavy muscling the older werewolf did.

"Hey Mudblood why don't you show us a little bit of the Dark Magic that you supposedly can use? I personally find it hard to believe that you can. Dark Magic from a Mudblood, that's absurd." The Death Eater she recognized as Nott called out.

"If I use Dark Magic it will be to whip your sorry ass!" Taylor snapped but the suggestion had given her and idea. With a wicked grin, she said softly, "Ready Potter?"

Harry turned to look at her. He could see her eyes as they darkened and he knew she was about to use Dark Magic. He glanced up at the Head Boy to see that he knew it too. Powerful words, unrecognizable in the ancient language fell from his sister's lips, as her wand whipped through the air. He felt his shield charm smashed as the spell poured out away from them, plunging them into near darkness.

"Move!" Harry yelled as he dove and rolled to avoid the spells that rained where he had just been. "Expelliarmus!" was his first spell and he heard a curse and a wand flew into his hand. One Death Eater was disarmed. Coming to his feet he could just make out the white hair of Lucius Malfoy coming towards him and the hours he'd spent training came back to him.

Taylor dove as well. Rolling, she heard her brother's disarming spell and just managed to keep her own wand from slipping through her fingers. Coming to her knees she peered around in the near dark. She had tried to give them the best advantage that she could and taking the idea from Fred and George, she had improvised her own darkness from Dark Magic. Actually it was part of a spell she had read in one of the books from Briggs Cottage. Movement near by ended her wandering thought and she heard a cackle that could only be from Bellatrix.

"Come on Mudblood, don't hide from me. I thought you wanted to fight?"

Taylor fired from her knees and knew immediately that she had assumed right. Bellatrix was good. The Death Eater easily deflected the underage witches spell and fired back. Only the fact that Taylor moved saved her.

Rolling to her feet Taylor fired and blocked as fast as she could, her wand a blur. She could feel the necklace starting to get hot again as the Death Eaters spells became darker. She had the distinct impression Bellatrix was playing with her.

"Somebody's been teaching you auror moves, Mudblood. Do you really think you can beat me with those old tricks?"

Taylor felt the spell roll off her tongue as her necklace burned for a second time that afternoon. The spell was a powerful binding one, though different from the one she'd used on Snape. She heard Bellatrix gasp in surprise and only because the Death Eater hadn't expected it, she wasn't able to avoid it.

Taylor had no time to admire her accomplishment, a spell narrowly missed her as a body collided with hers knocking her to the ground.

"Dammit Taylor stay low!" The Head Boy snarled at her as his body shifted off her. He came to his feet and pulled her up. His hand caught her free hand and he nearly dragged her off her feet as he ran for a low wall and dropped behind it.

Taylor looked around. She could see wand fire not far away and thought it was Malfoy with his white hair and her brother. That left Nott, Greyback, and Wormtail unaccounted for and a prayer that not counting Snape wasn't a fatal error.

"Pup, where are you pup? So you have found a mate? How interesting. I can smell her too pup!" Greyback taunted from nearby.

Taylor caught the Hufflepuff's arm as she whispered, "He's just trying to bait you." She felt her breath catch in her throat when the Hufflepuff looked down at her. Even in the near dark she could see the dangerous, wild look shining in his eyes and heard the growl that rumbled in his chest.

"She'll be just a tasty little morsel, pup."

The Hufflepuff yelled as he leapt towards the sound of the taunting voice and Taylor could hear the sound of flesh hitting flesh as she looked towards the darker mound on the ground, as grunts and snarls came from it. Getting up again she stayed low this time and crept closer looking around for Nott and Wormtail her wand out and ready.

An oily voice behind her made her heart leap up into her throat, as she wheeled around.

"I see Porter you are as unable as Potter to listen. Do not worry, they can not hear us. Nott is frozen thanks to the werewolf and Wormtail is cowering over yonder. Now listen we don't have much time. The Portkey will take you back, all you need to do is reactivate it. I'm sure Potter can do that much. The Dark Lord knows about you, and he is intrigued. He will not stop now until he finds out the whole truth. I will send you a sign soon, be ready there isn't much time left! Now we duel!" Snape spoke low and fast before he gave a wave of his wand and said louder, "Mudblood! The Dark Lord will make you grovel at his feet!"

For once Taylor was glad her tongue was sharp and quick, "Only when he steps over your dead body!" for something she had been thinking would be a mock duel, it was all she could do to keep up. Snape pushed her as hard as Bellatrix had and she knew she couldn't win against him. He was just better than she was with far more experience. So once more she reached for Dark Magic, her necklace burned for the third time and as the ancient words fell from her lips her eyes met his, and could have sworn, even in the dim lighting, she could see a trace of fear in them. Her spell hit him and he crumpled, about like Bellatrix had, she'd used the same binding one. They'd both be okay as soon as someone came along and revived them.

The sounds of the fight going on not far from her made her feet move and she hurried towards the two werewolves. The sight of the burlier one on top swinging, made her draw her foot back and kick him as hard as she could in the small of his back. She heard him grunt and as she jumped back, he turned towards her, a nasty grin on his face.

"_Perfectos Totalus_!" the older werewolf's legs and arms snapped together and he toppled over.

Taylor nodded. Sometimes more advanced wasn't always better. She then hurried over to the Hufflepuff. "Greg, are you all right?" She didn't dare light her wand tip to see, but she heard him groan.

"Yeah, let's go! We need to get away from here!"

Taylor nodded. She could still see her brother fighting with Malfoy, as the darkness started to lift. The spell was wearing off, everything was bathed in a pale light. She helped pull the Head Boy to his feet and they started towards her brother. She'd stun Malfoy and then grab the Frisbee Portkey and go.

She wasn't sure if Malfoy saw them coming and thought he'd lose, or if he just got tired of dueling with Harry and decided to end it once and for all.

Malfoy attacked with three quick spells and had Harry backing up before…

"_Avada Kedavra_!"

Everything happened in slow motion as Taylor screamed. She saw what the Death Eater was about to do and panic welled up in her. She started to run towards her brother but a pair of viselike arms caught her and held her. She could see the burst of green light but when the body fell, it wasn't her brother. He stood there too stunned to react as a gleaming silver hand showed against the black robed body.

Malfoy even stared at the Death Eater who he had just killed for a long second before Harry recovered enough to stun him.

Taylor struggled to get lose but the Hufflepuff held her until Malfoy fell over stunned and then he kept a hold of her arm as they hurried over to Harry.

"We need to get out of here!" The Head Boy's voice was hard and clipped, as he looked down at the dead Death Eater in morbid curiosity.

"Are you two all right?" Harry asked quickly, he was breathing hard from his duel.

"Better than we will be if we don't get out of here!" The Hufflepuff ground out and started for the overgrown hedge that fenced in the yard.

"We won't be able to get through, they'll have warded it." Harry said putting a hand on the Hufflepuff to stop him.

"Then what…" the Head Boy started but was cut off by Taylor.

"The Frisbee! We need to reactivate the Portkey! _Accio Frisbee_!"

"How…?" The Hufflepuff asked.

Harry caught the Frisbee this time, "Grab on!" he commanded and the other two grabbed the round disk and he touched his wand to it. A familiar jerk behind his navel and they were spinning away from the overgrown yard and the six Death Eaters.

Their feet slammed into the stone floor in the same corridor that they had been taken from, as voices yelled around them. The Hufflepuff's arm was around his witch as he steadied her once again and partially shielded her. His wand was drawn, as was Potter's, as they took in the people in the corridor.

Moody, Shacklebolt, Lupin and Tonks plus five of the aurors that patrolled the school surrounded the three seventh years that had suddenly reappeared in the corridor. All had their wands drawn and pointing at the three students.

Moody was the first to bark, "Potter! Code words!"

Taylor was pulled hard against the tall Hufflepuff, his arm like a steel band around her as he shifted, keeping her shielded from the people in the corridor by his body and that of her brother's as well.

"Ivory slippers, with gold laces!" Harry snapped, as questions flooded his mind. One of the biggest was who had thrown the Portkey to the Hufflepuff? The next was whom could he trust?

"Porter!" Moody barked as the old auror took in the witch, partially hidden behind the two wizards, though he could see it was the young werewolf that held her there. The three had been in a fight somewhere, there robes were ripped and they were all covered in sweat and dirt.

"You honestly think Harry would bring an imposter back?" Taylor yelled in a sarcastic tone, "Blue eyed balls!" The old auror merely grunted as he accepted her code words.

"Hunter!"

"Pink winged canaries." The Head Boy bit out as he glared at the old auror.

"Fine." Moody grunted and the wands were lowered, the three students were a little slower to lower theirs.

"Are you three all right?" Shacklebolt asked concerned as he stepped towards them.

"Yeah, just cuts and bumps mostly," Harry answered for them.

"You can wait to see the nurse then, come on, we need to go see the Head Mistress." Shacklebolt said firmly as he started down the corridor.

Taylor was a little surprised that they weren't immediately questioned, and even from her position between the tall Hufflepuff and her brother she could see that they were being escorted to the Head Mistress' office under guard. Shacklebolt was in the lead with one of the other aurors and they were flanked on either side by Lupin and Tonks who both wore equally stern looking faces and she could hear Moody clumping behind them bringing up the rear. The other aurors who patrolled the school had dispersed to go back to patrolling except the one ahead of them.

They never saw another single person all the way up to the Head Mistress' office, a detail that she knew hadn't slipped past her brother or the Head Boy. She glanced out a window and judged it to be around suppertime. The students could all be in the Great Hall having supper she supposed. They'd been gone for only around an hour if that were the case. It had felt more like five.

The stone gargoyle sprang out of the way as soon as Shacklebolt said the password and they headed up the revolving stairs. Taylor wondered if she'd get detention again. Her past experiences up here didn't bode well for her not to receive some anyway.

Shacklebolt paused and knocked at the solid oak door and was bid to enter immediately.

Professor McGonagall sighed visibly from behind her desk at the sight of them, "Oh thank the stars! Mr. Potter, Mr. Hunter, Miss Porter are you all right?"

"Yes, Professor." The three chorused.

McGonagall looked over the others who had come in as well before she asked in a clipped voice, "What happened?"

It was Shacklebolt's deep voice that answered, "It was as we feared Head Mistress. An illegal Portkey was used."

McGonagall gasped and slowly sat down in her seat, "Mr. Timmons will you excuse us please." She looked over at the auror who had accompanied the members of the Order of the Phoenix into her office. He started to object so she cut him off. "I will give you a full report on this matter after I have talked to these students. Please go and ensure the rest of the students are safe."

Taylor could tell the auror named Mr. Timmons wasn't happy but he did as he was asked and left.

"You three please have a seat," McGonagall said in a much gentler tone as she turned to them and with a wave of her wand three chairs appeared and they sat down. "Now would you please tell me what happened to you, and where did you go."

Harry briefly explained about the Frisbee being thrown to the Head Boy.

"Mr. Hunter, you were not in Herbology. Why not?" McGonagall asked.

The Head Boy's face turned a little red but he explained about feeling anxious about Taylor and going to find her in the library.

"I see. Your Lycanthropy is not an acceptable excuse for you to skip classes, Mr. Hunter. Please continue."

Between the three of them they retold what had happened to them, including how Peter Pettigrew had saved Harry, repaying the life debt that he owed Harry for saving his life in their third year.

Taylor was the quietest of the three, only adding a little here and there, not mentioning Snape or her conversation with him at all, and only briefly mentioning her duel with her ex-professor.

When they were finished Moody asked, "So you have no idea who threw the Frisbee? You didn't see them at all?" They shook their heads and mentioned seeing an auror in the corridor a floor above the Charms classroom.

"Mr. Hunter, you said that Fenrir Greyback told you that you were the primary target… if that is the case then why change plans? Obviously whoever it was expected you to be crossing the grounds towards the greenhouses, so a Frisbee would be a good choice. But why follow you inside, why not just wait until you are outside again?" Shacklebolt wondered aloud.

Taylor's leg bounced up and down, she wished she could pace but refrained, the Head Mistress wasn't likely to be impressed, her mind was whirling though.

"Greyback said that the other one, the Ravenclaw, had died an untimely death," by the startled looks on the adults' faces, it looked like this was news to them. The Hufflepuff continued, "and that I was to take his place."

"Yes but why be in a hurry now…? Of course the full moon!" Taylor looked up at the Hufflepuff and then at the Head Mistress. "With all the homework and revision we are doing the only chance they would probably have was when Greg went out to the greenhouses. It wasn't likely that he would be outside again between now and the full moon! They have something planned for this full moon again!"

Moody stared hard at the underage witch but he had to admit she had a point.

"So they weren't expecting all three of you. That's why they only had six Death Eaters. However what are the chances that two of the people that Voldemort wants the most would be taken as well when they were going after a werewolf?" Tonks said as she slowly shook her head.

"What I want to know is what are we going to do? We have someone in this school who has the knowledge and ability to make a Portkey that didn't set off any of the detection spells we have guarding against such an occurrence. Plus they were desperate enough to try it in a crowded corridor. That makes them dangerous. We were exceedingly lucky this time that the three of you made it back alive." Lupin's voice was tight with both anger and worry.

"A very good question, Remus. If I may be so bold as to interrupt Minerva?" the portrait of Dumbledore spoke as he peered down at them over his painted half moon spectacles. At the Head Mistress' nod he continued. "Mr. Hunter, you said you didn't go to Herbology because you were worried about Miss Porter, please explain that to me."

Greg's face turned a little red as he explained in greater detail his anxiety and general restlessness about being separated from Taylor, and that the closer to the main doors he went the more anxious he became, until he'd turned and went in search of his witch.

Dumbledore's fingers touched at the tips as he stared for a long moment at the young werewolf, before he asked, "And Greyback actually said that you have claimed a mate?" The Head Boy's face turned red and he nodded. "I find that very fascinating. It seems that Voldemort, or at least his Death Eaters, have been trying to create a more aggressive werewolf and yet your strongest instinct is to protect Miss Porter. Again Tom is meddling in things he does not understand."

Taylor knew she wasn't the only one staring open mouthed at the Head Master's portrait.

The three of them were questioned a little longer and then McGonagall said in a tone that brooked no arguments, "From now on, you three are not to go anywhere without a member of the Order with you at all times. That includes classes, meal times and especially in between classes, mornings, and evenings. Mr. Hunter you are removed from patrol duty until further notice. These new measures will remain in place until either the culprit is caught or you graduate from this school. A new code word will be set up every night when you are dropped off at your common room and you will not leave your common room for any reason until the next morning when an Order member arrives to escort you to the Great Hall. Do I make myself clear?"

Taylor stared at McGonagall, she was going to have a bodyguard?

"Yes Professor," the two wizards said and Taylor hurriedly answered as well.

"Good. Now Kingsley and Remus, will you please escort these three down to Poppy to be checked over. Mr. Hunter I will ask Professor Slughorn to bring your potion up to the Hospital Wing so there will be no need to go after it. You can eat there after you have been healed." McGonagall paused as she looked the three of them over very carefully and when she continued her voice was softer once again, "You three were very lucky this afternoon. I'm just very thankful that you made it back safely." She paused once again and then said in her usual brisk tone. "You may be excused."

Taylor stood with her brother and the Hufflepuff and she could feel the tension already starting to build in him. This new measure was going to effectively separate them. "Professor McGonagall, could I please have a word with you? In private?" She could see her brother glance down at her questioningly, the Hufflepuff did the same.

"Of course, Miss Porter. If you would excuse us for a moment please, Alastor and Tonks."

Taylor waited until the door closed behind Moody before she looked at the Head Mistress who was watching her closely.

"You wished to speak with me?"

Taylor swallowed, this was going to be harder then she thought. "Yes Professor." She caught her lip between her teeth and she glanced up at Dumbledore's portrait to see him watching her intently.

"Professor, I know you aren't going to like this but… you see. Well…"

"Miss Porter please just spit it out."

Taylor closed her eyes and said in a rush, "Greg's been sleeping in the Gryffindor common room every night, on the sofa…" she opened her eyes to see the Head Mistress staring at her in shock, so she hastened to continue before McGonagall recovered enough to start yelling at her. "because he nearly goes crazy being away all night. It's just the week leading up to the full moon, so please Professor, let him stay tonight and tomorrow night in the Gryffindor common room. I'm scared he won't listen and stay in the Hufflepuff one by himself."

The Head Mistress was shocked to learn that a Hufflepuff had been sleeping in Gryffindor Tower; even more shocked that the witch had the nerve to tell her.

"Minerva, I believe that Miss Porter has a very valid concern. I too believe that Mr. Hunter will not be able to remain separated from his mate for that long. To ask him to, will be asking for trouble." Dumbledore's voice was gentle yet firm.

Astounded McGonagall turned to look up at the painting, "Surely Albus you can't mean to allow Hunter to sleep in the Gryffindor common room? That is inappropriate on so many levels!"

"The level that needs to be addressed right now, I believe, is the safety of Mr. Hunter. Propriety may be a luxury that can't be afforded at the moment. As I heard it Mr. Hunter has already been sleeping there." The painting said in an authoritative voice, but his blue eyes twinkled as they met Taylor's for a moment.

McGonagall's lips thinned to the thinnest of lines as her nostrils flared in anger, "How has Mr. Hunter been getting into Gryffindor Tower?"

"We've been sneaking him in under Harry's invisibility cloak at curfew and he hides under it until everyone else goes to bed. He sleeps on one sofa and Harry sleeps on the other." Taylor knew she was omitting a big part, that she slept with the Head Boy but she really doubted that the Head Mistress could handle that fact at the moment. "He gets up before anyone comes down from the dormitories and goes back to the Hufflepuff common room."

McGonagall was silent for a long time as she stared hard at the underage witch in front of her. She did not like this idea one bit, even considered giving both the witch and Head Boy detention from now until the end of the year for it… but she remembered a conversation she'd had with Alaster and Remus about the unusually strong awareness the young werewolf had of Miss Porter. As well, it was only two more nights until the full moon and they would be the hardest on the boy.

"Miss Porter, I must say I am not very pleased to hear about this. However given the extraordinary circumstances with Mr. Hunter he may spend the next two nights in the Gryffindor common room. However! I expect him to remain hidden under Potter's cloak until everyone goes to bed and wait under it in the morning until a member of the Order comes to take him to the Hufflepuff common room. I will inform Moody of this as well."

Taylor nodded as relief swamped her and she said, "Thank you Professor!" and she turned to leave.

"Miss Porter," Taylor looked over her shoulder, "Don't do anything to make me regret this decision!"

"No Professor!" Taylor said and she hurried out of the Head Mistress' office.

She paused after she stepped through the door and looked up at the Hufflepuff. She could tell that he'd heard everything with his sensitive hearing and there was appreciation in his eyes.

"Miss Porter if you are ready, let's go." Shacklebolt's deep voice asked from in front and then he started down the revolving stairs.

* * *

><p>AN I know a bit of a cliffy but not much of one. The next few chapters are going to be a roller coaster ride so I hope to be able to post them a little quicker but no promises. Now I want to explain where I got the idea of the Portkey and why I think it would work. If you remember in the Goblet of Fire the trophy in the maze was a Portkey and it did bring Harry back to Hogwarts. The one in GoF didn't bring him back to the exact same place but I took a little writters liscence and made this one bring them right back to the same corridor. As for the wards guarding the school... well the one in GoF didn't set them off so why should this one? This will be explained some more later in the story as well. Hope you enjoyed!

Thank you to all of you who reviewed! Plus for the Fav's and Alerts! Thank you for just reading! Plus an added Thank you to my beta barbc who has been just as busy as me and is still finding time to get a chapter edited! Well until next time, cytpotter.


	88. Guarded

Nope! Even after all this time I still don't own Harry Potter!

I am sorry for the looooooooong absence! Do I have an excuse? Well let's see my summer was extremely busy! With my two kids riding their horses, putting on a horse show at my place and then they also played soccer. Then when they went back to school I thought that I would be able to get a few minutes to myself... but alas first my internet went down and then when I finally got it back my computer, who is old so my IT guy(aka my husband) told me. I said that 8 years is not old but my IT guy said that was a dinosaur! However after much crying and lots of pleading my sweet IT guy fixed my computer, with new programs:( that I am still trying to get used to! But at least I feel comfortable enough now to try to starting posting chapters again!

On another note I posted a image to go with my story! Hope you like it! Hope it works! LOL!

Now on with the story!

* * *

><p>Chapter Eighty-eight<p>

**Guarded**

The walk to the Hospital Wing was a quiet one. Shacklebolt was in the lead and Lupin brought up the rear, and Taylor was once again between her brother who was following Shacklebolt and the Hufflepuff who was behind her.

When they reached the Hospital Wing, Madame Pomfrey met them at the doors and after a quick exchange between Shacklebolt and the nurse they went in and the doors were shut and sealed behind them. Pomfrey quickly examined them all and healed any cuts they had. The Head Boy was by far the worst for wear and was sporting numerous cuts and bruises from his fight with Greyback, though none were serious. When they were all patched up the house elves brought them some soup, sandwiches and pumpkin juice.

Taylor finished before the two boys, not because she wasn't hungry but merely the fact that she couldn't eat as much as they did. Sitting on the beds where they had eaten, she could see Lupin watching her. She glanced at her brother and the Head Boy and both were still eating and Shacklebolt was standing off with the nurse talking quietly. Getting up she walked over to her parents' friend and smiled. His eyes met hers and then darted past her to the two teenaged wizards and back before deciding to speak.

"You've been sleeping with Hunter," it was said quietly, no more then a whisper.

Taylor swallowed. She'd forgotten about Lupin being able to hear a lot better too. She glanced over at the Hufflepuff and had the distinct impression that he was listening to this conversation too. "Yeah, but just sleeping. Nothing else. Harry stays in the common room too. It's the only way he can sleep. I couldn't do anything else."

Lupin stared hard at James' daughter. He knew she was traveling down a dangerous road but he couldn't seem to do anything to stop it. She had bravely faced and fought several Death Eaters today, and then she had been brave enough to ask Minerva about Hunter staying with her. A move that was so like her father and mother that it hurt. "I understand that. What you need to understand is that he could be dangerous. If what you guys said about the manipulated werewolf toxin is true, then there is no guarantee that the Wolfsbane potion will work." He knew that he'd have to discuss it with Alaster, Poppy and Minerva but as with anything like this there was no way of telling for sure until the full moon.

Taylor felt her heart constrict painfully and she realized just how much she had been assuaging her own worries with the fact that Greg wouldn't become that mindless beast she'd heard last time. She looked up at Lupin to see the sorrow in his eyes as well. He'd told her so that it wouldn't be a shock if it didn't work. "They really won't take him out to the Shrieking Shack this time will they? Not with Voldemort looking for him?"

Lupin glanced past the witch again to the Head Boy who had stopped eating and was waiting with a sandwich still in front of his mouth to hear the older werewolf's answer.

"I don't know. Any closer to people if the potion doesn't work will be far worse on him. We will have to carefully weigh everything."

Taylor nodded, and went and sat back down beside the Hufflepuff.

Ten minutes later Slughorn arrived with the Wolfsbane potion for both werewolves. After making equally disgusted faces they both drank it down in one long swallow.

Pomfrey checked them over once more and then discharged the three teens. Shacklebolt and Lupin escorted them up through the castle to the Gryffindor common room. McGonagall had sent word down that the Head Boy was to go there and that she would make sure the Hufflepuffs were told that he was fine so they wouldn't worry.

When they reached the portrait of the Fat Lady, they secured their code words for the next morning and Lupin explained that one of them would be back at curfew to make it appear like the Head Boy left, while he slipped back in under the cloak.

Taylor followed her brother through the portal and she heard the cries from her friends when they saw him. Others in the common room called out their relief as well.

"Harry!"

"Well you three are a sight for sore eyes!"

"Harry! Taylor! Oh thank Merlin!"

"Bloody hell Harry! You had us worried!"

Ginny didn't bother saying anything, she just threw her arms around Harry and hugged him tight.

"Taylor! Oh Greg! Do you know how worried we've all been?" Hermione cried as she hugged the younger witch. Taylor returned the hug. The Head Girl hugged Greg too, as other Gryffindors all gathered around, expressing their relief that they were safe.

"Yeah, you have no idea how scary that was watching you three disappear like that!" Ron said and he gave Taylor a hug, even slapping a hand on the Hufflepuff's shoulder to show he was glad he was all right as well. Even Neville and Dean gave her a hug, Seamus just smiled at her saying he was glad they were okay.

Taylor hugged Ginny too when the other witch finally released her brother. It wasn't long before the five-some and the Hufflepuff all ended up on the sofas in front of the fireplace and the whole of Gryffindor house gathered around wanting to know what had happened.

Harry gave a brief description of the events and after some questions and some wild discussions by a few of the more exuberant Gryffindors, the crowd began to drift away.

Hermione and Ron explained what had happened after the three left by Portkey.

Ron's yells had alerted Professor Flitwick and the whole school had been taken to the Great Hall again and then escorted to their own common rooms, where they had been holed up ever since.

They talked only about things that they didn't mind being overheard until curfew and Harry slipped his cloak to the Hufflepuff and they made the usual show of him leaving and then sneaking back in under the cloak. Tonight though, instead of sitting in the corner to study, he sat in front of his witch on the sofa and leaned his back against her legs. The common room emptied slowly and finally near midnight they could start talking about all that had happened.

It was nearly three before they finally called it quits and went to bed or lay down on the sofas.

Taylor curled up against the tall Head Boy as he stretched out on the sofa. They had taken to magically enlarging it so that it was a little more comfortable. She knew he had to be exhausted but she could tell he wasn't asleep even though his eyes were closed. She could hear the soft snores from her brother after only a few minutes.

"Hey, what are you thinking?" She asked softly as her fingers traced circles over the material of the shirt on his chest.

"About everything that happened today."

Taylor was silent for a few moments. The fire in the fireplace had died down to mere coals and there was very little light. "It's been an eventful one." She was quiet for a while, "So is anything in particular bothering you?"

The Hufflepuff sighed heavily. "I met and fought with the werewolf responsible for me being bitten. Even if he didn't do it personally."

Taylor hugged him. "You are not anything like Greyback, Greg. He's wrong. I've seen you have every right to strike at someone and you didn't."

"But I almost did. I was so close to losing control…"

"But you didn't. And that's what makes you different." Taylor said gently.

"How do you know? How can you be so sure?"

"Because I've felt that way when I've used Dark Magic a few times. I could have killed the werewolf that bit you. I had the spell ready to roll off my tongue, but I stopped. I'm not a killer Greg, and neither are you." She put her fingers over his lips to stop his protest, "I'm not talking about when you are a werewolf. You have no control then, but when you do, you are not a killer. You have too kind of a heart."

"I watched a man die today. I…" she could hear his breath catch.

"I know. I'm sorry." Taylor sighed, she had such mixed feelings about Wormtail dying, and she hadn't really allowed herself to dwell on it. Other things had been so easy to think about instead and probably more important. "He was a Death Eater," she said it softly, hoping to make him feel better as anger flooded through her.

"It didn't seem to bother Potter very much."

Taylor lost the battle to keep the hard bitterness out of her voice, "He saved Harry's life only because he owed him a life debt. It was the only good thing Wormtail ever did."

The Hufflepuff was surprised by the emotion in his witch. He could almost smell her anger. "How did a Death Eater owe Potter a life debt?"

It took a moment for Taylor to get control of her bitterness and the pain it caused to answer, "Remember I told you about the night in the Shrieking Shack in our third year? Well, Harry saved Wormtail from Lupin and Sirius Black. You remember me telling you that right?" the Hufflepuff nodded. "Well Wormtail was the traitor that…" Taylor hands curled into fists, "betrayed Lily and James Potter to Voldemort."

The werewolf could feel the tension in his witch, heard the bitter pain in every word. The irrational anger she felt for Potter's betrayed parents didn't quite add up. The pain in her voice was way beyond that which would be naturally occurring for one's friend. "So why did Potter save him that night?"

Taylor told the Hufflepuff the rest of the story that she hadn't already, giving up on trying to keep the hurt and bitterness from her voice. When she finished, the Head Boy was silent. The story was truly a heart breaking one. He found it hard to imagine someone who called themselves a friend betraying a whole family to Voldemort. He knew the story of the Boy-Who-Lived of course and had grown up believing it had been Black who betrayed the Potters. The true story was even sadder. An innocent man had spent twelve years in Azkaban, a friend had lived that long believing the wrong man was a traitor, and the real traitor had lived as a rat. He wasn't sure if he would have saved Pettigrew from Lupin and Black and he said as much.

"Yeah, Sirius and Lupin were surprised too. But like Harry had said, dead the truth dies with Wormtail. Plus if Harry hadn't have saved him… Harry would have died this afternoon. The rat at least did one good thing in his life." Taylor's voice so bitter it almost choked her.

The Hufflepuff was quiet, his arms holding his witch tightly, giving her whatever comfort he could, even if he didn't fully understand why she held such a hate for the man who had died.

When sleep finally came, the exhausted witch and werewolf slept soundly and the sun was shining in the windows of the common room when the witch finally stirred. Glancing around she saw that the other Gryffindors were taking advantage of the disruption in classes yesterday and had decided to take a break from their studying and were sleeping in late. Summoning her brother's cloak she threw it over the slumbering Hufflepuff and gladly closed her eyes again as she fell back to sleep.

"Taylor! Taylor wake up!" a voice hissed as something poked at her.

Taylor forced her eyes open to see Hermione staring down at her and it took a couple of seconds before her groggy mind processed where she was and who was still sleeping soundly behind her.

"What time is it?" Taylor asked blinking up at her friend.

"It's nearly ten o'clock! Lupin has been waiting outside for over two hours for someone to come out of the common room! He's not very happy! He nearly scared Susie to death and she came to wake me up." Hermione said low and fast.

Taylor looked around the common room and noticed it was still empty, thank goodness. She turned around and poked the sleeping werewolf. "Greg you have to wake up! Lupin is waiting outside!" all she got for her effort was a grunt and an arm wrapped around her pulling her against him.

"Greg if you don't get up I'll soak you in cold water!" Hermione added as she drew her wand.

"Man, do you witches ever sleep?" the Hufflepuff mumbled.

"It's almost ten o'clock!" Hermione hissed.

"In the morning?" came the groggy question.

"Yes, in the morning! Lupin is waiting outside to take you down to your common room! If McGonagall finds out about this…" Taylor didn't need to say anymore as the Hufflepuff's head came up off the sofa and out from under the invisibility cloak.

"Shit!" he said as he scrambled to get up, knocking Taylor off the sofa in the process. "Sorry," he said as he helped her up again, rubbing his hands tiredly up over his face.

"Take the cloak." Taylor said, passing him her brother's cloak, "That way no one will see you going down through the castle. Just bring it with you later. We'll see you shortly at breakfast. Now go!"

Taylor watched as the tall Hufflepuff disappeared beneath her brother's cloak and the portrait swung open as he left. Sighing she looked up at her friend.

"You can wake Harry. We need to get some breakfast and then get started on our revision." Hermione's voice was bossy as she headed for the stairs leading up to the girl's dormitories.

Taylor sighed heavily and poked her brother. "Come on Harry it's time to get up. Miss Know It All has cracked her whip!"

Taylor could have sworn she heard, "Then take the whip," mumbled from her brother before he rolled over and looked at her sleepily.

It didn't take long for Taylor to be thankful that today was Saturday and there were no classes. She hadn't been overly keen on having a bodyguard to begin with and by the time she was finished eating breakfast she was even less so.

McGonagall had assigned Moody as her guard for today it would seem and the ex-auror didn't have any trouble letting her know he wasn't impressed with the idea either. It wasn't anything he said, it was more what he did as he stood against the wall watching her eat. Everything she touched he would make a show of examining with his magical eye, before frowning at her for eating it.

The Hufflepuff sat beside her and noticed her annoyance. "Just ignore him," was his advice and Taylor tried to heed it.

When they were finally finished Moody told them they had two choices, they could either go to the Hufflepuff study room or the Gryffindor common room. Taylor kind of felt bad for Greg, as her brother, Ron and Hermione all said their common room.

The news that the three of them now had a guard posted to them caused rampant speculation to run through the school. Some of the milder stories were closer to the truth. Some of the wilder ones… had them battling Voldemort as dragons surrounded them.

Hermione had to go see McGonagall for a moment about rearranging the patrol schedule and Ginny said she'd rather face the dragons then be stuck in the common room with a bunch of stressed out fifth and seventh years so she headed off with her friends for a while.

Walking back up through the castle with her brother, the Hufflepuff, Ron, Moody, Shacklebolt and Lupin, Taylor really wasn't thinking when she said she needed to use the girl's lavatory and turned to go in. Only to find that she was frozen in place before she could take another step.

"Just where do you think you are going, Porter?" Moody growled in his gravely voice.

"To the washroom!"

"Well you will just have to wait until we get to Gryffindor Tower." Moody said with finality.

Taylor was not impressed, and her stubborn self exerted itself. "Well I can't wait!

"Look Porter, you'll wait if I have to stun you and float you up to Gryffindor Tower!" Moody snapped testily.

Harry could tell his sister was about to say something back, "Taylor!" he cautioned her, trying to make her just give it up. He could see defiance in her eyes as she met his. He didn't know what she was going to say but she started "Look I…" and the words died in her throat. The Hufflepuff bent down and whispered something in her ear that Harry couldn't hear at all, and he saw his stubborn sister back pedal faster than he had ever seen and she mumbled, "Yeah fine." Harry happened to glance at Lupin and could see the older werewolf was fighting to try to hide a smile, as the group continued on its way to the Gryffindor common room.

Harry settled in his favorite place on the sofa, Ron sat in his and the Hufflepuff sat down comfortably on the other one. He watched as his sister made a beeline for the girl's stairs and the washroom there. He waited a few minutes and then curiosity got the better of him.

"What did you say to her anyway? I was sure she was going to go off half-cocked like she usually does. Moody really knows how to push her buttons."

The Head Boy grinned as he shrugged, "I just asked her if she wanted Moody going into the lavatory with her and watching her as she used the toilet, you know with his magical eye and everything."

Harry stared at the Hufflepuff for a second before he burst out laughing, Ron joining him. No wonder his sister had relented so fast.

The rest of the day they spent studying and finishing their class assignments. The atmosphere in the common room as stressed as it had been all week.

That night Taylor brought up the topic that was bothering her, as the six of them sat around the dying fire in the empty common room.

"Do you think McGonagall is going to send Greg out to the Shrieking Shack tomorrow night?" She could feel the tension in the Head Boy as he sat beside her. He wasn't as bad as the last time, at least he knew what he had to expect this time. Still, knowing Voldemort was looking for him and was more than likely to try something, had to weigh heavily on his mind.

Hermione thought for a moment, "If she does it won't be alone, or I should say unguarded. She will most likely post at least one Order member in the tunnel."

"What happens if the Wolfsbane potion doesn't work?" Ron asked before he clarified. "I mean after this time, if it doesn't work? Once we graduate there won't be a Shrieking Shack to go to."

"Usually the werewolf or their family constructs a cage so that they don't hurt anyone. I've read about a couple of cases where that has been done, though the werewolf usually ends up hurting himself more. The smell of humans so close by is hard on them." Hermione said sympathetically.

They talked for a while longer but decided to call it an early night. The unknown of the following night weighing heavily on all their minds, Harry even decided to head up to his bed with Ron saying that he'd slept on the sofa long enough.

So as the fire died down, Taylor lay curled up with the werewolf on the sofa staring into the fire. They were quiet for a long while before the Head Boy brought up the thing that he was worrying about.

"I want you to promise me something."

Taylor looked up at him but she thought she knew what was coming.

"Promise me that you will stay here in Gryffindor Tower tomorrow night. No matter what happens. Whatever McGonagall decides."

Taylor looked away from him, she couldn't promise that.

"Taylor?" his voice took on a pleading note that pulled at her heart, "Please look at me," gathering her courage she looked up into his eyes. She could see the dangerous look lurking there like it had all day, but also the fear, "I'm… I'm not sure I can walk away from you tomorrow knowing that you might put yourself in danger. You need to promise me that you will stay here safe with Harry, Ron, Ginny and Hermione. I can go, I can face this thing, even the mindless beast, but _only_ if I know you will be safe."

Taylor looked away. She had lied at different times to people, or omitted telling them the whole truth, though she had never lied just to lie and she had never gone back on her word when she gave it. She wouldn't start now.

"I'm sorry. I can't promise you that." She felt terrible because she knew she was hurting him by not being able to promise him what he'd asked.

"Witch!" the word was no more then a snarl as he grabbed her, lightning fast, and pinned her under him on the sofa, his whole body pressed down on her, his face mere inches from hers.

A thrill of fear shot down her spine as she realized that he'd pinned her before she could even react and that she was fully at his mercy. His one hand had her wand hand pinned so that it was useless. His eyes glittered with that dangerous, wild light.

Lowering his head his lips brushed over hers gently, belying the fierceness in his eyes, and he kissed her tenderly until she was breathing hard. He could smell her awakening desire and a growl rumbled in his chest as he moved his lips to her neck and nibbled there.

When he returned to her lips he said huskily, "You are _my_ witch." His kiss turned demanding and soon had them both gasping for air. He shifted his body then and laid down beside her once more, except his head lay on her chest now and he wrapped one arm around her middle as his leg hooked over hers.

Taylor could almost feel the tension leave his body as he snuggled against her. Breathing deeply he was soon sound asleep. She wished she could fall asleep that easily, but thoughts plagued her and it was a long while before she was able to fall asleep too. That night she was plagued by dreams of a red eyed Voldemort as he came relentlessly after her, no matter where she ran, as the howls of a werewolf sounded all around her.

When she awoke the next morning the sun was filtering over the trees. She noticed she was once again wrapped up in the Hufflepuff's arms as his heart beat steadily beneath her ear. She laid there for a while, knowing no one was usually up this time of morning on a Sunday. She felt safe in the Hufflepuff's arms, even her disquieting dreams didn't really bother her here. She was surprised when the Head Boy's deep voice spoke softly.

"You were dreaming last night and talking in your sleep."

Taylor froze, as she wondered what she might have said in her sleep. With an effort she asked, trying to sound casual, "Oh? What did I say?" She felt his arms tighten around her and he kissed her on top of the head before he answered.

"I think something or someone was chasing you. You kept pleading, 'No, go away, please, leave him alone'. Who was chasing you?"

She considered not answering him, or just brushing it off as nothing, but she had heard the low growl in his chest and knew if she looked up into his eyes she'd see that dangerous look in them. His over protectiveness would never leave her alone until he heard the truth.

"I was dreaming that Voldemort was after me… and you too. I could hear the howl of a werewolf… It was just a dream."

"I won't let him hurt you Taylor. I'll do whatever it takes to make sure you are safe from him." The Head Boy's voice was solemn.

Taylor felt a shiver travel through her and she pushed up so she could look into his blue eyes, as she suspected that dangerous look was in them. She wanted to tell him that there was no way he could do that. That her fate was as wrapped up with Voldemort as her brother's was, but she didn't right now. She knew that the beast, or whatever it was that made that look burn in the Hufflepuff's eyes, would never be able to accept that. So she lay her head back down on his chest as she whispered, "I know."

* * *

><p>AN Well there you go! One more chapter! I'd like to thank the anonamus person who reviewed yesterday and asked about this story! You were the proverbial kick in the butt that I needed to get over my nerves about the new programs on my computer and post a chapter! So Thank You! Whoever you may be! ;) I hope you liked this chapter... the next few chapters... oh heck who am I kidding! The rest of the chapters left are one crazy, twisted, hang on for dear life ride! So hope you are hanging on! I'll be posting again on a regular basis(baring my computer dying or the internet at my place giving me greif again) So hope you enjoy!

Thanks to everyone who has read this far! And THANK YOU for being patient while real life interferred with this story!

Until next time, cytpotter


	89. The Full Moon

I own only the plot and the charactors that you didn't recognize until you started reading this long tale!

This chapter was running around in my head before I even wrote about Greg getting bitten(and the main reason WHY he did as well!) Hope you enjoy!

* * *

><p>Chapter Eighty-nine<p>

**The Full Moon**

Taylor spent the rest of the day with the Head Boy, never leaving his side except to go to the washroom a time or two. Shacklebolt had tried to object when she had come out of the Gryffindor common room with the Hufflepuff that morning but when Taylor had threatened that she'd just follow under Harry's cloak her Professor had relented and allowed her. It hadn't been so much the witch's argument but the fierce look on the Head Boy's face. Shacklebolt knew he'd breathe a sigh of relief when the full moon was over.

This time around, going to the Room of Requirements wasn't an option, so the five Gryffindors instead opted to head for the Hufflepuff study room where they could relax and study a little, as well as stay near the Head Boy. Connor, Justin, Sally-Anne, Hannah and even Ernie put their studying aside for a while to keep the werewolf company while they waited for the sun to set.

The group ate supper in the study room together. Dobby had shown up and said the Head Mistress had asked him to serve them supper there that evening. The Hufflepuffs had been a little surprised. The Gryffindors and Head Boy hadn't been.

Taylor found that she couldn't eat, as worry ate at her. The Head Boy didn't eat either. When it was time to head for the Hospital Wing, the Hufflepuffs seemed to sense that the Head Boy didn't want them to come, so they said their goodbyes there.

Shacklebolt, Moody and Tonks were waiting out in the corridor to escort them to the Hospital Wing, and all five Gryffindors walked with the Head Boy up through the castle. Taylor held the Hufflepuff's hand, their fingers intertwined. They were almost there when the Head Boy spoke up.

"I need a word alone with my friends for a moment, please."

The three Order members glanced at one another and nodded drawing off a short distance. The Head Boy put up a silencing charm and turned to look at Potter.

"I need to ask you a favor Potter."

Harry met the werewolf's eyes, "What do you want?"

"I need you to promise me that you will keep Taylor with you in Gryffindor Tower, safe all night tonight."

Taylor wheeled and glared up at the Hufflepuff talking at the same time, "No absolutely not! _How dare you_ ask Harry to make you that promise!"

The werewolf's eyes dropped from Potter's to his witch's as he growled, "I dare because you won't give me the promise that you will stay there safe!"

Taylor wheeled to glare up at her brother, "Potter don't you dare!"

Harry could see the anger in his sister's eyes, but also the determination. He knew he very well might have to stun her to make good on his promise. "You have my word Greg. I'll do everything I can to keep Taylor safe." Harry heard Ron, Hermione and Ginny all assure the werewolf that they would look out for the underage witch.

The words from her brother were like a betrayal. She couldn't believe he'd give his word to keep her from making sure the Hufflepuff stayed safe. She'd never felt more like hitting her brother than she did right then. She felt like growling herself. Putting all her weight behind it she gave her brother a big shove. "You barmy sodding git!" she hissed before she turned and stalked off down the corridor a ways.

The Head Boy knew his witch was furious, as he looked at Potter and the others. "Thank you Harry, guys." Then he turned and walked to where his witch had stopped, a part of him had to smile. Even furious, she seemed to know how far away she could be before he started to feel anxious. Making sure the silencing charm was still in place he put a hand on her stiff shoulder.

"I need to know you are going to be safe."

"Yeah, well I could say the same thing about you, but well, you've made sure that isn't possible didn't you?" Taylor said angrily still facing away from him.

"Taylor, I'm going to turn into a werewolf. I'll be able to look after myself."

Taylor spun and glared up at him. "And what if Voldemort comes after you? What happens in the morning? You will be wandless and defenseless! What then?"

The werewolf looked into his witch's eyes. Behind the anger he could see the fear and he gave her the only answer he had, "We don't know that Voldemort will try anything and there will be someone guarding the tunnel this time."

"There was the last time." Taylor said in a pained voice.

Greg sighed and pulled her against him, wrapping his arms around her and holding her tight. He knew she only wanted to protect him. He needed to protect her from the werewolf, whom she didn't seem to have any fear of. "I'll see you in the morning. If all goes well I won't be the mindless beast and next time I will not have to leave you for the full moon. That is what I am praying for. You are my witch, my mate. To leave you now is the hardest thing I've ever had to do. I have to know you will be safe. It's the only way I can go, please understand."

Taylor closed her eyes and leaned against him. She could feel his heart pounding hard, as well as the tension rising in him. She didn't doubt for a second that it would be hard on him to leave her. She would give him no promise that she couldn't keep but she could be strong for him and make it as easy as possible for him to go. "I know," she whispered.

The werewolf breathed, deeply inhaling his witch's scent, trying to commit it to memory so it would sustain him on the long walk out. He saw Moody start to move towards him and he released his witch, keeping one of his arms around her and started towards the Hospital doors just down the corridor.

Taylor put her arm around the tall Hufflepuff and walked beside him to the doors where Madame Pomfrey opened them and came out.

"Ah, Mr. Hunter. Good. We need to get going soon. We will need a little longer tonight to get you out to the Shrieking Shack with the added security." Pomfrey said in her brisk professional manner.

Taylor felt the Hufflepuff flinch a little and then he squared his shoulders and stepped purposely away from her. He nodded and walked away. She stood rooted to the spot watching until the Hufflepuff turned the corner with Pomfrey, Shacklebolt and Moody. Waiting until she knew he couldn't hear. Harry, Hermione and the two Weasleys came to stand by her, but she studiously ignored them. It wasn't until Tonks finally said that they needed to get going that Taylor moved.

Striding down the corridor she headed for the common room without looking back. She could hear her brother hurrying to catch up with her.

"Taylor!" Harry said as he grabbed his sister's arm turning her to face him. "You are acting like a child! You can't go with him! Surely you weren't planning to pull a stunt like you did last time!"

"Piss off Potter!" Taylor nearly snarled, turning to go again.

"You were! Merlin, Taylor, are you nuts!" Harry exclaimed gob-smacked.

Taylor wheeled back around and drove her finger into her brother's chest, biting out each word. "What would _you_ do if it was Ginny being lead away to be left for Voldemort? Answer me that!"

Harry stared at her but he had no ready answer. His sister took his silence as an admission. "Exactly. I rest my case!"

Wheeling Taylor set out towards the common room again ignoring the calls of the others. She was furious and she held on to the anger with all she had because lurking beneath that anger was fear, worry and helplessness. She knew she'd have to deal with them all soon enough.

The sun was setting behind the castle making the grounds appear bathed in fire. Staring out the windows she was passing she could see the Whomping Willow and she could see the four figures moving across the grounds towards it.

"Auror Tonks!" a voice called from behind them, "Mr. Timmons sent me to tell you that he is having trouble with the charm for sealing the castle doors…"

Taylor stopped listening as she turned to stare out the window. A movement not far from the Forbidden Forest caught her eye, as the red of the setting sun lifted towards the tops of the trees. A figure was sneaking along just inside the tree line, moving steadily towards the Whomping Willow and the four unsuspecting figures.

A scream behind Taylor made her whirl as her wand slid into her hand. She could see Ginny's red hair swirling as she fell, and Harry diving, wand drawn, firing at the figure down the wide hallway. Tonks was firing as well, but the figure reached the corner and was gone. A second later a loud claxon began to sound, vibrating off the castle walls.

"That's the signal that the castle is being attacked!" Hermione yelled as she looked around fearfully.

Taylor rushed to her brother as he bent down beside Ginny. Tonks bent down as well.

"She's been hit with a real nasty stunner. We need to get her to the Hospital Wing. Harry, you carry her." Tonks ordered as she stood up again looking around cautiously.

A bright white light came racing towards them in the shape of a cat.

"It's a false alarm! Get Potter and the others to Gryffindor Tower! Keep all the students there inside the common room until further orders! Trust no one!" McGonagall's voice ordered sharply before the cat Patronus began to fade away.

Wheeling, Taylor raced to look out the windows as the last of the red glow disappeared from the trees, she could see that only Moody remained with Pomfrey and Greg. The alarm had done its trick. It had drawn Shacklebolt away from them back towards the castle.

"Oh my god." Taylor breathed as she watched in horror as the figure that had just come from the Forbidden Forest leaped out from behind a rock and fired at Moody who was looking towards the school. She saw Moody fall and then Pomfrey before she saw Greg raise his hands up. She knew right then that his wand had already been taken.

"Taylor! We need to go!" Tonks voice snapped right behind her.

"Look! They have Greg!" Taylor cried as she pointed and heard the auror swear.

"Oh no!" Hermione gasped.

"I have to get you to the Gryffindor common room! Now!" Tonks snapped as she conjured her Patronus with the message about the Hufflepuff, Moody and Pomfrey and sent it to McGonagall.

Taylor shook her head.

"Taylor! There is nothing you can do! The castle has sealed itself! Now we have to get to Gryffindor Tower! Those are McGonagall's orders!" Tonks snapped angrily.

Wheeling, Taylor fell in beside her brother as he carried Ginny. She glanced at her friend and could see how pale she was. "What was she hit with?"

"I don't know. It was something Dark," Hermione said worriedly from behind Taylor.

"Tonks, you said we needed to get Ginny to Pomfrey, but she's outside! Sealed out there!" Ron cut in as they hurried along.

"As soon as things settle down I'll get Professor Flitwick to come have a look at her. He's not a healer but he knows charms." Tonks said trying to reassure them.

"Are you sure it was a dark spell?" Taylor asked glancing back at the auror.

"Yes. It's a new one that the Death Eaters have started to use. It knocks a person out for hours and they are very weak when they wake up. It helps if you can get them to a healer quickly." The auror answered as she looked around continuously, her wand switching back and forth.

Taylor nodded as her brother hugged Ginny even closer to his chest. Taylor knew she didn't know much about healing anyone but she did know something about Dark Magic and while Dark Arts spells weren't Dark Magic they were not completely different. She shook her head. She'd need to think that through some other time. Palming her wand she looked up at her brother.

"Harry do you trust me?" She could see the worry in his eyes but he nodded. "Stop for a second, I want to see if I can detect what kind of spell was used on her."

"Taylor, we need to keep moving!" Tonks admonished.

Taylor ignored the auror. She felt the calm settle around her, as her necklace burned against her neck. Ron and Hermione's voices were lost in the background as she concentrated on the unconscious witch in her brother's arms. Waving her wand over Ginny, the ancient language fell from her lips, asking to see the dark that had been used. A pungent odor filled her nose and she knew. How she knew she had no idea, she just did. Closing her eyes, she concentrated as she felt her necklace turn white-hot and her wand vibrate, as words fell from her lips. Ginny coughed and Taylor's eyes opened to see her red-haired friend's brown eyes staring back at her.

"Hey Ginny," Taylor said softly.

"Bloody hell!" Ron said incredulously.

Taylor glanced up into her brother's green eyes as gratitude filled them.

"That was amazing Taylor!" Tonks said, "But we need to get going!"

Harry understood instantly. His sister had helped Ginny as a kind of offering before she left. She knew he'd never leave Ginny if she was hurt, though he knew Taylor needed to know Ginny was going to be okay too. "I gave him my word."

"We're not in the common room. You can't stop me. You need to look after Ginny." Taylor said it quietly as Ron and Hermione looked between the two trying to catch up to the conversation.

"He's going to be mad." Harry could see the determination burning in his sister's eyes and he knew without a doubt that if it were Ginny out there, he'd tear the front doors off the castle trying to get to her. "Be careful. He could be as dangerous as those after him."

"Porter you are not going!" Tonks said firmly.

Taylor looked at the auror. "You have your orders! Get _Potter_ to the common room! McGonagall didn't mention me! Ron, look after them!" Taylor backed away from the group hoping Tonks would do as she was trained to do and that was get the group to safety and leave the individual. In another step she was at a tapestry that concealed a stairway. Wheeling she was behind it in a flash and could hear Tonks and Hermione yelling at her to come back.

Running at breakneck speed she pelted down the stairs and down another corridor and down again, heading for the dungeons. Skidding around the last corner she rushed to the stone statue of an evil looking serpent and opening the hidden passage she slipped inside and ran as fast as she could along the tunnel. Panting she reached the other end and, wand at the ready, she stepped out into the dark Forbidden Forest. A quick spell sealed the tunnel entrance, from werewolves or other such creatures at least. Turning towards the castle she ran as fast as she could.

She knew she had wasted so much precious time and that the figure could have taken Greg almost anywhere by now, but she needed to get back to the castle grounds before she could even start looking. Nearly ten minutes later she pushed through the last of the underbrush and emerged onto the lawn that led up to the castle, lit up in the distance.

The sky was totally dark overhead, only stars were shining down. The full moon had yet to come up.

Taylor peered around in the dark. She knew the figure had come from the forest here, but he was going to have a fully formed werewolf on his hands very shortly. Where would he go? He could have taken the Hufflepuff into the Forbidden forest… Taylor turned and looked back into the dark forest. She closed her eyes as she thought and then she heard it. Voices, very faint, on a gentle breeze that was blowing directly into her face. Knowing it was her best lead, she started towards them, moving carefully and as quickly as she could.

She was surprised to find that the voices were coming from all the way on the quidditch pitch. She couldn't make out what they were saying even as she crept along the backside of the stands. Finally she reached a small break in the stands and moved to stand in the deep shadows. She couldn't see well enough to see who was out on the pitch but she could finally make out what they were saying, and realized that they were arguing. Rather loudly.

"I told you this was a bad idea! The moon is due up at any minute and we still haven't seen that contact!"

"Will you calm down! Everything has gone exactly as planned! We have the werewolf and he's out cold. Moody and that nurse will be out for hours too! You got Shacklebolt, and that kid attacked Potter and set off the alarm. By the time they figure out it was a hoax and get the castle unsealed, if they even can tonight, we'll be long gone!"

"We'll be dead if that moon comes up before our contact gets here!"

"Look I made that Portkey myself! Just like the last one! It will work. We just need to wait!"

"I still don't understand why the Dark Lord is messing around with a werewolf! Porter would be a better target if you ask me. She can use Dark Magic! I seen her!"

"Listen you idiot! Don't go questioning the Dark Lord! That's a good way to end up dead! I don't know why he wants this werewolf and I don't care!"

"If you can make a Portkey, why doesn't the Dark Lord just come and take over the school?"

"Merlin! Are you really that stupid? A Portkey to carry more then two people is a lot trickier to make. Plus a single, small Portkey will get through the wards, anything any bigger and it just won't pass through the wards."

"So how did your _free-be_ take Potter, Porter _and _the werewolf? Huh?"

"Because Porter is an underage witch! You idiotic git! Do you ever listen?"

A soft pop cut off any more conversation between the two and a new harsher voice asked, "Okay where's the pup? We haven't much time before the moon comes up!"

Taylor recognized that voice, it was Fenrir Greyback. He'd come by Portkey to take Greg away!

"Accio Portkey!" Taylor yelled as she pointed her wand at the voices out on the pitch. She needed to do whatever it took to stop them. She heard their startled yells as an old shoe flew into her hand.

"You dolts! That's Porter! Get her!" Greyback yelled.

Taylor wheeled and ran, the Portkey in her hand. Out behind the stands again, she raced towards the changing rooms and the bushes there that would give her some cover. She could hear the yells behind her and then spells started to hit around her. Firing blindly over her shoulder she made it to the changing rooms and the deep shadows there.

"Porter you foolish witch! I can smell you! Do you honestly think you can run or hide from me?" Greyback called out, far closer than Taylor expected.

She knew she had to get rid of the Portkey. If they caught her, or when they caught her was more likely, they couldn't get the Portkey. Hurrying along the changing rooms she paused, heart pounding, and thought quickly.

Dropping the shoe on the ground she could already feel her necklace burning as the ancient words tumbled from her lips, bright blue fire flew from her wand tip and instantly incinerated the shoe.

"That was a very stupid move, witch!"

Taylor wheeled as Greyback stalked towards her through the dark. Her wand whipped through the air and hit him with the same stunner she'd used on Bellatrix and he fell to the ground before she even thought about it.

Taylor didn't stick around, she turned and hurried towards the bushes and cover. She stepped behind the first bush and a glimpse of something caught her eye. Turning she looked up over the Forbidden forest.

The full moon was rising up over the treetops.

Taylor looked out towards the pitch where she suspected the Head Boy was laying. An anguished scream filled the air as the Hufflepuff stood up, the pale glow of the full moon poured over him and he arched backwards as he screamed. Suddenly he started to change shape, his face became longer, as well as his arms and legs. His clothes ripped from his body as his shoulders pushed out and grew, even from this distance she could see the hair that covered him. The scream stopped and the werewolf dropped onto all fours before throwing its head back and howling at the moon.

Taylor's heart hammered in her chest, as her mind processed what had just happened. Greg was a werewolf now! And by the sounds of the snarls she could hear from this distance, he was only a werewolf. The Wolfsbane potion couldn't have worked!

A second inhuman scream filled the air and her head whipped in the direction of the changing rooms where Greyback was. He was changing too!

Wheeling, Taylor ran. Her only thought was to get to the Whomping Willow and to the Shrieking Shack. If it could hold a werewolf in, hopefully it could hold two out!

Running as fast as her legs would carry her, she heard the second, deeper howl and knew Greyback was done transforming. Deciding that straight was better than trying to stay hidden, as both werewolves would be able to smell her, she ran across the lawns aiming at the huge tree that offered her only escape.

She was getting closer, another few seconds and she would be there. A howl off to her right made her look and she tripped over something and fell. She felt the sting on her hand as it skidded along the ground. Scrambling to her feet she started to run again, as memories flashed past her mind of a full moon two months ago. It was almost in this same spot that the Hufflepuff had been attacked.

Running full out she could see the Whomping Willow waving wildly, then two figures came into sight. Moody and Pomfrey!

She skidded to a stop in front of Moody.

"Porter what are you doing here?"

Taylor ignored the old auror and pointed her wand at the knot, freezing the tree. "Get in the tunnel! And run! There are two werewolves!"

For once Moody didn't argue, and he pushed Pomfrey towards the tunnel entrance. Taylor was right on their heels.

"Moody, where is Shacklebolt?" the thought stopped her.

"I don't know. We just came to a few minutes ago." Moody said as Pomfrey disappeared into the tunnel.

"I'll go look for him. You two head for the Shrieking Shack."

"Our wands are gone. I can't ward the trapdoor. And you can't take on two werewolves!" Moody snapped.

"I'll unfreeze the Whomping Willow. It'll give you some protection. Put something heavy on the trap door. I'll knock when I get there." Taylor said as she backed away from the safety of the tunnel.

"Porter!" Moody growled.

"I can't leave the Professor. Go!" Taylor hit the knot on the tree trunk and ran as the Whomping Willow came to life again. She didn't stop and raced up towards the castle to where she hoped she'd find Shacklebolt. She hadn't gone all that far when a howl ripped through the air, way too close for comfort. Then she could hear it as great paws pounded towards her. She had nowhere to go.

Sliding to a stop she turned to face the werewolf head on. She didn't know which one it was; Greyback or Greg. In one sense it didn't matter, they both would kill her if they could. She could see the werewolf pounding towards her, and she reached for Dark Magic. She didn't want to hurt it but she had no other choice.

The sound of a deep snarl behind her made her blood run cold. She had made a fatal error. She hadn't even considered that the two would come on her at the same time, maybe even work together. Heart pounding as if it were trying to escape her chest she turned to see the huge werewolf behind her, not over fifteen feet away. She could see its teeth easily as it snarled and then leapt at her.

She didn't have time to cast a spell or try to jump before the werewolf collided with her and knocked her to the ground. She could hear its snarls, vicious and terrifying, but it took her a moment to realize that she didn't feel any pain, or feel its two inch long teeth sinking into her. Dazed she looked up to see the huge werewolf was standing directly over her, snarling. Slowly she looked out between its two front legs and could see the other werewolf snarling at this one, or her… or both.

Suddenly the werewolf above her leaped away at the other one. The two collided in midair and fell back to the ground fighting viciously, snarls and snapping jaws filled the air. Shaken Taylor pushed herself up off the ground. Her only thought was to go, get as far away from the two as she could, while they were distracted fighting with one another. A sick feeling filled her stomach as she remembered what Lupin had told her about males often killing each other. Her feet actually stopped and she turned and looked back at the fight. She teetered on what she could do, or should do. A moment later the decision was made for her as the two broke apart and turned as one to look at her.

The wind was pushing past her face and blew directly at the two werewolves.

* * *

><p>AN Surely you didn't think Taylor was going to stay safe in the castle with Greg out on the grounds did you? LOL! This chapter and the next almost wrote themselves! I know this is a VERY nast cliffhanger! Not to worry I won't keep you waiting for long! ;)


	90. The Beast's of the Moon

AHHHhhhhh! isn't that always the case! I write something witty in the A/N and then loose it cause my computer messes up!

Oh well hope you enjoy! ;)

* * *

><p>Chapter Ninety<p>

**The Beast's of the Moon**

"Oh bloody sodding hell!" Taylor groaned as the two werewolves started towards her again. One tipped back its head and howled, the other quickly joined it. The hair on her arms and neck stood on end as slowly she backed up. She knew she couldn't out run them, so she was left only with fighting them. Her necklace burned as the words formed on her tongue and she waited as they drew closer, spreading apart as they came.

She knew that if they separated she was a goner. She couldn't fight them from two sides at once, but still something held her back from casting her spell. As the two slowly made their way to either side of her, low growls came from both of them. When they were parallel with her they stopped.

She was once again between the two werewolves.

She couldn't believe she hadn't cast her spell when she had the chance. Maybe the Hufflepuff was right, maybe she did have some kind of twisted desire to die.

The snarls coming from the two werewolves became more menacing by the second and she glanced from one to the other, wondering if she was some kind of prize or something, in a deadly game they were going to play. She saw the one on her left crouch down and the other one followed suit. She knew what was coming, they were both going to spring at her at the same time.

She waited for two long heartbeats and then as they sprang she dove for the ground rolling as fast as she could. Jumping to her feet she ran. She heard the two snapping at one another again. All too soon it stopped as a howl rent the air. Pushing her legs to go faster she pelted towards the school, she jumped over the low stonewall she had hidden from Moody behind.

She was almost to the courtyard when she heard a man's voice yell fearfully

"NO! Go! What are you doing bringing them here!"

She recognized it as one of the men who had been out on the quidditch pitch. She was almost past him as he waved wildly at her, when she was hit from behind and fell to the ground. Snarls sounded above her, as the man screamed. The next thing she knew she was being dragged away by her pant leg. It took a moment to get her breath back, which had been knocked out of her when she fell.

Screams filled the air, horrifying, pain filled screams.

She could feel the ground sliding by under her and she started to kick with her other foot trying to get free. To her surprise it only took two or three kicks and the werewolf let go of her. She scrambling backward to get away, and it jumped at her growling, snapping its teeth mere inches from her face. She froze.

The screaming behind her stopped, only to be replaced a sickening squelching sound.

The werewolf grabbed her pant leg again and started to pull her along. This time she kicked at it a lot quicker and it again let go of her pant leg. The huge werewolf stepped towards her and sniffed before cocking its head at her.

Taylor felt her mouth drop open, only to hear it growl as it sprang over her and grab the back of her shirt lifting her off the ground. Swaying above the ground she reached for the ground with her feet and the werewolf set her down.

"Greg?" the word whispered from her in a breath but the werewolf cocked its head again.

A howl sounded out over the grounds, and the werewolf beside her bared its teeth, and using its head gave her a push. Taylor got the message and she broke into a run, the werewolf easily keeping pace with her and pushing her where it wanted her to go.

Stumbling to a stop just on the edge of the Forbidden forest, she bent over gasping for air, as the huge werewolf paced around her sniffing at the air. When she could finally speak she said, "Shacklebolt is out there somewhere. We can't just leave him for Greyback! Can you understand me?" she added as an after thought.

The werewolf cocked its head again and brought its muzzle right up to her face so that it was almost touching her. She could smell its breath as it looked into her eyes. She could see understanding in them.

"Good. So we need to go find Shacklebolt before Greyback does."

She received a deep growl and the werewolf pulled its lips up showing its teeth.

"Greg! There has to be something we can do!"

The werewolf snorted, and then sniffed the air again cocking its head.

Taylor took a moment to look at the creature standing beside her. It was huge, standing eye level with her, its long legs made it look kind of gangly but it moved with an easy grace that also spoke of power. It was covered in hair, fairly course looking and dark, not dissimilar from the color of Greg's hair. Tentatively she reached out and touched it, a snarl made her yank her hand back. The snarl stopped instantly to be replaced by a whimper and the werewolf touched its nose to her hand.

"Well make up your mind. If you want me to touch you or not." She said a bit crankily, and regretted it. It wasn't Greg's fault. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to snap at you… is it all right if I touch you?" the werewolf nodded its head. Gently she put her hand on the werewolf's shoulder and patted him. When he didn't growl she continued for a few minutes. The hair looked course but was actually soft to the touch. She could feel the warmth of its body beneath as she kept patting him.

A howl echoed out over the school grounds and the werewolf beside her growled menacingly as the hairs on its back stood on end. Turning towards her, the werewolf caught the front of her shirt in its teeth and started to pull her forward.

"Hey! Okay. You don't have to rip the clothes off me." Taylor muttered as she hurried along. Soon she was running beside the huge werewolf as he led her through the edge of the forest and then up across the grounds towards the quidditch pitch. They were almost there when in one bound the werewolf was in front of her to stop her, a deep menacing snarl coming from him.

Taylor looked around and then saw why they had stopped. Out of the shadows a man moved, the other wizard she had heard talking.

"Well, well, well. I don't think I would have believed it if I hadn't seen it for myself. A werewolf running with a witch." He shook his head. "Too bad Porter, this is going to be your last night. It would be quite a tale to tell."

"Thanks but I think I like my chances right now." Taylor said fearlessly.

The wizard laughed softly, but it suddenly died as he wheeled towards the stands and out of the shadows the other werewolf stepped.

A snarl rumbled out of Greg, loud and deep as the hairs on his back stood on end once again.

Greyback snarled as well and moved towards the younger werewolf in a circle.

Greg moved with Greyback, always keeping between him and his witch, snarls deep and menacing rolled past his bared teeth. The older werewolf was slowly spiraling in closer and closer until there was less then ten feet between them.

Taylor moved with Greg, keeping one hand on him, the other held her wand. She wasn't sure what she was going to do, but she was going to do something to help if she could. The Dark Magic spell she hesitated to use because she wasn't sure if the spell would differentiate between the two werewolves, and hit them both or worse hit Greg and not Greyback.

"Accio witch!"

The spell was so unexpected that she was flying through the air before she realized what was happening. She could see Greg wheel to see what had happened to her and Greyback attacked.

Landing with a thud, she didn't even try to get up instead firing her first two spells from where she sat. The wizard stepped back onto the quidditch pitch and she came to her feet still firing, she could hear the two werewolves fighting behind her and forced herself to focus only on the wizard in front of her. Up close now she recognized him, even in the moonlight as one of the aurors she'd seen up at the school. Thankfully he wasn't a highly skilled one and slowly she drove him back as she advanced, then she saw her opportunity. With a flick she silently disarmed him and caught his wand, as well as three others in her hand.

"What are you going to do Mudblood? Your pet werewolf is going to die and then you will!"

Taylor glared at the auror, "You're responsible for the original werewolf aren't you? And the Manticore?"

"Of course. You thought it was all those thickheaded Slytherins! They did come in handy at times, attacking you and the Head Boy. Then their botched attempt at getting you when you were wandless! If I hadn't needed their help and for them to run a little diversion, then I would have never used them!"

Taylor stared at the wizard and shook her head, "If I die, you will too!" her necklace burned hot as the ancient words rolled off her tongue and she used the binding spell she'd used on Bellatrix and Greyback. The wizard fell, safely bound until someone released him, or Greyback ate him. She knew now that just like whatever they had stunned Greg with couldn't hold him from transforming, neither could her spell hold Greyback. Werewolves were too magical for most spells to work on them.

A yelp from behind her made her spin around. Then another made her run back around the quidditch stands in the direction of the werewolves. The sight that met her eyes stopped her dead in her tracks.

One of the werewolves was standing over the other, the pale light of the moon making it impossible to tell if it was dark grey or brown. Blood dripped from its muzzle as it tipped its head back and howled. The one lying on the ground had its neck ripped out and dark blood stained the ground all around it.

Taylor felt a horrified shiver go through her, as the werewolf continued to howl for a few more seconds, making the hair stand up all over her. When it stopped it lowered its head and looked at her. A savage snarl rumbled from its chest and it sprang at her. She didn't have time to even bring her wand up before it knocked her to the ground.

It took several furious heartbeats for her to realize that the werewolf wasn't tearing into her but carefully sniffing her all over.

"Greg?" her voice shook nearly as much as she was.

The werewolf whimpered as it nudged her gently with its nose.

"Oh Merlin! You scared the living daylights out of me! Are you all right?"

The werewolf crouched down beside her and nuzzled her arm.

"I'm fine," when he nuzzled her arm again she corrected, "I'm a little shaken up, but I'll be fine. Are you okay?"

He just snorted. After a few minutes he got up and nudged her gently with his nose.

"Yeah, okay I'll get up. So where to now? We probably should go look for Shacklebolt…" Greg growled. She relented. Maybe he knew something she didn't about the professor. "That spell will hold that guy until tomorrow morning easily enough." She pointed over towards the quidditch stands.

The werewolf bared his teeth and snarled.

"Hey! No! He can't hurt you or me anymore! Just leave him." She put her hand on his muzzle and pulled it back towards her. The snarl stopped and he sniffed her hand and whimpered again. "Oh it's just a scratch. Pomfrey will be able to heal it in a flash." The cold night air settled in around her and now that she wasn't running or scared she could feel how cold it was and shivered. She performed a quick drying spell on herself and then a warming one.

Greg bumped into her and began to push her towards the Forbidden forest again.

"Okay, okay, I'm going. You sure are a pushy werewolf you know."

He snorted again but rooted his head under her arm and she put her hand up on his shoulders and scratched him as they walked. He led her a ways into the forest, his nose turning this way and that sniffing the air. When they came to a spot of thick moss he stepped away from her and dropping his nose to the ground walked all around it carefully a couple of times before he seemed satisfied and sat down. Cocking his head he waited.

"Oh, you want me to come over to you?" he pricked his ears at her and she rolled her eyes at him.

Joining him in the middle of the mossy area she was surprised when he lay down.

"You want me to lie down? Here?"

The werewolf reached up and caught the bottom of her shirt in his teeth and pulled.

"Okay. I'm lying down." Shaking her head, she laid down beside the werewolf for which she received another snort, and the huge body moved until it was curled around her protectively. She gave her wand a wave and conjured a large blanket to lay over them.

Taylor was quiet for a few minutes as she listened to the sounds in the forest and the werewolf beside her breathing. She could feel her body relaxing, and then a cold nose touched her cheek.

"Hey, I was almost asleep," she said sleepily. She felt him move again until he laid his head next to her, effectively wrapping his body around her. Sleep claimed her as exhaustion took over, and she slept soundly not even waking the couple of times the werewolf raised its head to stare off into the forest and growl quietly.

Slowly awareness came to Taylor. She knew the warm body beside her was the Hufflepuff though for some reason the sounds around her were wrong. Cracking an eye open she could see sunlight but it was… She lifted her head up from the Hufflepuff's arm that she'd been using as a pillow and looked around at the trees and plants that surrounded her. Memories from last night came crashing back to her and she blinked, slowly wondering if that all could have really happened.

A shaft of sunlight filtered down through the trees and landed on her and the wizard lying beside her sound asleep. Her eyes went to his bare arm and a few scratches there, up to his equally bare shoulder that was crisscrossed in varying size cuts and scratches. She looked at his face to see it too had a few scratches and one long bigger cut that ran from his jaw down his neck. They were all scabbed over now suggesting that they weren't especially deep. The blanket that she had conjured the night before covered the rest of him.

She lay her head down again on his arm and his other arm tightened around her, pulling her closer, his deep breathing not changing as he slept on.

From what she could see of the sun, she guessed that it had to be getting close to seven. The sun had been up for well over an hour.

She watched him sleep for a while longer as she thought about last night. The auror who had been working for Voldemort had been caught. He had explained so much of what had happened in the school. He'd been the cause of the original werewolf attack, and he'd also somehow brought the Manticore through the wards. He was the one who had used the Slytherins, and from how he'd spoken he'd used the Imperio curse on at least some of them or something similar.

She thought of the other wizard who had been with him and she shuddered. She didn't need to see what had happened to know Greyback had killed him. Greg's arm tightened around her again as he shifted in his sleep, his leg hooked over hers but he didn't wake up. Shacklebolt was an unknown. Had Greyback gotten him too? Or maybe … her mind shied away from that thought. Surely Greg had had his mind enough not to hurt their professor. Moody and Pomfrey should have been safe in the tunnel.

She knew another half hour must have slipped away as she just lay there in the Hufflepuff's arms thinking and relishing the way she felt so safe right here. She'd felt safe last night lying down with the werewolf in its true form. She trusted the Head Boy completely in either form.

Sighing she nudged him, "Hey, you have to wake up. We need to get back to the castle. People are going to be worried." He didn't move.

"Greg, come on we need to get going."

"Hush, witch. It's sleep time." He grumbled as he rolled onto his back pulling her with him.

Taylor froze not because she was scared but she realized she was lying on top of a naked wizard. It didn't matter that she was still fully clothed. "Greg… uhm _you're naked_."

"Ahm hm." Was the only response.

"You, are _naked_!" Taylor knew her face was bright red.

"I seem to recall not too long ago you wanted me to be naked," he said quietly in a husky voice a smirk on his lips.

Taylor made an odd squeaking noise and his smile grew.

"Kiss me and I'll get up,"

Taylor nearly choked and the Hufflepuff chuckled softly as he rolled until he was on top and staring down at her. "What am I going to do with you?" His lips captured hers and he kissed her deeply, savoring her unique taste, his hand slid up under her t-shirt and he felt her shiver when his fingers touched her skin. Only his desperate need for more sleep, and the aches that movement caused, allowed him to rein in his desire so that he remained in control. He kissed her thoroughly until they were both breathing heavily and then rested his forehead against hers as he caught his breath.

He knew they had to go and he rolled off her, groaning as new aches made themselves known.

"Are you all right?" Taylor asked looking up at him as he sat beside her. She forced her eyes to remain on his face instead of looking at his bare torso.

"Nothing a good healing potion and a good sleep won't fix."

She nodded and pushing the blanket off her she stood up. She heard him gasp and turned to look at him, as he stared at her shirt. Looking down she could see what had caught his eye. The bottom half of her t-shirt was full of holes, as well as a few rips where the werewolf's teeth had gone clean through the material.

Greg came up on his knees and carefully examined the holey shirt on his witch, before he lifted it and checked her stomach over carefully for any scratches or bite marks. His hands pushed on her and she turned so he could stare at the rips in the back of her shirt as well, lifting it he inspected her back just as carefully. There wasn't a mark on her skin even though her shirt was nearly in rags.

His heart hammering in his chest, he turned her back around and hugged her right there on his knees, his head pressed against her belly. He could remember last night, but it was a little hazy in places. Places where the werewolf took over, like when he'd been fighting with Greyback were the haziest. Still, he never thought he'd done that to his witch's shirt. He'd thought he'd been being gentle when he'd done it. The holes in her t-shirt showed the savage power in the beast's jaws.

Taylor had seen the color drain from his face as he looked horrified at her shirt and she let him examine her so that he'd know she was fine. She could feel his heart beating as he hugged her and she let him hold her for a while.

"Greg, I'm fine. You didn't bite me last night. You saved me." She felt him take a shuddering breath.

"I could have so easily hurt you… I could have…"

She lowered herself onto her knees so she could look at him better. "You didn't. You were gentle. You protected me." He closed his eyes for a moment as a muscle jumped in his jaw.

"Greg, look at me," Taylor whispered as she touched his face, when he opened his eyes they were filled with worry and fear. "You are a werewolf but last night you protected me from Greyback. I am fine because of you."

"You would have been fine if you had stayed in the castle." The words were bitter.

"How could I stay when I saw Moody and Pomfrey getting stunned in the back and you being led away at wand point?" Taylor asked as emotion clogged her throat.

"You saw that?" he asked astounded.

"Why do you think I came? You needed help. I couldn't stay in the castle when I didn't know what that wizard was going to do to you."

His arms crushed her against him and he held her tight for several minutes.

When he released her, she stood and passed him the blanket while purposely looking away so as not to see his naked body. When he had wrapped it around his body she helped him to stand and he swayed a little unsteadily. So she stepped close to him and he draped an arm around her shoulders and the two of them made their way carefully out of the Forbidden Forest.

It was slow going. The Hufflepuff was very sore as well as bare foot. Taylor tried conjuring a crude pair of shoes for him but after a couple of tries gave up, making a mental note to look up a spell for that.

It was a good half hour before they reached the edge of the forest and started up across the school grounds towards the castle. They hadn't gone very far when they could see a few people out on the grounds. As they got closer, Taylor recognized Moody and farther away Tonks. About that time Moody looked towards her and headed right for her and the Head Boy.

"Porter! You have more nerve than ten witches should! Where have you been?" Moody called out angrily as he came within calling distance.

"Great. Just bloody great! I save his sorry ass and he wants to chew mine out!" Taylor grumbled.

"Hunter, boy, are you all right?" Moody asked as he clumped toward them.

"Yeah. I'm fine, just a little stiff." Greg answered but he'd tightened his arm around his witch. If Moody was going to have a go at his witch he'd defend her and the look must have shown on his face.

"Relax boy. Porter isn't going to get more than a week or two worth of detentions for running away from her guard and sneaking out of the castle at night against orders!"

"What was I supposed to do, Moody?" Taylor snapped as her temper flared.

"Porter, you are in enough trouble now. I'd be quiet if I were you." Moody said gravely.

Taylor shut her mouth with a snap and glared at the ex-auror.

"Come on you two. The Head Mistress will want to know you are all right, as well as Potter. I thought Tonks was going to have to stun him this morning as he demanded to know where you were." Moody grumbled and looked down at the wand in his hand muttering, "Damn thing, I hate half assed wand work."

Taylor grinned as she pulled the three wands that she had in her pocket out. "Here Moody, this might help."

The old auror looked over at her and his heavily scarred face pulled into a grotesque grin. "Well Porter! Why didn't you say you had my wand! I'll have to put in a good word for you with Minerva! See if that doesn't rate at least one less detention."

Taylor rolled her eyes and she heard the Head Boy chuckle.

They were nearing the castle now and Taylor's eyes were drawn to a place on the grass that was stained dark red. She closed her eyes and shuddered as the sound of the man's screams echoed in her ears. Greg pulled her against him, putting his palm up to block the view from her as they walked by.

"You know about that one do you Miss Porter?" Moody's voice was low and gravely.

She just nodded.

When they reached the castle doors an auror opened it for them allowing them to enter. Moody took them up to the Hospital Wing where they saw Greg's father and uncle pacing anxiously.

"Son! Are you all right? Where have you been?" Greg's father called as he hurried towards them.

"I'm fine Dad. Just stiff."

Mr. Hunter stopped in front of his son and looked him up and down carefully, noting his son's lack of clothing and the dirty, bedraggled looking witch beside him. "Are you all right Taylor?"

"I'm fine Mr. Hunter."

Madame Pomfrey's voice reached them. "Mr. Hunter! There you are! Finally! Miss Porter! You've had me worried sick! In here both of you!"

Greg allowed his father to help him into the hospital ward. The long walk had sapped what little strength he had left. He was thankful to finally be able to lie down on the bed as the nurse fussed over him and fitted him with a pair of hospital pajamas right off. By the time the nurse gave him some healing potion, he was getting anxious to lay his eyes on his witch again, feeling the need to reassure himself that she truly was all right.

* * *

><p>AN Hope there aren't too many mistakes in this as I didn't re-read it carefully like I usually do because I did that already and then lost it all! AAAHHhhhhhh! beeping computer! Hope you enjoyed anyway! Thanks for reading!


	91. Explanations of a Werewolf

I've been having a awful time getting the ingredients for that Polyjuice Potion so... nope I'm still not JK Rowling so I don't own Harry!

* * *

><p>Chapter Ninety-one<p>

**Explanations of a Werewolf**

Taylor waited in the bed beside the Hufflepuff, separated by a curtain as she listened to the nurse look after the Head Boy. She heard the nurse clicking her tongue and wondered what she had found. A commotion out in the hallway made her stand. She could hear her brother's voice. Hurrying around the screen she could see him through the doors as Moody attempted to hold him up.

"Moody what do you mean I can't go in there! I want to see Taylor!"

"Look Potter…" was as far as Moody got before Taylor made it to the hospital doors.

"Taylor," Harry breathed in relief as he closed the distant between them and pulled her into a bone crushing hug. "Thank Merlin! Do you have any idea how worried I've been? I should have my head examined for letting you go last night!"

"Can't breathe…" Taylor managed and the arms slackened their hold a little.

"Are you all right? What happened? The rumor is someone was killed." Harry asked as he pushed his sister arms length away and ran his eyes over her carefully, noting the grass and dirt stains on her clothing as well as the rips and holes in her shirt. Several colorful oaths fell softly from his lips before he asked horrified, "Are those teeth marks?"

Taylor shook her head, "Harry I'm fine. And it really isn't as bad as it looks. Greg saved my life last night, on more than one occasion." She could see the fear and worry in her brother's eyes. She was going to reassure him some more when McGonagall arrived.

"Miss Porter, are you all right? Mr. Potter what are you doing here?" the Head Mistress asked briskly.

"I came to see if Taylor was all right." Harry answered quickly beating Taylor to it.

"I can escort Potter out if you wish Head Mistress," Moody offered in his gravelly voice and Harry gave him a dirty look.

McGonagall sighed. She knew that it was probably better not to try to separate the two siblings, plus Potter might as well hear this first hand. His sister would undoubtedly tell him anyway. "No Alaster, Potter can stay. As soon as Remus arrives would you please seal the ward? I'm sure Poppy will want her patients to rest so the sooner we are through the better." Moody nodded and McGonagall walked over to Greg's father and uncle, who had watched the exchange curiously.

Taylor looked up at her brother with a raised eyebrow and saw him shrug ever so slightly.

"Miss Porter! I distinctly remember pointing you to a bed." Pomfrey's voice called briskly and Taylor quickly headed for the bed she'd been shown to and laid down so the nurse could examine her. She watched as the nurse passed her wand over her several times and like Greg, lifted her shirt to visually inspect her stomach for marks. When the nurse was finished, she healed the cut on her palm and a couple of odd scratches here and there. "You were exceptionally fortunate to escape last night with only a couple of scratches, Miss Porter."

The nurse waved her wand and she vanished the screens separating the beds, as well as blocking them from the view of those waiting over by the nurse's office or the door to the hospital. "Head Mistress these two are fit enough for you to question them, though Mr. Hunter needs to get some rest as does Miss Porter.

"Thank you Poppy. We'll keep this as short as possible." McGonagall said as she made her way towards the two students in the beds. Greg's father and uncle following her as Moody, Harry and an exhausted looking Lupin did too.

Taylor glanced over at the Head Boy, who was staring at her. She smiled at him. His answering smile was a little tight, his blue eyes were suddenly cautious. She wished she could hold his hand to reassure him.

"Alaster?" McGonagall gave the old auror a questioning look.

"All warded and sealed Head Mistress." Came the gravelly reply.

Greg's father and uncle sat on the bed beside his. Harry sat on the one on the other side of Taylor, and Lupin joined him there looking like he couldn't stand a whole lot longer. McGonagall drew up a chair and sat down, while Moody chose to stand.

"We need you two to tell us what happened last night. Unfortunately this cannot wait. I need to report to the Ministry right away. I'm sure I do not need to stress to either of you the gravity of this situation." Professor McGonagall said in a grave voice.

"No Professor," Taylor and the Head Boy chorused, and then he started off.

"A hooded wizard stunned and disarmed Moody and Madame Pomfrey after Professor Shacklebolt left to investigate the alarm in the castle. Moody already had my wand. The hooded wizard told me to put up my hands and go with him or he'd kill Madame Pomfrey. He took me down by the forest and then he stunned me too." The Hufflepuff glanced over at Taylor so she took up her tale from there.

Taylor told them about seeing the Head Boy being taken away and then leaving. Harry interrupted and explained how his sister had helped Ginny before she left. Taylor gave him a dirty look and he just shrugged before she continued on with going out through the secret passageway to the Forbidden Forest.

"There's a secret passageway out of this castle that isn't sealed and you just happened to know about it?" Moody asked glaring at her with both of his eyes.

"It's the one the Slytherins have been using all year, and I suppose that auror too." Taylor said thinking, "That's why it was never sealed, I bet any money! Because that auror would know how to vanish the wards guarding the tunnel." She explained about reaching the edge of the forest and hearing the voices on the wind and the conversation she overheard from where she had hidden in the quidditch stands.

"Did you recognize them?" McGonagall asked sharply.

"Not right then. The moon hadn't come up yet and it was quite dark. I heard the pop from a Portkey and then I did recognize Greyback's voice right away. I couldn't let them take Greg away so I summoned the Portkey and ran." Taylor continued with them chasing her and destroying the Portkey and binding Greyback. She could feel her heart start to pound when she came to the part of Greg's transformation and she skimmed over it. "Then I ran, I heard Greyback transform and I headed for the Whomping Willow."

Greg took over. He'd noticed the change in her voice when she spoke about his transformation even as she struggled to gloss over it. "I didn't know anything until I felt the start of my transformation… when it was over, the first thing I smelled on the wind was Taylor. I headed over to the stands where she had been and then started to track her. That's when I heard Greyback and caught his scent. I caught a glimpse of someone running and set out after them. It wasn't until I got nearly to them that I realized it wasn't Taylor. It was a wizard, but not the one who had taken me at wand point. I turned to head back down towards the forest to search for Taylor when I caught someone else's scent. It was close by so I investigated. It was Professor Shacklebolt. I couldn't wake him up and I didn't dare leave him on the ground so I…"

"Tossed him up on top of the greenhouse." Moody finished in his gravelly voice.

Greg's face turned red and he looked down at the floor guiltily, his voice rather sheepish. "I was a little overzealous. I really wasn't used to my strength. I didn't mean to toss him so hard, but…"

"Don't worry Mr. Hunter, Professor Shacklebolt was just fine when he came to this morning, if a little confused as to how he ended up atop the greenhouse." McGonagall said reassuringly.

"Oh well that's a relief!" Greg sighed as he glanced up at the Head Mistress before he continued. "I set out after Taylor then."

Taylor swallowed as she remembered her race across the grounds. The howl down by the forest had been Greyback… "When I reached the Whomping Willow I saw Moody and Madame Pomfrey… How were you up? The auror out on the quidditch pitch said you would be out for hours?" she asked as the thought occurred to her.

Moody grunted disgustedly, "I hate shoddy wand work and that so called auror couldn't stun worth a damn! It's a good thing though." He said, filling them in on how he and the nurse woke up to hear howls and then saw Taylor running towards them. They related the short conversation where Taylor had insisted on going to look for Shacklebolt and a brief description of the night they had spent in the Shrieking Shack waiting for Taylor to come.

"Why the hell didn't you go to the Shrieking Shack?" Greg demanded as he narrowed his eyes at her.

"Because Shacklebolt was out there somewhere stunned and there were two werewolves running loose! I couldn't leave him! And Moody didn't have a wand!" Taylor snapped as she met his angry look.

Harry snorted and muttered, "And they say _I_ have a hero complex!"

Taylor gave her brother a dirty look.

"But you didn't know the Wolfsbane potion worked at that point!" Lupin spoke for the first time, his voice incredulous.

She sighed and looked over at the exhausted older werewolf. Shaking her head, "No I didn't."

"Bloody hell Taylor! What were you thinking?" Harry asked suddenly furious. "You knew there were _two _werewolves!"

"What would you have done, Harry?" she demanded and saw him glance away.

"Mr. Hunter, what happened next?" McGonagall asked directly.

"I saw Taylor running up away from the Whomping Willow and saw Greyback closing fast. She stopped and turned to face him. I couldn't let her try to take him on, so I went after Greyback…" the Hufflepuff said.

"You mean you came up behind me and scared the bejebers out of me! And knocked me on the ground! And then attacked Greyback." Taylor exclaimed pointing an accusing finger at him. He merely shrugged.

"If you had gone to the Shrieking Shack…"

"So then what?" McGonagall prompted.

Taylor quickly told about running and then the two werewolves chasing after her and then jumping at her and how she ran again. When she came to the next part she faltered and her heart pounded.

Greg again took up the story, "I knew Taylor was running away as I fought with Greyback and he waited until I looked to see where she was going, to get away from me again. I raced directly towards her, but for some reason Greyback circled out around. I'm not sure if he caught the scent of that wizard and decided he'd be easier prey than Taylor or not, but I saw him making for the wizard so I grabbed her and dragged her away. The smell of the blood was very pungent and I didn't think I'd remain in control if I went any closer. Taylor's scent helped me stay in control until I was farther away."

"That's very impressive. I don't know if I'd be able to do that. Even with as much practice as I've had. The smell of blood is an incredible lure, as is something running away. It triggers the most primitive instincts in the beast," Lupin spoke again as he stared at the young werewolf. "That is truly quite astounding."

"Well I wouldn't say that. It was more the protective instincts than anything I thought that made the werewolf pull Taylor away. If she had been too close, Greyback would have gone after her and I might not have been able to stop him." The Hufflepuff said simply.

"So you had nothing to do with the auror who was killed up near the castle?" Moody asked to clarify and the Head Boy said no.

"The werewolf pulled me a ways away and then I realized it was Greg. We headed for the forest as fast as I could run." She told them about waiting down by the edge of the forest and then Greg pulling her towards the quidditch pitch once more.

"I caught the smell of Greyback and decided that maybe facing him out in the open would be better. I'd planned on pushing Taylor into the changing rooms while I went to get him but that wizard who stunned me in the first place was waiting up by the quidditch stands. Then Greyback came out. He'd used the wind to his advantage and circled up around us. He challenged me, he'd been after my mate all night. There was no way I couldn't take him on. My only concern was that Taylor was too close. Then that wizard summoned her away…" the Head Boy paused as he struggled to put the reasoning of a werewolf into words. It was kill or be killed. If he went down, Greyback would have killed Taylor, probably very slowly just out of spite.

Taylor started again, "I recognized the wizard then as one of the aurors that had been in the school all year for security. I was able to disarm him… I could hear Greg fighting with Greyback… I put a binding spell on him and left him. When I rounded the stands again I saw Greg had beaten Greyback. After he… made sure I was alright, he took me down to the forest where he found a place to lay down and we stayed until this morning."

"Why take Taylor to the forest? Why not just leave her up by the changing rooms? It would have been safe enough by then." Greg's father asked a little perplexed by that move. He knew how dangerous the forest could be.

Greg looked at his father and struggled to again put the instincts of a werewolf into words, "I had just… killed to protect my mate. The werewolf was ruling my thinking, just like it had for the fight. Its instinct was to take its mate as far from what it perceived as danger as it could. The forest isn't a danger to the werewolf. That's why it had taken her there before."

"Your mate? What do you mean your mate?" Greg's father asked sharply as his eyes narrowed.

Greg sighed, he'd never used that term before with his father, but he knew that was exactly what the werewolf thought of Taylor. It wasn't that the werewolf wouldn't have killed Taylor without the influence of his mind but the beast's instincts didn't look at her as food and were much closer to protective. Though just what the werewolf would do he never wanted to find out. "Yes, that is what the werewolf views Taylor as… my mate." He knew it was a little confusing, even in his own mind.

Lupin spoke up once again. "It is rare for our kind to find someone who is understanding of our condition and willing to endure it. What Greg is speaking about is even more rare. As Moody explained to you the other day, the toxin that infected him is a hybrid from up to three different werewolves, making it unique. That is why we didn't know if the Wolfsbane potion would work. Unfortunately with all that happened last full moon, you weren't informed about your son's strong symptoms leading up to it." Lupin explained the heightened sense of smell and hearing as well as the particularly powerful protective instinct and his need to be with Taylor at all times.

His father stared from the older werewolf to his son, unsure what to say.

"It's not as bad as it sounds. I just get… anxious if I'm not around Taylor, particularly the two or three days before the full moon."

"So what does that all mean? And what's with the mate business?" his uncle Mike asked, speaking up for the first time.

"It means that the werewolf has claimed Taylor as its mate as well and while I doubt that it wouldn't kill her if Greg didn't take the Wolfsbane potion, it will, as it demonstrated last night, not hesitate to kill to protect her… Something that one needs to keep in mind for the future." Lupin answered regarding the young werewolf carefully.

"But Lupin, you told me that male werewolves often fight… to the death. So what's so different about what Greg did to that?" Taylor asked curiously.

"Because even after killing Greyback, when its instincts should have been to claim the prize, which would have been you!" Lupin reprimanded as he stared at the witch. "The werewolf, instead of going after you… which Greg admitted he wasn't in control at the time, instead led you off to the forest."

Taylor nodded slowly as she thought about the werewolf springing at her and then carefully sniffing her.

"So getting back to the main issues here. You killed Greyback in a fight, right Hunter?" Moody asked once again clarifying.

"Yeah, it was kill or be killed, but yeah I did." Greg said in a tight voice.

"Don't worry son. No one blames you, nor will there be a Ministry investigation. Greyback was a known killer, as well as a Death Eater. It will only take two tests to clear you of having anything to do with the auror's murder. As for you Miss Porter, I know you will need to testify to the Minister and Head Auror as to what you overheard him say and his subsequent capture by you." Moody informed them as he settled his magical eye on the witch. "You used a Dark Magic spell to bind him did you not?"

Taylor met Moody's stare and said unflinchingly, "You know I did, so why ask?"

"Because, Miss Porter, everyone in this room might know you can use Dark Magic but the Minister for Magic and the Head Auror do not!"

Taylor sighed and she couldn't help but glance at Greg's father and uncle who, other than wearing nearly identical scowls, were not surprised. She wondered how long they had known.

"Can the auror that Taylor bound with Dark Magic, prove it?" Harry asked quietly.

"No. It will be his word against hers, if he brings it up. All traces of the Dark spell have dissipated by now. He was creating illegal portkeys, which we can trace back to him. The evidence against him, along with Porter's testimony, is enough to send him to Azkaban for the rest of his life." Moody said.

"Miss Porter, you said he was using the Slytherins, did he expand on that any?" McGonagall asked and Taylor shook her head. "Well I believe that is all I need for now. Until things settle down, I want Moody to stay and keep an eye on you three. So Potter you will remain here until Tonks or Professor Shacklebolt comes to escort you back to Gryffindor Tower. Miss Porter, I will send word when the Minister and Head Auror will wish to speak with you. Mr. Hunter, I believe you need to rest. Dan, Mike please come to see me before you leave, there is something I wish to discuss with you." McGonagall stood from her chair when she finished speaking and with a wave of her wand vanished it.

She turned to go and as an afterthought added to Greg's father and uncle, "I know you have questions and need answers but please remember that both wizards are in need of rest." She glanced meaningfully at Lupin before she continued on out of the Hospital as Moody released the wards and took up a position by the door.

Harry glanced at his sister and then over at the two men who were sitting on the other side of the Hufflepuff, and he felt very out of place. Standing, he met his sister's eye. He excused himself and headed over to the door to stand with Moody.

Taylor felt just as out of place as her brother and swung her legs off the bed. "I'll go too!" she said and was standing before Mr. Hunter spoke.

"No please Miss Porter, stay. I believe I need to speak to you as much as my son." His voice was firm, if not slightly commanding.

Taylor turned and looked at Mr. Hunter for a long moment, not backing down one bit from his stare. Finally nodding she resumed her seat on the bed.

She could tell how tired Greg was by the sound of his voice as he told his father and uncle about their little adventure with the Portkey on Friday, as well as answered questions about last night. Lupin added or clarified a point here or there as his father asked about this and that. Mostly things Taylor already knew.

When they finally seemed satisfied that they knew everything that had happened to the Head Boy, Mr. Hunter said in an appraising voice, "It seems I owe you again for saving my son, Miss Porter. I have to admit I'm not sure I trust your motives. You seem to always be in the right place at the right time."

Taylor ignored the Hufflepuff's admonishment of his father, "I don't blame you for not trusting me, but I assure you that my being able to use Dark Magic does not make me a dark witch. My motives are the same as they have always been, and will always be. I will try to protect Greg to the best of my ability, whatever that ability might be. As for being in the right place, I've been best friends with Potter for seven years and I find trouble just seems to find me. Maybe it's because I refuse to turn tail and run from it." There was a clear challenge in her voice as she finished.

It was Lupin who broke the tense silence that ensued. "I can understand your hesitation and fear for Dark Magic, but I ask you to think about this one fact. In all that you have heard, and I'm sure Alaster has filled you in on more than what has been said here, when have you heard of this witch once using that power for personal gain? I sure haven't, only to protect. What dark witch could ever claim that?"

"Alaster told me the difference between Dark Magic and the Dark Arts. Though I'm still not sure there _is_ much of a difference. A life time of believing is a difficult thing to ignore." Greg's father said in a hard tone.

"I'm not asking you to ignore anything. And I don't expect you to trust me. But I am not going anywhere unless your son asks me to." Taylor said quietly as she met Mr. Hunter's hard expression.

"Dad, that is enough! Taylor has more than proven to me that she is no dark witch. On more than one occasion. If you have a problem with her then…" The Hufflepuff started angrily but Taylor cut him off.

"Greg! He is entitled to his own opinion. I will not be driven away, but I also have no wish to separate you from your family. I will leave you three to talk." Taylor said firmly as she stood and walked towards her brother and Moody.

Lupin stood also and, even though he was exhausted, the look he gave the two adults spoke volumes. "I will not tell you what to believe, because in these times every man must defend his family as he sees fit, but Alaster's unrelenting suspicion of that witch is wrong. As will you be, if you try to cling to your beliefs and not use your mind where that witch is concerned." Lupin then nodded and walked away.

Greg laid into his father as soon as the older werewolf was outside the silencing charm that had been put up earlier. "Dad! How can you question Taylor's intentions? She risked her life not over twelve hours ago to sneak out of this castle and save me! Then she willingly faced two werewolves to go look for her professor!"

"It's my job to question her actions! Because she did sneak out of this sealed and warded castle! How did she know about that tunnel? How would she know it was unwarded?" Greg's father demanded sharply.

"Maybe because Harry, Ron and I went out that same tunnel not long ago to see where some Slytherins were going!" Greg shot back.

"Greg, your father is right to question that witch. You know Dark Magic or Arts are bad news. You've been taught that from day one!" His uncle Mike said backing up his father.

"So you are going to judge her on what Moody has told you? Well did Moody tell you he has used an Unforgivable on that witch? No? How about that he has goaded her time and time again trying to get her to snap and attack him with Dark Magic? No? How about that he tried to read her mind just a day after she lost Mrs. Briggs, the closet thing she had to family, and that she wouldn't let him? Yet when it came to saving me!? No matter what it cost her, she willingly let him! Yeah that sounds like a dark witch to me! She got a lot out of that! She wasn't the same for days afterward! She has no family! No one Dad, yet is she over here trying to get close to ours? No she walked away so you and Uncle Mike could stay!" Greg was furious, and on some level he was very glad it was after the full moon and not before, because he probably would have done more than glare at his father.

His father was silent for a few long moments as he stared at his angry son. It was Mike that broke the heavy silence.

"For being your witch, as you are trying to make us believe, she looked quite comfortable hugging Potter."

Greg felt a little twinge of jealousy but it hadn't been Potter that she had risked her life to save. "Harry and Taylor are closer to brother and sister than they are to best friends. Harry, Ron and Ginny Weasley and Hermione Granger are the closet she has to any family at all. They all share an incredible friendship that has bonds that I would say are as close to family ties as it is possible to get. I've watched the five of them interact and they are like a family. It's really quite amazing. They have even integrated me into that group. And me being a werewolf wasn't even a tiny issue. They just accepted it the same as Taylor." Greg looked at his father imploring him to listen to him and think.

"If anyone was a candidate to turn to the Dark it was Taylor. She was alone, with no family from a young age. She was quiet and, believe it or not, soft spoken. But never have I ever seen her back down from a challenge, or a fight! Even when she was wandless she found a way to protect herself. But other than pulling a prank on some well deserving Slytherins, I have never seen her try to bully anyone. She takes no shit from anyone though! But she does not look for attention and usually avoids it at all costs."

"I can't explain her use of Dark Magic. I don't think she can either. It's like being made a werewolf. It's something she has no control over. She can simply do it." Greg looked over where his witch was standing by Moody and Potter listening to what they were saying and he wondered if there were a couple of fresh burn marks on her neck. "It's not something she is proud of, but she has accepted it and has sworn to use it against Voldemort in any way that she can. What's more important is that I have accepted that she can use Dark Magic. I've known since just after Christmas.

"She might be willing to step aside and allow you to not trust her but I am not. She is my mate. She's the witch I plan on marrying as soon as she will have me when we finish school. I do not need your permission, but I would like to have your acceptance." Greg looked back up at his father and waited.

Dan Hunter stared at his son for a long time, taking note of the exhaustion on his son's face but also the set of his jaw and the look in his clear blue eyes. A man lay in that bed looking up at him. Gone, even from the month before, was the little bit of boy who had remained. His son had watched a wizard die and been forced to kill one, all in the span of three days and it had changed him. Dan could see it. His son had just spoken to him as a man, not a pleading son, but firm and resolute.

"Are you sure you are not mixing desire up with something else? She is a very pretty little thing if you look past the dirt and short hair." Mike said as he looked across the hospital ward at the witch causing the problem.

Greg's voice was hard and had a distinct warning in it, "Uncle Mike that is the witch I plan on marrying. Unless you are looking for a fight I suggest you curb your comments in the future."

Greg's father put a hand on his brother's shoulder to stop him from speaking, so that he could address his son. "I think what your Uncle is trying to say, in a rather crass sort of way, is that are you sure you are thinking straight? A lot has happened to you in just two short months. And if you are experiencing such strong symptoms from the werewolf then maybe you aren't thinking…"

Greg interrupted his father. "The _symptoms_ are not some strange new feeling. They are more of a magnification of what I already feel. The werewolf is not choosing Taylor. I have chosen Taylor and the werewolf simply agrees with that choice. I loved Taylor before I ever became a werewolf. Those feelings have only grown deeper since."

Greg's father nodded, "Okay son. We are only trying to look out for you. I don't want you to make a mistake, or alienate your family who loves you very much."

"I know that Dad. I'm not making a mistake. I love her so much it scares me at times. I don't want to be an outcast from my family but I will not stand for them to judge her unfairly either." Greg met his father's eyes and saw that at least he accepted that much from him.

They talked for a little while longer about easier topics before the two wizards said they needed to be on their way.

"Good luck on your NEWTs son. I'll give your mother your love," Dan Hunter said as he clasped his son's hand with one hand and squeezed his shoulder with his other.

* * *

><p>AN I know that this chapter rehashes what happened in the last two but there are some very important... how should I say it? Charactor awarness reminders in this chapter that are very important to understand what happens in the next chapter. Plus You just knew that Greg and taylor would have to tell if not the Ministry then McGonagall what happened out on the school grounds! Hope you enjoyed!

Well this chapter will take us over 400,000 words... WOW! Who knew I could write so much! I sure didn't when I started this story almost 5 years ago! We are appraoching the end... only about 10 or so chapters to go. So if you are reading this... then THANK YOU for sticking with this story for so long! I am honoured that you have taken the time to read this far! I only hope you enjoy the rest of the story! Until next time, cytpotter.


	92. When the Heart Betrays the Mind

Nope I still don't own Harry!

Okay all I can say about this chapter is that my muse said that this is what Taylor would do and she wouldn't let me change it. All I can ask is that you bear with me and I think that the crazyness of this chapter will be explained soon.

Let the craziness begin...

* * *

><p>Chapter Ninety-two<p>

**When the Heart Betrays the Mind**

Taylor watched the exchange from over by the doors. Moody was talking about their next research session but she wasn't really listening. Hadn't been the whole time, as she watched covertly what was happening between the Head Boy and his father and uncle. She knew it had become somewhat heated at times as well, she could tell by the firm set of the Hufflepuff's jaw that he'd not backed down from something his father had said. She watched as they shook hands and knew that the Head Boy's father and uncle would be leaving. Making a decision she interrupted Moody.

"I need to talk to Greg's father and uncle for a minute… alone."

"What makes you think they want to talk to you?" was Moody's gravelly inquiry.

Taylor could see the two wizards eyeing her as they walked towards her, "Oh I have no doubt that they do."

"Taylor, what are you going to do?" Harry asked as he stepped in front of his sister meeting her eye. That determined glint was in them again.

"Don't worry Potter. You know me. I never do anything rash or foolish." Taylor said softly before she side stepped her brother and met the two wizards as they reached the door.

Madame Pomfrey chose that moment to come out of her office and head for the Hufflepuff laying in the bed, putting the screen back up as she went, saying that people tended to rest better when they didn't have to worry about being gawked at.

Taylor grinned and could have kissed the nurse right then. The smile fell from her face when she locked eyes with the Head Boy's father. "Mr. Hunter I'd like a word with you if you would." Her voice was low and she glanced at the Hufflepuff's uncle to show that she included him too.

"That would be fine."

Taylor glanced at Moody, "How about over there? In that empty classroom?" She knew the ex-auror took his orders form McGonagall seriously, but he could see her from here, so technically he wasn't disobeying his orders.

Moody merely grunted as he nodded.

Harry watched his sister as she led the two wizards into the classroom he had used once to tell Ron and Ginny about Taylor's nightmare. He wondered what his sister had planned, or more likely what was going to spew from her mouth when her temper flared. He knew though that nothing he could say would change her mind.

A grim smile pulled at her lips as she heard one of the wizards close the door and put up a silencing charm. Turning she met their silent appraisal of her.

Deciding not to mince words, "You have a problem with me and my ability to use Dark Magic."

"I do Miss Porter. Especially where my son seems determined to take you as his wife." Greg's father said in a severe tone.

Taylor sighed, wondering why the Hufflepuff would have to bring that to the forefront once more. She had no doubt that she'd agree when he asked her, she just didn't know if they'd ever get to that point in time. "Look Mr. Hunter, if it will make you feel any better, the chances that we will ever get to that point are slim."

The statement made the wizard pause for a moment. "What do you mean?"

"I mean that the war is drawing closer. All hell is going to break loose soon and the likelihood that I reach the end alive is… well I wouldn't bet the few knuts I have to my name on it! I'll do every thing in my power to keep Greg away, though I can't promise you anything." Taylor said it in a matter-of-fact sounding voice.

"It sounds like you are planning on dying! And taking my son with you!" The words were clipped and cold.

Taylor laughed, but it held no humor. "Mr. Hunter, Voldemort is actively looking for me, as well as Harry. In a few short weeks we will be leaving the protection of this school for good. Harry is the Chosen One. You do the math."

"You knew this back at Christmas yet you still allowed Greg to fall for you? You allowed him to get near you!" The ice-cold tone of Greg's uncle accused.

"I didn't _allow_ anything! I tried to dissuade him. Maybe I didn't try hard enough… I even told him about my Dark Magic. He just didn't listen. My heart didn't listen to my head either. I didn't mean for this to happen. Things were far less complicated before I fell in love and my heart dared to start to hope for something that isn't likely to ever be. I'm sorry." It was like the fight went out of her, admitting to Greg's father and uncle what she had known for some time. That she had failed the Head Boy. She had given in and allowed her heart to rule over her head and in doing so she was going to cause him, as well as his family, pain. Something she had never intended to allow to happen.

The hole in her heart, that her parents, aunt and uncle and Mrs. Briggs had torn when she lost them, expanded painfully as she thought about what she would do to Greg, and in turn his family. Silently she cursed her heart for betraying her and letting the Hufflepuff fall in love with her.

Turning away she bowed her head as she fought the pain that her next words were going to cause her. "You're right Mr. and Mr. Hunter. Against my better judgment, I allowed the Hufflepuff to get close to me. For that I am truly sorry. I will do all within my power to right that wrong." Turning she met each of their eyes before she walked to the door and left.

Harry really wasn't sure what he was expecting when his sister came out of that room but it sure wasn't the dead look in her eyes or the closed look on her face. Unable to tear his eyes away from her, he didn't notice the two wizards who came to the door and stared after her in shock. Without a word she walked past him and instead of going over to the bed beside the Hufflepuff she headed to the opposite side of the room and sat down.

Taylor felt hollow as she grappled with the decision she had just made. She knew she would suffer, but hopefully in the end it would make it easier for the Head Boy and that was all that counted. That and helping her brother destroy Voldemort.

She barely noticed when her brother sat down beside her, caught up in her own inner turmoil as she was. She was thankful for one thing, that the Hufflepuff would have fallen asleep by now as exhausted as he was. Sometime later Moody came to tell her that the Head Mistress needed her and that Shacklebolt would take her there. Woodenly she stood and walked out of the Hospital Wing knowing she would not return today.

Time was a strange thing. When she had been with the Hufflepuff it had passed with barely a thought, now it staggered along like a drunk weaving slow and then fast but always in a sort of stupor.

Her brother and friends had pestered, pried and pulled to try to get her to tell them what had happened but she had refused to say anything, or even mention the Head Boy in any way.

She had gone to the Hospital Wing early Tuesday morning and told him that she'd realized she wasn't in love with him and that it was time to end the game. The Hufflepuff had sat in stunned disbelief as he watched his witch turn and walk out of the door. When he had gotten out of the Hospital later that day, he had tried to go talk to the Gryffindor witch but she had avoided him for nearly two days. Finally when he did corner her, she simply repeated what she had said to him in the Hospital Wing.

Gossip in the school flew like wild fire. The sensation that the Head Boy had broken up with Porter, on top of what had happened out on the school grounds during the full moon, filled every hallway and common room, as well as the tables during meals.

Taylor ignored all but her close friends and even them if they even hinted at talking about the Head Boy. Her only saving grace was that with NEWTs fast approaching they didn't pester her like they would have otherwise.

The Head Boy, after a heated argument that nearly came to blows with Potter and Weasley, was now trying to come to grips with the fact that his witch was no longer his and trying desperately to lose himself in studying for his upcoming exams.

The second week in June brought with it the start of their NEWT exams. They started with Charms on Monday followed each day by Potions, Defense Against the Dark Arts, Transfiguration, History of Magic and Hermione had Arithmacy after that. That weekend they spent studying for their remaining exams.

Tuesday afternoon Taylor was finishing her last exam, Herbology which was written in the Great Hall but the practical was out in the greenhouses. The stooped old witch that was testing her had just finished asking her the last question on the exam and she headed out of the greenhouse finally finished. Only a couple of seventh years remained to be tested and she walk past them as they tried to cram a little last minute studying in.

Finally free, she had no wish to head back to the school where she might run into her friends, or worse, the two or three dozen witches who had decided they would hound her for information, or even worse than that, the possibility of running into the Hufflepuff.

So with that thought in mind, she walked down across the grounds towards the Forbidden Forest. The thought that she might stop in and see Hagrid floating through her mind until she remembered that the Head Boy took Care of Magical Creatures and that exam was scheduled for that afternoon as well, or the practical part of it was anyway. Turning again she headed for the lake and followed it around until she was out of sight of the castle and most of the grounds. Finding a spot partially hidden behind a tree she sat down.

Thoughts plagued her, as she stared out at the ripples on the lake made by the slight breeze that helped to cool one from the warmth of the afternoon sun. Taking her robe off and pushing her sleeves up, she wasn't too hot sitting in the shade of the tree. Now that exams were over it was time to get to work on planning their fight against Voldemort. She knew that they had been extremely lucky that Voldemort hadn't done anything to force their hand yet. That luck wasn't likely to hold much longer.

A vague thought that had been plaguing her for days again returned as she thought about where they should make their stand against Voldemort. It was as elusive as always and the sun dipped low beyond the castle in the distance and still she was no closer to figuring it out. Twilight fell before she even thought about returning to the castle. Supper would long be over so she'd have to sneak to the kitchens for something to eat, or maybe she'd just skip supper all together. The kitchens were dangerously close to the Hufflepuff's common room.

She was about to get up when a twig snapping to her left made her come to her feet wand in hand. Carefully she looked all around and couldn't see anything in the deep shadows under the trees between her and the castle in the unseen distance. Picking up her robe she put it back on and moving silently she slipped into the deeper woods and away from the lake. She hadn't gone that far when she saw a bright white glow moving towards her. Stopping in the cover of the forest she waited until the glowing doe stopped in front of her.

"I need to see you tonight. Follow the path that leads to the right of the secret passage. A horn awaits you." The oily voice spoke quietly and then faded, as did the Patronus.

Taylor stood undecided for a few seconds before she headed into the forest towards the secret passage and the path that led away from it. She wondered how Snape had known she would be alone near the woods tonight, though she reasoned it wouldn't take a whole lot to figure that out if he had any inside information at all. She highly suspected he did.

She hadn't gone all that far when she heard something behind her and she turned watching her back trail carefully. Stepping silently she moved into the deeper shadows of a nearby tree and waited. It wasn't more then a minute when an indistinct form moved stealthily towards her through the forest. She waited until it had drawn abreast of her before she disarmed who ever it was.

"Bloody hell Porter! You nearly gave me a heart attack!"

Taylor felt a huge acidic ball form in her stomach as she recognized the voice. Coldly she asked, "What do you think you are doing following me, Hunter?"

"A better question would be, where do you think you are going?" the voice all but snarled back.

"None of your damn business!" was her snappy reply.

"I'm still Head Boy of this school and I'm making it my business! Ten points from Gryffindor for being in the Forbidden Forest! I'll make it fifty if you don't tell me what the hell you are doing!" the Hufflepuff ground out.

"You can go to hell! Now either you shut your mouth and turn around and head back to the school, and feel free to alert as many aurors as you wish! Or I stun you and leave you here for the night! Take your pick!"

Even in the near dark she could see the scowl on the Head Boy's face.

"You're going to meet that Death Eater again. I suppose that shouldn't surprise me." The words were so filled with spite that it made Taylor flinch.

"That is none of your business!" Taylor spit back.

"As Head Boy of this school it sure as hell is, witch!" the last word sounded more like a foul curse. Suddenly he leaped at her and caught her off guard, his shoulder rammed into the pit of her stomach and drove all the air out of her before the ground met her back and she had no air left to make a sound. She felt his hand closing over her wand hand and knew he meant to physically yank the wand out of her hand. Swinging her left hand she made contact with some part of him that was hard, as she kicked viciously. He had nearly pried her wand from her hand when, with a hard jerk, she was able to move her wrist and sent him sailing off her.

Gasping for air she climbed to her feet as the Hufflepuff cursed and stood also.

"You had better make it a good hex, because there is no way I am letting you go meet that Death Eater!"

Taylor shook her head, "You barmy sodding git!" was all she got out before he charged at her again. This time she had more warning, only because he had been farther away to begin with. Her first spell missed him and her second caught him just before he collided with her again and they both went crashing to the ground.

"A jelly-legs jinx? Really Porter I'm rather disappointed!" The Head Boy snapped as he fought his jerking legs as he attempted to pin the witch beneath him so he could grab her wand.

Taylor struggled hard and was nearly free when stars exploded as something solid smashed into her nose with a sickening crunch. It was a gut reaction to send the Head Boy flying away from her once again. Coughing as blood poured from her nose she slowly stood once more, and her glasses fell to the ground broken.

"Taylor?" the voice called from the dark, worriedly, "Are you all right?"

Taylor spit, trying to get rid of the blood in her mouth and ended up leaning over so it could run onto the ground. She needed to find her glasses so she lit the tip of her wand and ignored the Hufflepuff and his exclamation as she looked for her broken glasses and repaired them. Gingerly she put them back on before looking over where the Head Boy was trying to make his way towards her despite his jerking legs.

Spitting out another mouth full of blood she said thickly, "Damn you Hufflepuff. What da' hell got into you? I'm going! I'll leave your wand here and you can head on back to da' castle!" She set his wand down on a stump so he wouldn't be defenseless and turned to go.

"Why? Can't you at least tell me why?" the pain in his voice tore at her heart, ripping it wide open.

She didn't turn around and she was glad that her voice sounded strange, as suddenly it was thick with emotion. She answered him and knew it wasn't the answer he was looking for. "Cause it's what I have to do. Bye Hufflepuff." Moving off quickly she used her lit wand for a ways before she put it out and continued on in the dark. A few minutes later she heard a noise and spinning around, wand raised, she could see a strange looking shape walking towards her. Lighting the tip of her wand again she recognized the Thestral making its way carefully towards her, attracted no doubt by the smell of her blood.

"Hey, do you know where the tunnel from the school comes out into the forest?" It was a long shot but it would save her time. To her surprise the skeletal looking horse looked at her and nodded. "Would you take me there? You can have my sweater if you do, it's full of blood." The strange looking horse nodded again and Taylor wasted no time climbing up onto it. The large wings on either side unfolded and the Thestral took off. It wasn't a very long flight, not like the one to London in her fifth year. At least this time she could see the Thestral. When it landed she took off her sweater and wiping as much blood off as she could, she gave it to the skeletal horse. Her nose had slowed up and had nearly stopped bleeding now. She gave him a pat and then hurried along the path, her wand lit and it was another fifteen minutes before she reached the end. Looking around she could see a horn. A horn that looked like it was from a muggle child's bike.

She paused for only a moment before she picked it up, trusting her instincts that told her that she could trust Snape. The moment her hand touched the horn she felt a jerk right behind her belly button and the portkey spun her away.

A moment later she landed rather hard and fell to her knees. Her wand was out and she looked around carefully. She was in a cemetery. She could see grave stones in the darkness.

"Well you came alone this time, Porter. A rather noble feat I suppose." The oily voice said snarkily from behind her.

Taylor stood and turned to look at her old professor. "Let's just cut the chit chat. What do you want?"

"Have some trouble did we? Is there trouble in paradise?" The oily voice asked smoothly as Snape stepped towards her.

"You wanted to see me?" Taylor snapped, she didn't plan on telling him anything.

"Yes I did. I have these for you to view. They should answer any lingering questions you might have. You might wish to view them with Potter." Snape floated a small vial towards her and she caught it. She knew it was full of memories.

"What are these?"

"Clues for the last Horcruxes. That is what you have been searching for, isn't it?" again the voice was snarky.

Taylor nodded. The thought that had been eluding her for a long time suddenly became crystal clear. "What do you know about the Department of Mysteries?"

The question threw Snape for a moment, so out of the blue like it was. "Not all that much. Why?"

The idea solidified in her mind and it was like figuring out that one plus one equaled two. It was a cold hard fact. She knew what else she needed to ask. "Will this portkey take me back to the Forbidden Forest from anywhere or just here?"

"Porter what ever you are thinking I'd suggest you stow it away. The Dark Lord is probably already aware that you have left Hogwarts. You need to go straight back!"

"Just answer my question!"

"Yes it will take you back from anywhere." Came the clipped reply.

"Good. I need to meet with you again in two or three days."

"That will not be possible!" Came a hissed reply this time.

"Well it has to be. I have an idea but I need to check it out first and then talk it over with Harry. If it is what I think it is… well we just might have a chance." Taylor looked at the wizard in Death Eater's clothing. She knew he had risked his life to see her tonight. Was she asking too much to ask him to come again?

Several tense moments went by as Snape glared at the underage witch.

"Be alone in the forest in three days time! To active the portkey simply touch it with your wand and say, _'Envenerate'_." With that Snape spun on the spot and apparated away with a pop.

Taylor stood there for a minute steeling herself for what she was about to do. Tucking the portkey into her robe, wand in hand, she thought of where she wanted to go and spun.

Her lessons with Shacklebolt and Moody resounded in her ears and she used the dis-illusionment charm and apparated to three different remote locations before she fixed the place she really wanted to go firmly in her mind.

When the tight bands of apparation released she was standing on a deserted country road staring at a neat little two-story stone house surrounded by a carefully tended garden of shrubs, trees and flowerbeds. The difference now from when she had been here before was that even in the dark she could see the trees all had their leaves and flowers were growing in the flowerbeds that bordered the brick walkway. She noted that the lights were on in the house as she stepped through the wards surrounding _Hunter's Place._

She went quickly to the door and conjuring her Patronus sent it into the house with a request to speak with Mr. Hunter. She only had to wait for a few minutes before she heard a deep hard voice.

"Code word?"

Taylor thought of the one she had used before and said, "Fuzzy Pears. Plus I told you just over two weeks ago that I would right the wrongs I allowed with your son."

The door opened and Mr. Hunter stood there staring at her.

She knew what she had to do. She pushed her feelings away with a brutality that felt like slamming an iron door, the reverberations traveled through her and a coldness invaded her chest where her aching heart had been. "I need to speak to you for a moment."

"Is Greg all right? Has something happened?" Mr. Hunter demanded.

"Your son is safe at Hogwarts."

She could see him sigh in relief, "Well you had better come in then. We can talk in my study."

Silently she followed him into the house. Holding onto that coldness, she passed through the house as pleasant memories tried to break through the ice.

"Why Taylor! What happened to you? Are you all right?" Mrs. Hunter exclaimed as her eyes widened at the sight of the witch.

"I am fine Mrs. Hunter. I just had a run in with an errant knee on the way here." Taylor explained as she remembered her broken nose and the blood that still covered her. In the lights of the house she could see that the blood had soaked through her sweater and her school blouse was stained with it.

The Hufflepuff's mother stared at her stunned for a moment before she asked, "Dan do you need your healers bag? I can fetch it for you before I get us some tea and biscuits."

"Thank you but that won't be necessary Mrs. Hunter. This is not a social call and I won't be staying long." Taylor kept her voice polite and courteous, even if it sounded rather hollow to her. She didn't want to offend the woman who had been so kind to her on her previous visits.

"That's all right dear, like Miss Porter said she won't be staying long." Mr. Hunter's voice was hard and clipped and the Hufflepuff's mother turned worried eyes on her husband asking him silently what was going on. His voice softened a little, "I'd like some tea afterwards," before he led Taylor into his study and shut the door.

Like the last time she spoke to him she didn't bother wasting any time. As soon as she put up a silencing charm she asked, "I came to ask you about the Department of Mysteries."

His lips thinned and his eyes narrowed as he regarded the underage witch in his study cautiously. "You should already know I can not tell you anything about that. I might not be an Unmentionable but I have been sworn to secrecy."

Taylor had been worried she might run into something like this so she tried to rephrase her question. "I'm not interested in what goes on there. I only wanted to know what is behind the locked door in the circular revolving room."

"How do you know about that?" Mr. Hunter demanded.

"Because I've been there, in my fifth year, with Harry. If this wasn't very important I wouldn't be here." Taylor answered as she worked to keep the annoyance out of her voice.

"Why should I risk telling you anything? When you have done nothing but hurt my son?" his voice was hard and clipped.

"I'm doing what I promised you I would! Righting the wrong!" Taylor shot back.

"By breaking up with him? After he killed a man to save you? He's a werewolf because of you!"

The accusation sliced through the ice around her heart and hit its mark. Swallowing the pain she snarled, "Don't you think I know that? Don't you think I would have gladly been the one bitten instead of him? If I could I'd do anything to make it so he didn't have to suffer like that! But I can't! Nothing I ever do will ever make that up to him or to you and your family! The only thing I can do is make sure the bastard that did that to him, and is hurting so many more, is stopped!" Breathing hard Taylor glared at the Head Boy's father. She knew now that coming here was a mistake.

"I'm sorry I came. And I'm sorry for what I did to your family. I'll let myself out!" Striding past the wizard she had reached the door behind him before his voice stopped her.

"Behind the locked door is a powerful force of magic that very little is known about. Some call it Positive energy others Pure Love. It is similar to the magic contained in a Patronus. It can't be destroyed by even the foulest of creatures. It is uncontrollable and the wards containing it are ancient."

Taylor nodded, "Thank you." She said quietly before she opened the door and walked out of the house. Once outside the wards, she spun, barely fixing a place in her mind first. When the bands released her she spun again, and again. When she couldn't think any more she withdrew the portkey from her robe and pointing her wand at it felt the jerk behind her belly button.

* * *

><p>AN ... well there you have it. I know likely many of you are going to think that Taylor has finally lost her marbles but this was how I seen her reacting. I fretted over this chapter after I wrote it for a long time and even tried to write something different but this was the only way Taylor would let me do it. What can I say her voice is rather loud and persistent in my brain when she wants to be! The only thing I can say is... when has Taylor ever done anything the conventional way? And she is a teenager with powerful emotions... Hopefully it is in the relm of believable.

Thank you for reading! Thank you to those of you have left a review! I LOVE you all! And THANK YOU to barbc... who has made this saga readable! Until next time, cytpotter.


	93. Memories

I hope you are holding on because this will be a CRAZY rollercoaster ride to the end! Hope you enjoy! :D

* * *

><p>Chapter Ninety-three<p>

**Memories**

When she landed in the Forbidden Forest she incinerated the horn and then quickly made her way along the path to the hidden passage and through it. She wasn't sure if the tunnel would still be unwarded but she'd try this way first. To her relief she made it all the way to the stone statue of an evil looking serpent and opening it slowly she peered out and, seeing no one, she slipped out and sealed it herself.

She knew it had to be close to curfew if not a little after. She was just thinking she had better vanish the blood and dirt off when a cold quiet voice stopped her feet as her heart slammed into over drive.

"I was beginning to wonder if you were ever going to come back. Ten points from Gryffindor for being out after curfew!"

Taylor wheeled, palming her wand, to glare at the Head Boy. "What are you doing here?"

"I thought that was obvious. Catching a sneak." The Hufflepuff was leaning against the wall casually but the set of his jaw and the hardness in his eyes was anything but casual.

"Why don't you just piss off Hunter!" Taylor snapped, her feelings were roiling too close to the surface and she knew if she didn't get away from him she'd either jinx him or kiss him.

"You better watch it Porter, I could give you detention. Or if I let it slip that you've been off galavanting around the countryside again, maybe even worse!" The cold voice held a hint of menace.

"You really are a sodding git, you know that Hunter! Do whatever you want! But unless you plan on drawing your wand I'm going." Turning her back on him she started up the corridor again.

Two figures came around the corner and Taylor recognized them instantly.

"Ohhh! A lovers spat! Disgustingly revolting! What's the matter Mudblood? Did Hunter finally get tired of _sharing_ you with Potter and Weasley?" Parkinson asked viciously. The Slytherin seventh year wizard with her laughed coldly.

"Parkinson unless you want to spend the few remaining days you have here at Hogwarts in the hospital I suggest you shove off! Now!" Taylor said in a low warning tone. She wasn't in the mood for a fight but she wasn't about to back away either.

Parkinson laughed. "Oh Mudblood. I don't think so, not this time!"

Taylor already had her wand in her hand and the instant that the two Slytherins went for their wands she stunned the two of them. Turning around she saw the Head Boy push off the wall and stride towards her. Behind him four more Slytherins came skidding around the corner and she figured that something must have held them up. Parkinson had hastily made plans to get her back and they hadn't come together quite like the Slytherin witch had planned.

With a flourish she fired two spells past the Head Boy before he had time to draw his wand. Advancing, her wand a blur, she made it past him as she blocked and fired letting loose her pent up anger, and within moments all four Slytherins lay on the floor.

"Ten points from Gryffindor! For fighting in the hallways!"

Taylor wheeled her lip curling up over her teeth in fury. "Go to hell Hunter before I stun you and leave you here with this bunch of gits!"

"That wouldn't surprise me Porter. You've already proven that you'll leave a person in a vulnerable position!" was the cold reply.

Taylor's wand had red sparks spitting from the end as she glared at the Head Boy attempting to get a grip on her temper. "That's right! I'm dangerous like that! So stay the hell away from me!" She spit the words out like they were something foul before she stalked past the tall Hufflepuff to the corner and around it before her feet started to run. Anger fueled her and she raced up through the castle using every short cut and back stairway she knew, barely avoiding a patrolling auror once, to finally reach the Fat Lady gasping for air.

As soon as she could, she uttered the password and went into the common room, where her brother was waiting along with the others in the loud crowded common room. She didn't give Harry time to say a word, she just headed up to his room knowing he and the others would follow.

"Where have you been? Hermione said that Hunter had told her that you'd gotten some sort of message and went tearing off!" Harry demanded the second they were in his dorm room, which thankfully was empty. With exams being over, everyone was looking to celebrate and going to bed early wasn't high on anyone's list.

Taylor warded and silenced the room before she turned to her brother. "I went to meet the Death Eater. But what's more important, I know where we can fight Voldemort!"

"You went to see him again!"

"Bloody Hell Taylor! What did you do that for?"

"What did you find out?" Ginny asked calmly.

"Not all that much from him. He gave me some memories that I need to see in a Pensive. They are supposed to be clues for the last two Horcrux." Taylor said to the red-haired witch.

"I thought we had decided that it was Nigini." Ron said.

"Well that will be a little troublesome don't you think? If we go after Nigini before we kill Voldemort he'll know we know about the Horcruxes." Taylor said in a dismissive tone. She had something bigger to tell them.

"So where is this wondrous place exactly?" Harry asked sarcastically, as he glared at his sister. He really didn't understand what went through her head at times.

"At the Ministry for Magic! In the Department of Mysteries to be exact!" Taylor proclaimed with a satisfied grin.

"Are you barking mad?" Ron shouted.

"You have _got _to be joking!" Harry said shaking his head, wondering if maybe the obviously broken nose she was sporting had somehow addled her brains.

"The Department of Mysteries? Why there?" asked Hermione as she started to think about it.

Taylor grinned at her friend, "Because of the locked room!" The blank looks on her brother's and friends' faces told her that she needed to explain further. "The locked room is full of a powerful positive magical force. It's the Room of Love. Dumbledore told Harry about it at the end of fifth year…" she trailed off as they really didn't seem to get as excited over it as she was.

"Wouldn't the room with the Dark Veil be better? Maybe we could get Voldemort close enough to it and push him in!" Ron suggested half-heartedly.

Taylor stared from one to the other and knew they just didn't get it.

"Okay," Harry started skeptically because he could see how crestfallen his sister looked and wanted to try to understand her idea. "If we go to the Department of Mysteries and find the locked room what makes you think we can get through it this time? We couldn't last time!"

"Because this time we know that Ancient magic sealed it… and I can use Dark Magic this time!" Taylor explained forcefully.

"How do you know that?" Hermione asked, and Taylor quickly told them about going to the Head Boy's house and asking his father.

After a few well-chosen oaths from the two wizards, Hermione shook her head and said, "I think that was very dangerous! You could have put Greg's parents in danger by going there. Plus that was a very dangerous piece of information to ask. What if Mr. Hunter tells someone?"

Taylor shook her head. They didn't get it. She started to pace as she thought. Deep down in her very soul Taylor knew that she was right. The images of her last _nightmare,_ that had been plaguing her ever since, finally made sense. Deep in thought, it took a hand on her arm to stop her.

"Hey, I'm not saying that it isn't a good idea, just that we need to think about it some more." Harry said gently, "What happened to your nose?"

Taylor felt her teeth clench and said through them, "I'm surprised Hermione didn't tell you. I'm sure _he'd_ enjoy gloating over that one!"

It was Ginny who caught on first. She knew that the last few weeks, ever since the last full moon, Taylor had refused to talk about Greg and if she absolutely needed to speak of him she never used his name. "Greg broke your nose? Why would he do something like that?"

"Because he thought he'd stop me from going. Bloody tosser!" Taylor snapped.

"Greg broke your nose?" Harry asked surprised and then he said tongue-in-cheek, "Well I guess I can't blame him for that. I would have done worse if I'd've caught you sneaking off to go see a Death Eater!"

Taylor gave her brother a dirty look, but Hermione interrupted what was likely to escalate to a shouting match between the two. "Oh for heavens sake! I know Greg would never have done anything to you on purpose Taylor! And so do you. Here I can fix your nose for you and then you can go get cleaned up." The bushy-haired witch quickly gave a swish of her wand and a little crunching sound followed by a groan had Taylor's nose fixed. "You'll probably have two black eyes tomorrow but if you go to Pomfrey she can have those cleared up by tomorrow night."

Taylor's thank you was short before she strode to the door and, releasing the wards, left.

Hermione watched her friend leave with a sad sigh. She really didn't understand what had gotten into the witch. First she had broken up with Greg for no apparent reason and then refused to talk about it. Of course with NEWTs nearly on them she hadn't had much time to think about it, but now…

"Do you know why Taylor broke up with Greg?" she asked no one in particular.

Harry shook his head. He was just as astounded as the others. His sister had refused to even speak to him about it. "I don't know. Like I told you, when she came out of that classroom with Greg's father and uncle she was different. She wasn't even in there that long. I know they weren't all that happy with the fact that she could use Dark Magic but with Moody watching with his magical eye they couldn't have done anything to her."

"She just wouldn't break up with him because his father and uncle were upset. There has to be more to it than that. I've talked to him about it and he is just as confused as we are. He really isn't taking the break up very well. I happened to run into Ernie this evening and he said Greg is really upset. Do you think he followed her after the exams to maybe talk to her?"

"I don't know but the bloody git better not have hit Taylor, upset or not!" Ron growled.

"I think she's trying to distance herself from him." Ginny said quietly. When the others looked at her she continued. "She's already told us that she doubts she'll make it through this fight. If she is as convinced as she seemed to be with the location, then wouldn't it stand to reason she is trying to make it easier on him if she doesn't."

The other three were silent for a long moment.

"Well that's just barking mad! Anybody can see the bloody bloke is crazy over her! She can't expect Hunter to just get over her like that." Ron exclaimed in exasperation.

"I didn't say it made sense," Ginny said with a shrug of her shoulders.

Taylor had gone up to her dorm room and after a quick shower had grabbed parchment, quill and ink and set about drawing up plans for her idea. When she heard someone coming she had pulled her coverings closed and sealed them. She worked most of the night until she was too exhausted to keep her eyes open, like she had every night since the full moon, and she fell into a fitful sleep plagued by images of blue eyes and the haunting howl of a werewolf.

At dawn the next morning she was awake and she got up, already planning her next move. Getting dressed and pulling her once again clean school robe on, she slipped silently out of her room. She moved down one stair case and up the other and into her brother's room. Carefully she opened his trunk and after a quick search took out the Map and slipped back down to the common room. Activating it, she looked carefully around the school and, other than Mrs. Norris, no one seemed to be up except the patrolling aurors on the lower floors. Not unusual for that early in the morning.

She looked at the Head Mistress' office and noted McGonagall looked to still be asleep. Then almost of their own accord, her eyes searched out and saw the dot labeled Greg Hunter in his common room, unmoving. Even as she told herself not to, she stared at that dot and time had no meaning as she thought back to all the good times they had. The way the tall dark haired wizard could make her laugh, or even smile, with just a look. Her heart pounded painfully as she remembered the way he made her feel, safe in his arms and protected. Something she hadn't truly felt since she had lost her uncle.

Deep down she knew that his remarks to her, just like hers had been, were to cover up the pain he felt. She wished that she could make it so that he didn't hurt, but what kept her going, what made her put one foot in front of the other, was the thought that this way, if she didn't reach the end of the fight, that he would heal. In time.

When McGonagall finally got up and headed out of her office for the Great Hall, Taylor slipped out of the still empty Gryffindor common room and headed for the stone gargoyle, easily avoiding anyone with the help of the Map.

Stepping off the revolving stair case, she finally reached the oak door, checking the Map one last time she pushed open the door. The Head Mistress' office was lit up by the early morning sun as she moved across it to a cabinet that she was fairly sure held the Pensive she needed. Opening it, she could see the round stone bowl and she carefully took it out and set it on the large oak desk. Glancing around she noticed that Dumbledore was absent from his picture frame, and all the other portraits seemed to be asleep.

Pouring the vial Snape had given her into the Pensive, she looked at it for a moment and then, just like her brother had told her he did, she put her head down and when she touched the swirling mass she felt like she was upended and fell.

The scene that appeared was a bright sunny day and a little girl with dark mahogany hair put up in pigtails sat beside a thin narrow boy with dark lanky looking hair.

Taylor crept closer and she heard them speaking.

"_I told you Lily that you were different. See you're a witch just like I'm a wizard. What did your parents say when you got your letter?" The lanky dark haired boy asked._

"_Well they were really surprised. Mum's so excited. Dad and she are taking me to Diagon Alley the first of next week to get my school stuff. Have you ever been to Diagon Alley?" The red-haired girl asked._

"_Sure. A bunch of times! It's really neat!"_

_Taylor felt a warm glow spread through her whole body, this was her Mum. She was seeing her Mum for the first time in something other than a picture. As she watched she heard a very young Snape talking about Diagon Alley and Hogwarts._

After a while the scene shifted and they were on the Hogwarts Express both with their school robes on sitting in the same cabin. The scene shifted again and the two were a little older, possibly third year, walking through the corridors together.

"_So what did you think of the potion Professor Slughorn gave us?" the thirteen year old Lily asked._

"_It wasn't that bad. Until Potter dropped that dung bomb into Goyle's cauldron!" the thirteen year old Snape hissed._

"_Honestly I don't know why Professor Slughorn doesn't kick them both out!" Lily said disgustedly._

"_Oi! Evans!" a voice called and the two kept walking but Taylor looked behind them and saw a black haired spitting image of her brother hurrying to catch up to them and a dark haired tall boy with him. It had to be her father and Sirius Black, at age thirteen. When they stopped, Taylor could see that she did in fact have her father's eyes, though his twinkled with mischief and the smile on his face was easy and carefree. Something she had never been._

_He messed up his hair as he spoke, "So Evans you coming to watch me tomorrow? You can bring Snivilus along if you want. When we beat the Slytherins you can show him where the losers go!"_

"_Why don't you just go jump in the lake, Potter! If I go to the game tomorrow it won't be to watch an arrogant toe rag like you! Now shove off before I do something you'll regret!" Lily snapped as she pushed past James Potter and Sirius Black who both laughed as if Lily had said something very funny._

The scene changed again. A tearful older Lily and an angry Snape.

Then it completely changed. It was dark and they weren't at Hogwarts but on an empty hill top. Snape was on his knees, a look of total devastation about him. A pop and Dumbledore stood there was well.

"_He told me he would spare her…" the voice was anguished almost unrecognizable. "He promised…"_

"_Severus! What are you talking about?" Dumbledore demanded in a hard voice._

"_Lily… the Dark Lord told me that he would spare her!"_

"_Lily… Potter? Severus what has happened to the Potters" Dumbledore's voice seemed to vibrate with authority._

"_He found out where they lived… the secret keeper told him. He promised me…" the howl of agony in his voice cut through Taylor. Whatever else Snape might be, she had no doubt that he loved her mother._

The scene shifted again. It was in the Head Master's office, by the look of Dumbledore it was around their sixth year. She could see his blackened hand anyway.

"_Severus you need to promise me two things. One when the time comes you will make sure you give the right memories to Harry and two that if it comes down to it you will take over Draco's mission and take my life instead of him."_

"_Head Master you can't be serious! Surely…" Snape started to say but Dumbledore interrupted him._

"_Severus please, I am dying. I don't have much longer. My own foolishness caused me this," the Head Master held up his blackened hand. "I need to know that should something happen to me, that Harry gets the information that he needs. You will know when the time is right. If he is to have any chance at all of defeating Tom Riddle then he has to have this information."_

_Snape resignedly nodded his head._

"_And you need to promise me too that you will do the deed Voldemort set out for Draco."_

_It was like all the fight had gone out of Snape as he nodded once again. "I promise Albus, that I will."_

Taylor had felt her stomach drop to about her knees. Dumbledore had asked Snape to kill him. Not only asked but made him promise to do so. All to save the thankless git Malfoy!

The scene changed once again, and Taylor found she had to struggle to concentrate on the new one as the ramifications from the other one were still swirling through her mind.

The new scene was in the Head Master's office as well and she could see her brother standing in front of Dumbledore's desk, as a blackened broken ring and a dirty black book with a hole scorched into the center of it sat on the oak desk.

"_So these are the Horcruxes you have found?" Harry asked._

"_Yes, you recognize Tom Riddle's diary of course, and this is Marvolo's ring. It gave me this black hand when I tried to destroy it." Dumbledore was watching Harry incredibly closely as he spoke, and then Harry reached out towards the ring and Taylor felt a shift in the air almost as if the pressure in the room had dropped and she looked at Dumbledore. _

_The Head Master had sat forward ever so slightly and his blue eyes became penetrating as he stared hard at her brother who was looking at the two items lying so innocently on the desk._

The scene shifted again, just slightly, and she saw the door close behind her brother, and Dumbledore leaned back in his chair a thoughtful expression on his face.

"_Of course… Why didn't I see it before? Tom would have thought that making a Horcrux from such a murder would be significant… That explains so much…"_

_Taylor felt her heart thudding in her chest, each beat hard enough to rock her where she stood._

"_Harry's ability to speak Parrseltongue. His connection to Voldemort… The scar… Tom inadvertently made a Horcrux the night he killed James and Lily… Harry is a Horcrux."_

The scene faded and Taylor felt herself land back on solid ground.

* * *

><p>AN First of all I know some of you are going to say that these memories are very close to what was in Deathly Hallows... and you would be right because I had read the book pryer to writting these and yes that did influence what I wrote... but these memories were all written in my own words so no plagiarism was intended! These memories are important to my story similar to them being important in DH. Though I still have stayed true to what I orginally wrote as the ending of this story before I ever read DH!

I hope you enjoyed this chapter... I promise not to keep you waiting too long for the next one! Until then, cytpotter.


	94. Devastated

Nope I still own nothing but a ancient computer, the plot of this story and the charactors that you didn't know before you started reading this tale! I promise to return Harry... sometime! ;)

* * *

><p>Chapter Ninety-four<p>

**Devastated **

She was too numb to do anything but stare at the swirling mass in the Pensive as her mind staggered under the weight of what she had just found out. It didn't seem real. How could Dumbledore keep something like this from them? How could he talk to them all this time and know something like that?

Woodenly, Taylor took her wand and scooped the memories up and put them back into the vial and put the stopper back on. She put the Pensive back into the cupboard and closed the door. A cabinet caught her eye and she noticed that it was filled with similar vials. Reaching up she put the vial on the top shelf and turning, left the office.

She walked slowly, unseeing as she traveled through the castle, going up stairs and down. If she passed people, she didn't remember it nor whether she spoke to them or if they spoke to her.

Inside she felt as if her whole world had crumbled around her. She had been clinging to the one hope, that after everything, that she would somehow be able to save her brother from the ultimate sacrifice. She had no idea how long she walked before a hand stopped her and she looked up at the face.

"Taylor? What's the matter?" the voice asked concerned.

Taylor just shook her head.

"You're shaking. Did something happen? Did someone attack you?"

Taylor just shook her head again. She didn't know if she could talk. Everything seemed to be happening at the end of a long tunnel.

"Taylor, please. Just say something." The voice pleaded.

The tunnel seemed to be getting longer as she shook her head again.

"Taylor!"

The Hufflepuff cried fearfully as the witch's knees buckled and she fell. He caught her before she hit the floor and lifted the unconscious witch into his arms.

He'd been having breakfast in the Great Hall when Sally-Anne came in and told him that she had just passed Taylor and she had looked glassy eyed and barely acknowledged her. He had thought first of just ignoring the Hufflepuff witch but then decided that he had better go investigate, if only for his own peace of mind. He had found the Gryffindor witch easily enough and had called out to her and not gotten an answer. Not unusual for the last couple of weeks but he had walked past her and turned to look at her over his shoulder. The sight of her blank face had stopped him cold. She had walked right past him as he spoke her name but it was like she didn't even hear him. He'd hurried around her and put his hand on her shoulder to stop her. The blank look in her glassy eyes told him that this wasn't just some mere avoidance tactic of hers.

Looking down at the witch in his arms he could see her face was deathly white. Not sure what was wrong with her, he started for the Hospital Wing. He wasn't that far from it and made it there in less than five minutes. The witch in his arms had yet to stir and the longer she remained unconscious the more worried he became.

When he reached the hospital door it was open and he walked in and the nurse came out of her office.

"Mr. Hunter? What happened?"

"I don't know. She just passed out." The Head Boy said in a worried tone as he followed the nurse to a bed and laid the witch down. He instantly missed the feel of his witch in his arms, after over two weeks of her absence from them, but he stood up and watched as the nurse passed her wand over the unconscious witch.

After a moment the nurse said, "She seems to be in shock. Do you know what happened?"

"Shock? No, I don't know. I just found her wondering around in a sort of daze. She never said anything, she just passed out." The Head Boy informed the nurse.

Madame Pomfrey pursed her lips as she stared down at the witch on the bed. Normally she wouldn't hesitate to revive someone from shock but with this particular witch, she found herself unsure. Deciding to wait for a little longer she summoned a blanket and laid it over her, then performed a warming spell.

"I need to make up a potion. I'll only be a few minutes. Will you stay with Miss Porter please. I hesitate to leave her alone. If something should happen just give a shout." Pomfrey said in a brisk tone before she headed for her office.

The Head Boy nodded and sat down on the edge of the bed. The color was still missing from his witch's face, and when he brushed the hair off her forehead he noticed it was cool to the touch. He picked up her hand and held it, and it too was cool. Bringing it to his lips he kissed it tenderly. He could see thin scars on her hand from who knew when and the small calluses from the things she did. It was a bittersweet moment. On the one hand he relished this stolen moment with her. On the other, his heart ached because he knew when she woke up she would probably drive him away again.

It had been right here over two weeks ago when she had come in and told him that she had made a mistake and that she didn't love him anymore. Even in his shock he could see that she was lying, she was a terrible liar. Pomfrey had actually bound him in the bed and hadn't let him out until that night. He'd gone searching for her but it had been two days before he could finally corner her and she had refused to speak to him and he had ended up shouting at her. They hadn't said barely a civil word to each other since. Not that he seen her all that often. He suspected that she was avoiding him.

The nurse came out then carrying a cup of smoking potion. "It's a pepper up potion. I used the last of the batch I had brewed a couple of days ago before exams were finished." She explained as she approached. Setting the potion on the bedside table, the nurse passed her wand over the still unconscious witch and muttering more to herself then anything, "She's in shock but even at that she should have started to come around by now… unless…"

At that moment the underage witch's eyes began to flutter and after a few moments opened.

"Miss Porter, welcome back. How are you feeling?" The nurse asked in a professional tone.

"Where am I…? How did I get here?"

"Mr. Hunter carried you here. Do you remember what happened?"

The Head Boy watched as the witch looked around, obviously bewildered. Even when her eyes landed on him, there wasn't that closed guarded expression she had worn the last two and a half weeks.

"What happened…?" Her voice was even a little bewildered, then it was like watching a blind close as memories flooded her eyes. They closed before he could see and when they opened again they were guarded and hostile. "I'm fine Madame Pomfrey. I… was stunned by an over zealous firstie. I'm fine now."

The nurse narrowed her eyes at the witch. She didn't believe one word the witch said but she couldn't disprove it either. "Here. I want you to drink this," At the witch's hesitation she exclaimed, "Oh for goodness sakes! It's only a pepper up potion. Now drink that and I'll check you over in a few minutes. If you are fine then you may go."

The Gryffindor witch drank the goblet of potion down in one long swallow and, avoiding looking at the Hufflepuff that sat on the edge of her bed, she waited impatiently for the nurse to check her over again so she could go.

The nurse waited as the color slowly returned to the witch's face and, though she was still a little pale, Pomfrey passed her wand slowly over her and other than the fading effects of shock, could find nothing wrong. Sighing, she said, "I will release you on one condition. I want you to go to the Great Hall and get some breakfast with Mr. Hunter."

Taylor stared at the nurse for a full ten seconds before she decided that the quickest way out of here was just to agree. "Alright." She sat up and swung her legs off the bed. Coming to her feet she felt the world spin a little before it steadied. She saw the nurse's eyebrows come together and she thought she'd best get while the getting was good.

Concentrating on putting one foot in front of the other, she said a quick thank you and headed out the door. She could hear the Hufflepuff walking behind her and decided she couldn't be that ungrateful, even if she didn't particularly appreciate being taken to the nurse.

"Thank you, for ahh… helping me."

For a moment Taylor thought he wasn't going to answer, not that she would blame him. She hadn't exactly been nice to him this past little while. It had been hard on her too, though at least she could tell herself it was for the best.

"I don't imagine you are going to tell me what happened, are you?" the voice was clipped and hard.

She shook her head as she walked along in front of him. The temptation to lean on him for support was so strong she had to actually concentrate on putting one foot in front of the other. This was something she was going to have to somehow manage on her own. The magnitude of it settled on her shoulders and made them physically sag, as her heart started to hammer in her chest again. Her brother, the only member of her family she had left, was a Horcrux. To make sure Voldemort never came back, all the Horcruxes had to be destroyed… her steps faltered and she felt her chest constrict so hard she could hardly draw in a breath.

The Hufflepuff stopped when the witch did and he was about to ask her what was wrong when he heard her gasping for air. In two strides he was in front of her as she bent over double and put her hands on her knees to steady herself. He could see she was struggling to breath but he had no idea why. Worry filled him as he asked, "Are you alright? Maybe I should take you back to the Hospital."

Taylor shook her head. That's the last place she wanted to be as she tried to come to grips with what she had found out.

"Dammit Taylor either you start telling me what in the hell is going on or…"

The anger in his voice was what she needed to push herself up straight and ask breathlessly, "Or what? Take more – points from – Gryffindor? Or give – me de-tention?"

"Look witch!" the Head Boy said in a low warning tone.

Finally able to draw a full breath she took several before she gave him a dirty look and, stepping around him, headed down the corridor once more.

"Oh no, you don't! You are going to give me an answer if I have to follow you all the way up to your room tonight!" The Hufflepuff said angrily, as he quickly caught up with her and fell in step beside the witch.

Taylor was glad of the distraction for a few minutes and was actually starting to work up a bit of temper when they came to the stairs and as he swung down she headed up.

"Just where do you think you are going?"

"I don't know about you but I'm going to my common room." Taylor answered in a clipped tone.

"Pomfrey told you to go get something to eat! With me!"

"Huh. Is that what she said? Must have been a bunch of Nargles…" Taylor let the sentence trail off as the Head Boy uttered a very un-Head Boyish string of oaths.

She made it up the flight of stairs and just started up the next when she happened to look up and saw her brother, Ginny, Ron and Hermione walking down the moving stairs still two floors up, talking and laughing. Her chest constricted so fast that she couldn't even finish exhaling. They hadn't seen her yet and she turned blindly to go back down and ran into the Hufflepuff. Panic set in and she wheeled away from him and started to run up the stairs. She could hear her brother laughing and she couldn't breathe. The closer she came to the top of the stairs the more the edges of her vision blurred until everything went black again.

The Head Boy had been surprised when his witch ran into him and he had thought she was going to lay into him again, but she turned fast and ran up the steps. He caught sight of Potter and the others and he thought she was running up to them. He noticed though as she got closer to the top of the stairs that she seemed to be staggering. Adrenaline shot through him as he realized she was about to pass out again.

"Taylor!" The name tore from his throat as he sprang up the steps two at a time and reached her just as the staircase moved and caught her before she took a header off the top step. Afraid he might over balance on the moving staircase he dropped down to one knee as he leaned against the railing holding her tightly in his arms, cradled against his chest.

He heard the yells coming from the other Gryffindors but for a moment he ignored them as he looked down at the witch in his arms. He noticed her face had gone white again and she was completely limp in his arms.

"Bloody Hell! What happened?" Weasley's voice demanded a second later as the staircase stopped moving and the Gryffindors reached him.

"I don't know, I was hoping you could tell me!"

"What do you mean?" Potter demanded as the Hufflepuff stood and stepped off the stairs into a corridor.

"I mean this is the second time she has passed out! What in the hell has happened anyway?" The Head Boy demanded in a hard voice.

"Passed out?" Potter said bewildered.

"Greg, calm down. Now tell us what happened." Hermione said in a firm no nonsense voice.

Quickly the Head Boy told them about finding the Gryffindor witch wandering in a daze and then her passing out and taking her to see Pomfrey.

"Maybe we should take her there again…" Ginny said quietly as she looked at her limp friend in the Head Boy's arms.

Taylor could hear voices around her and the deep rumble right next to her ear. Slowly she opened her eyes and faces swam in front of them. She knew she was in the Hufflepuff's arms. It wasn't just the rumble of his voice, it was the innate sense of safety that always surrounded her whenever she was in his arms.

"Hey," the deep voice rumbled in her ear, "do you know where you are?"

Taylor blinked and looked around, her mind sluggish. She could see her brother's green eyes peering down at her with a worried expression, that expression copied on the other faces. She was about to ask what happened when Dumbledore's voice echoed in her head and she felt her chest constrict painfully.

"Hey, take it easy. You're safe. No one is going to hurt you." The Hufflepuff said gently when he saw his witch's face lose what little color it had regained and start to breathe shallowly.

Taylor closed her eyes as she tried to concentrate on just breathing. The reassurance, however unintentional it was given, helped her to smooth out her breathing and she opened her eyes again better prepared this time for the pain.

"Are you all right? What happened?" her brother asked. If she had been thinking clearer she might have wondered at her brother's complacency in letting the Hufflepuff hold her when she had spent the last couple of weeks saying that she didn't like him anymore. As it was, she leaned on the Head Boy drawing strength in his warm embrace.

It was a few long moments before she could find her voice, "I'll be okay in a few minutes." Her voice sounded rather weak even in her own ears.

"What happened? Were you attacked?" Hermione asked concerned.

Taylor shook her head, "I'll be…"

The Hufflepuff interrupted her. "You've passed out twice in the last hour and couldn't breathe once. You are not fine."

"Maybe we should take her so Pomfrey can look…" Ron began concerned.

"No!" Taylor cried and began to struggle but the Hufflepuff's arms tightened and held her fast.

"Okay, settle down. I get it. You don't want to go to the Hospital." The Head Boy said in a tight voice.

"How about we go up to our common room? On a nice day like this it will be empty." Hermione suggested. She glanced around. If they stayed here much longer an auror was sure to pass by and she was quite sure Taylor didn't want anyone else knowing about whatever was wrong.

Taylor nodded and the Hufflepuff started towards the stairs.

"I can walk."

"I'm tired of catching you. It's just easier to carry you." The Hufflepuff said firmly.

"As I recall no one mentioned anything about you being invited!" Taylor snapped, getting angry at his highhanded attitude, because it was better than thinking about the other thing.

"I already told you witch, you are going to tell me what is going on before I leave!"

Harry glanced at Hermione and then Ginny, as his sister and the Head Boy continued to argue as they headed for Gryffindor Tower.

Hermione said quietly, "For all her complaining, she isn't trying to get down."

Harry noted that as well. Either his sister was very weak and couldn't struggle or she was putting up a token fight only.

When they reached the Fat Lady, Hermione gave the password and the group filed into the empty common room and sat on the sofas. The Hufflepuff sitting in his usual one and putting the Gryffindor witch down beside him.

Taylor knew she had to get away from the Hufflepuff because it felt too right to be in his arms and feel safe again. Pushing up off the sofa she began to pace as five pairs of eyes watched her. She could feel the crushing weight once again and worked hard to get through it.

"Okay Taylor, what gives? What is going on?" Harry asked as he watched his sister's agitated pacing.

Taylor racked her brain trying to think of something, anything to say. Anything but the truth. Her breath was coming in shorter and shorter breaths until she was nearly gasping for air once again.

The Hufflepuff was on his feet and stepped in front of her, and she had to bend over once again.

"This is what happened before." Greg said as he helped steady his witch. "Something happened. I'd say she is having anxiety attacks. It would explain the passing out too. Well the second time. Pomfrey said she was in shock when I took her to the Hospital."

"Shock?" Hermione asked, "But people don't go into shock unless there is some sort of trauma, and she obviously isn't hurt or Pomfrey would have found it."

"There's also emotional shock," Ginny said, "If a person receives a big enough emotional blow it can cause the body to go into shock. It would explain the anxiety attacks as well."

"I'm right – here – you know." Taylor was able to gasp out.

"Yeah, and on the verge of passing out again." The Hufflepuff said as he pulled out his wand and conjured a small paper bag. "Here breath into this, it will help." He helped her hold the bag to her face and after a few moments his witch was breathing more easily. "One of my cousins has anxiety attacks." He said by way of explanation.

"Okay so what now?" Ron asked.

"First you are going to come over here and sit down," the Hufflepuff said firmly as he practically carried his witch to the sofa and sat her down. "Now you need to start talking. What has happened?"

Taylor shook her head.

"Is it something that happened last night?" Shake.

"Is it something that happened this morning?" Nod.

"Did somebody get hurt? Or killed?" Shake.

"Is it about somebody in this room?"

Taylor clamped the bag over her mouth as her chest constricted and darkness crowded around the edges of her vision.

"Just breathe, slower, that's it. Slower, easy breaths," the Head Boy's voice was firm but soft as he coaxed her until her breathing returned to normal.

Harry watched as his sister sagged against the Hufflepuff and doubted that she even realized that she was doing it. He didn't know if anyone else had noticed but he had. His sister had looked everywhere but at him. Whatever had happened, he was almost positive it was about him, and to cause her such distress it couldn't be good.

"Where did you go this morning?" Hermione asked, perplexed by her friend's extremely uncharacteristic show of weakness. It wasn't like Taylor to let something control her like this, especially to this point. Even when they had been captured and tortured, she had been strong and just as strong afterward, beating the fear of the darkness and helping her to as well. So what could possibly be so much worse than that?

Ginny started up an easy conversation with Hermione and soon the group was talking about everyday things, like the weather and what professional quidditch team was the best this year.

Harry joined in the conversation as he kept a close eye on his sister. Her color was starting to come back and she was starting to nod here and there in the conversation, but she still avoided looking at him, though he caught the Hufflepuff starring questioningly at him a few times.

He knew whatever had happened, his sister wasn't about to tell him here. So he decided to take matters into his own hands. "Taylor," his voice was low but firm as he addressed her and waited for her to look at him. It took a long while. When she finally looked up at him, he could see fear in her eyes, and pain, and for a second he almost reconsidered. "We need to talk." He glanced at Ron and saw his best mate nod slightly. He'd keep the other two girls here at least.

The Head Boy felt a jolt of anger mixed equally with jealousy as he heard the commanding tone in Potter's voice. How could he expect his witch to talk to him. Him! When whatever was causing her to have these attacks was connected with Potter?

"Look Potter whatever you need to talk about can…" The Hufflepuff began aggressively as he stood. He wasn't going to let the other wizard bully his witch into anything.

Harry cut him off, "Look Hunter I'd tread lightly if I were you! As I recall Taylor broke up with you over two weeks ago!" Harry felt the old prick of aggravation that he usually had when the Hufflepuff stuck his nose in business where he shouldn't be.

Taylor stood as well and put a hand on the Head Boy's arm to quiet him. She knew she somehow had to tell her brother… her heart started to hammer at the mere thought. She had to, so that they could come up with a way to save him. She knew though that there was absolutely no way she could say it in front of the others, even if it was something her brother would want them to know. Her voice was far from steady but she meant the words nonetheless. "Hunter, Harry is right. I need to talk to him. You shouldn't even be here…" In her mind she knew she had to push the Head Boy away. She had all too easily allowed herself to lean on him for the past hour or so. Her shredded heart gave a painful twist but her mind overruled it as she stepped away from him. Right now she needed her mind, not her heart.

She had felt him flinch at her words and knew they hurt him, and she didn't have the courage to look up at him as she felt her brother move beside her and lead her out of the common room.

Watching his witch walk away with Potter was incredibly painful. The common room was silent as the portal closed off behind them.

* * *

><p>AN I Know I am evil! Another cliff hanger! I am sorry! But I promise to post another chapter on Monday or Tuesday! So what did you think? Poor Taylor! And what about Greg... I have to admit I really enjoyed writting this chapter! :) Hope you enjoyed it!

I was remiss in saying a HUGE THANK YOU! In the last chapter when I seen that I have reached the 200 reviews mark! THANK YOU to all of you who have left a review! And those of you who review all the time... Thank you just isn't enough. Cyber cookies to all of you! :D

A HUGE thank you to barbc, my beta as well who has been so great correcting all these chapters! You are the best girl!

Well until next time, cytpotter.


	95. A Horcrux Unveiled

And FINALLY here is the chapter that many of you have been asking about for a LONG while! ;) Enjoy!

* * *

><p>Chapter Ninety-Five<p>

**A Horcrux Unveiled**

"Argh!" Ginny's frustration reached the surface. "I think those two are going to drive me insane! Why do they have to go off all secret like again?"

"Ginny, you know there is nothing between Harry and Taylor. They just need…" Ron began to try to explain to his sister.

"Ron's right. They just have a totally platonic relationship. Just like Harry and I." Hermione tried to reassure her friend.

While the others were distracted, the Head Boy slipped out of the common room and, quickly looking around, heard a door down the hall click and he ran in that direction. It was a room that was used for storage though what its original purpose was had been lost with time.

He glanced farther down the hallway and saw the broom cupboard that he had used to snog Taylor in countless times and hurriedly slipped into it. He'd discovered that a crack in the wall made listening to someone in the other room possible. His previous two years as a school prefect hadn't been a total waste after all. He'd caught the Head Boy from two years ago and a seventh year Gryffindor witch in a rather compromising position by hiding in this very broom cupboard to avoid Peeves one night. He'd overheard their rather loud snogging and had interrupted them.

He knew if this was as important as it seemed, that Potter was likely to seal the room and silence it, but maybe in his hurry, if he didn't seal it… he might have a chance. Pulling a bunch of long stringy like stuff from his pocket that he had confiscated the other day from a couple of second years, he put one end in his ear and the other end of the Extendable Ears, from Weasleys' Wizarding Wheezes, he pushed through the crack along the floor. He knew what he was doing was wrong but his concern for his witch overrode everything else. Potter's voice came through loud and clear.

"… if it's that hard maybe you could tell me where this happened."

He could hear his witch breathing hard, "It's not where… it's what."

"You're not making any sense. Here sit down." A pause. "Now you left the common room fairly early this morning."

"I took the Map. The Death Eater yesterday gave me some memories to see. He said they were clues to the last Horcrux." He could hear her voice was a little steadier.

"So you went to use the Pensive in the Head Mistress' office. Was Dumbledore there?" Silence. "Okay then what? I take it you figured out how to use the Pensive?"

"Yeah… Most of the memories they were just… They just explained… They weren't about the Horcrux." He could hear breathing starting to get ragged again.

"Here breathe in this and lean forward. Look Taylor whatever it is you can tell me." He could hear the rattle of the paper bag as his witch tried to calm her breathing once more.

"Harry…" the voice was choked in anguish, "the… Horcrux…" an anguished cry.

"Shh sis, it's all right. Shh…"

Greg froze in place. Sis? As in sister? Realization spread over him and he drew in a ragged breath himself. Of course! Why hadn't he realized it before? It made perfect sense. The incredible bond the two shared… they were siblings!

"Come on little sister. You've faced a Manticore and Death Eaters. A pit of snakes and even Ole' Voldy. You can tell me."

"Harry… I… it's you… the Horcrux… is _you_!" The anguished sob this time was followed by his witch gasping for air. The sounds were agonized and sounded like they came from the depths of her soul.

Greg felt paralyzed as the ramifications of what his witch just said pushed through his mind. In order for Voldemort to be destroyed… _all_ the Horcruxes had to be destroyed. If Harry was a Horcrux… Silently, he swore bitterly. As the words his witch had said to him on their first date came back to him. She had sworn to protect Harry, her brother… with her life.

The other room was silent except the sobs coming from his witch for a long time.

"Are you sure?" Potter's voice was heavy.

"The memory… the memory is from… Dumbledore."

Silence.

"Dumbledore?" the wizard's voice was full of disbelief.

"He figured it out… sometime last year…" his witch's voice was choked and wavered, barely recognizable.

The Head Boy listened as his witch explained what had happened in the memory, the sound of betrayal resounding in her voice. When she finished there was silence once more.

"I suppose it was _another thing_ Dumbledore didn't want to tell me until he had too…"

"How…? Harry, I… I'm sorry!"

"I think in a way I always knew… It was always supposed to come down to just Voldemort and me. Now… I have the power to make sure he never comes back."

"No! Harry there has to be a way! I know there is! I can feel it! I will not just let you die! You have _power he knows not_! Remember! I will not accept that you have to die too! _Neither can live while the other survives_! It doesn't mean you have to die too! It doesn't! I know where we can fight him! I know where a Horcrux can't survive! The Horcrux is in you, it is not you! I know it!" Her voice had gained strength as she spoke. There was power and complete conviction in every word she spoke.

"What do you mean you know a place where a Horcrux can't survive?"

"The power he knows not! Harry don't you see. At first it was Mum's sacrifice that saved you! Voldemort couldn't touch you because you were protected by Mum's love! What has Dumbledore always said? Love is the most powerful magic! That's why Voldemort couldn't possess you in fifth year! Or now! That's why your Patronus is so powerful! You possess the power of love!"

Silence

"Oh come on brother! Don't be so dense! Can't you see it? It's your compassion! The fact that you still love after everything that has happened to you, after everyone you have lost! It's that same power that resides in the Room of Love! You are a powerful wizard Harry, there is no mistaking that. But your power comes from everything Voldemort shuns and has no respect for! You have love and that is the power he knows not!"

"A Horcrux is an evil thing. We both know that. So like a Dementor can't stay where a Patronus is. A Horcrux won't be able to survive in the Room of Love."

The wizard's voice was astounded, "How do you know?"

"Because _I can feel it_. Way down in the bottom of my heart."

Silence again for a long while.

"So we have a where, now we just have to plan when." Silence "So what are we going to tell the others?"

"We can't tell anyone this…"

"Really Taylor? You think I have any intention of telling anyone?"

"Sorry… So we have Nagini left on our list of Horcruxes to destroy. We have to come up with a plan but it has to be soon and well coordinated so that when we kill Nagini that Ole' Voldy doesn't have much time to think before he comes after us."

"Us? No. There will be no us! Just me!"

"Really Harry? Since when can you use Dark Magic? How are you going to open the door to the Room of Love?"

"Taylor I am not letting you come with me to fight Voldemort! It's just too dangerous!"

"You're right you aren't letting me. I am going. You need me brother and I will be there. Now we can fight about it. Which I will kick your ass! Or we can plan this thing so that with any luck we can keep our friends from getting hurt."

Silence.

"So you have a plan already started don't you?"

"Yeah I do. We know we need to lure Voldemort to the Ministry and down to the Department of Mysteries. I was thinking that we let it slip to someone… maybe Parkinson, or another of the Slytherins, that we are going to the Ministry after… I don't know… something big."

"What makes you think Voldemort will come himself? He's more than likely to send his Death Eaters."

"Because he wants the two of us. And we are going to be _all alone_. And my Death Eater friend is going to tell him that I am willing to switch sides and hand him the last Potter."

"That is going to be risky. Are you sure you can trust this Death Eater?"

"I'm willing to bet my life on it… I have a meeting set up with him Saturday night. I think we should plan to do this Sunday night. The Ministry should be completely empty that night."

"In four days!" Potter's voice exclaimed and then started again thoughtfully, "Yeah… that might just work… Hogwarts doesn't let out until the following Friday. So there won't be any kids around… If this thing should go south… we need to set up a contingency plan. Someplace we have set up to meet… What are we going to tell Ron and Hermione?"

"Keep it as close to the truth as possible. We need to kill Nagini and that the last Horcrux is in the Department of Mysteries. They can't come into the Revolving Room with us. It's just going to be too dangerous. I was thinking they could run a little diversion. Let them think we will need some time to get the Horcrux. I'll need time to get the locked door open anyway." Silence "What are you going to tell Ginny?"

"I don't know."

Silence

"What are you going to tell Greg?"

"Nothing. I broke up with him because I know there is a good chance I… or neither of us is going to… Harry I never intended to fall in love with him. I never wanted to hurt him like I probably am going to…"

"Sis, the bloody bloke loves you. Breaking up with him didn't change that. Today should tell you that. He doesn't love you any less. If… Merlin help me if it does, but if something should happen to you… Your breaking up with him isn't going to make it any easier on him. You need to find a way to say goodbye to him, just like I am going to have to say goodbye to Ginny. We owe them that. We can't let them think that they are somehow to blame. They need to know that this is just something we had no choice in doing."

"I know. But I had to try. I never meant for Greg to get hurt, or his family…"

"I know sis. But we have no more control over who falls in love with us than we do over who we fall in love with."

"Thanks Harry. I love you, you know."

"Yeah I gathered that. So you feeling better now? No more trouble breathing?"

A little laugh, "Yeah, much better. It was such a shock… and I was so terrified I was going to lose you… Now though, we have a plan. I can live with it now that we have a focus. That sounds so weird."

"No it sounds like you, and your kickass attitude, are back."

"What can I say? With a father like James Potter did you actually think I'd be a wallflower?"

"No just the pain in the ass you are."

"Git!"

"Barmy witch!"

Greg stayed completely still as the two Potter siblings left the room next door and when he was sure they had gone he pulled the Extendable Ears out of the crack and stuffed them back into his pocket. Standing carefully he leaned against the wall for a while, letting the information he had just overheard sink in. He wondered if maybe he was in shock. All within the span of an hour he had learned his witch had a brother, wasn't a muggleborn and planned on helping her brother go up against Voldemort themselves.

When he could finally move he headed in the direction of the Gryffindor common room once again. He didn't know what he was going to do but if his witch was going to fight Voldemort so was he. Reaching the Fat Lady he gave the password Hermione had used earlier and even though the painting gave him a funny look she swung open to admit him.

When he straightened up he saw the five of them gathered at a table strewn with parchment and all five looked up at him. Taking a deep breath he said, "Taylor could I please have a word with you. It's really important."

He noticed his witch glance at her brother and noticed the absence of annoyance that he always had before. Even the quick silent assent that Harry gave didn't bother him. He was surprised at how quickly the green monster died when he knew that Harry truly wasn't his rival.

"All right Hufflepuff. But it has to be quick. I need to work on something with the others."

He went out through the portal and waited for his witch and then, placing his hand in the small of her back, guided her down the hallway, down a set of stairs to an empty classroom with no cracks so they couldn't be overheard. He sealed and silenced the room just to make sure.

"So what did you want?" He noticed the crossed arms and the aggressive stance on his witch.

"Taylor… I… I overheard everything you said to your brother upstairs."

He saw the blood drain out of her face and wondered if maybe he shouldn't have tried a different tactic.

"You… overheard? Everything?"

"Yeah. I'm sorry. I was worried about you and, I'm afraid, I was even jealous of Harry. So I snuck into the broom cupboard and used some Extendable Ears to listen in." He said it a little sheepishly, watching as emotions crossed her face, relief, anger, fear and worry were the most dominant.

"I… don't know what to say…"

Greg stepped toward his witch and put his hands on her shoulders. "I know you couldn't tell me about Harry and I know why you broke up with me now… I can even understand a little why you did it… But Harry was right, if something happened to you I would _never_ have forgiven myself. I love you, and right or wrong, whatever might happen… I'd rather face it with you… than be left to question all the "why"s that have no answers."

Taylor closed her eyes against the tide of emotions flooding through her. In a way she was glad that the Hufflepuff finally knew about her brother, and even though she had tried to push him away it hadn't worked. Somehow the knowledge that he still loved her made dealing with everything else just a little easier.

His voice was soft and gentle, "I know you've had a rough go of it this morning. I probably should have waited but… I needed you to know I am here for you."

Emotions overwhelmed her. Stepping forward she wrapped her arms around him and buried her face in his chest, as his arms came around her holding her tight. She was safe in his arms once more and able to fight her painfully constricting chest and the inability to breathe that went with it.

He just held her for a long while, content to just be able to touch her once again. His hands rubbed circles on her back as he listened to her ragged breathing, wondering if she was once again going to suffer an attack. It made him wonder at the depth of his brave witch's emotions for this to affect her so profoundly. He could begin to understand where the conviction to help her brother came from and her willingness to lay her life down for him.

When she finally removed her face from his wet shirt, his hand came up and gently cupped her cheek, his thumb brushing the remaining tears from her face as he dropped his head down and gently, almost tentatively, brushed his lips over hers. Her hands slid up into his hair as she sought to deepen the kiss and with a moan his arms tightened around her. He gladly deepened the kiss, relishing in her unique taste as her scent filled his lungs.

Both breathing raggedly their lips broke apart, only the need for air forcing them apart. His lips trailed along her jaw and then up to her cheek, tasting the salt from her tears, to her ear.

"Merlin, witch, I have missed you so much," he breathed into her ear before he captured her lips again in a demanding kiss, his hands slipping inside of her robes and under her shirt, to roam the soft skin of her back.

Her fingers had tangled in his hair as she leaned into him, her body answering the need in his. Her skin tingled and warmed beneath his touch and she pulled her own hand down and slid it under his shirt reveling in the smooth feel of his skin under her fingers. The desperate need for air forced their lips apart once more but she willing tipped her head back so he could work his way along her jaw to the point on her neck that made a moan slip from her parted lips.

He returned to her lips with a potency that had her breathless in seconds, his voice husky and deep as he whispered against her lips, "Oh Merlin help me…" as he struggled to control his powerful desire for the pliant witch in his arms. He grasped onto the first sane thought that came to him and hung onto it as his hands encircled her waist and he tucked her head against his chest once more, laying his cheek on the top of her head. The faint smell of her raspberry shampoo not helping his bid for control, but he managed it.

Unwilling to let her out of his arms, yet knowing they needed to talk he pulled out his wand and conjured a large comfy chair and, sitting down, he pulled his witch onto his lap, still holding her against his chest.

It was some time before either spoke.

"Can I ask you something?" he finally asked quietly.

She nodded, "Yeah, I suppose you have some questions."

"A few… I was wondering… how, and why you could be unknown? I mean, I know the story about the Potters. I understand why you hated Wormtail now… How is it such a well known family could have a daughter who is completely unknown?"

Nestled against his chest, safe in his arms, she told him the story about how she was found and what, as well as why, Dumbledore erased her birth record.

"So he sent you to Canada to live with your great aunt and uncle… and you never knew you were a witch?" Taylor shook her head. "So when did you find out? Who your parents were, I mean. Why tell everyone you are muggleborn?"

She told him about coming to England and her first trip to Diagon Alley, as well as her first trip up to Dumbledore's office in her first week. "It was just easier, not knowing anything, to tell people I was muggleborn. No one expected to know who my parents were if they were muggles. Plus I didn't know that they weren't, so it wasn't exactly a lie." She paused for a moment, "I found out at the start of sixth year. It was a bit of a shock really… I didn't even know I was a whole year younger then Harry until then. Well not really… I thought my Uncle Herbert had somehow mixed up my age when I realized Harry, Hermione and the others were all a year older. He was a really great uncle, but rather different. He had all these sayings that he used for everything… I used to think they were so dumb when I was little."

Greg thought about everything his witch told him. He found it hard to believe that she had known so little about who she was… "You and Harry have always been close. Did you suspect he was related to you?"

She shook her head and told him about first seeing her brother on the train and how it was Halloween before they became friends. "I was his friend, like Hermione. Even after I knew… well, we really never started to get really close, not like we are now, until I left with him last summer."

"You really have no idea when your birthday is?"

She shrugged, "When I was with my uncle, we always celebrated it on July 1st. It's Canada's birthday. There was always a parade in town… I just thought it must have been then. When Dumbledore told me he thought I was only about six to eight weeks old the night I was found… well that would mean I was born sometime in September or the end of August."

He stared at his witch for a moment before he said, "If that were the case… if you were born in September… you should only be in fifth year! Merlin! That is incredible! You got a whole slew of OWLs and sat your NEWTs and you probably should have had another two years left at school! Why did Dumbledore send you so young?"

Taylor sat back a little and glared up at the Hufflepuff. Her age was still a sore spot for her. "What? You think I'm too young now?"

"No, nothing like that! It's just that Garret is a fifth year and his birthday is on September the third… He just sat his OWLs… You are a gifted witch there is no mistaking that!"

She rolled her eyes, "That is ridiculous. I studied just like everyone else. Merlin, don't tell Harry that, he'll have a canary! Besides I'd hate to have been held back another year, let alone two!" she then explained Dumbledore's reason for sending her early.

Nodding he said with a smile, "I guess I'll have to wait another few months… and a lot of cold showers…"

"You prat! What are you talking about?"

"Well I haven't got a ring yet… but we'll have to wait until after you turn of age to get married." The look in his eyes made her shiver in anticipation, making her hope again for a future she might not have.

"You might not even want me by then. You could have come to your senses by then and not even…" His finger on her lips stopped her from saying any more.

"Witch, if these two weeks have taught me anything, it is that I can't stand to be apart from you. It's not just the week leading up to the full moon… I missed you every night, and every day that I had to stay away… I'm not sure I could have handled many more…" he looked into her eyes and knew that this wasn't the right time. That they had just gotten back together and still needed to talk about so much more… He'd even said he'd wait until after they finished school…

Swallowing hard he stood and sat his witch down in the chair as he pulled his wand out of his pocket and walked to the other side of the room.

Taylor watched as the wizard walked away from her, not sure just what was wrong. She didn't know whether to go to him or give him some space. She knew he'd been upset when he set her down. She still was undecided when he turned and walked back to her, stopping in front of her. Slowly he knelt on one knee in front of her.

"Taylor, I know that this is probably the worst timing. I know what you need to do… I respect that. You told me on our first date that you didn't know if you would make it through this coming fight… Maybe it is because of that, or maybe it is that I want to know you are mine… This isn't even a real ring… But it will do until I can buy you one… What I'm trying to say is… Taylor, I love you. With my heart, soul and werewolf, will you please… Marry me?"

Taylor looked into those blue eyes so full of love and hope. Her heart swelled until it nearly choked her, "Yes. Maybe it's wrong but yes… I will."

Greg's hand shook a little as he picked up her left hand and slipped the silver sickle he had transfigured into a thin carved ring onto her finger. His heart was pounding but lighter than it had been in weeks. He noticed that even as rotten a timing as this was, his witch hadn't hesitated to say yes.

Tenderly he leaned forward and kissed her, putting the promise of forever in the kiss.

Standing, he picked her up and settled back in the chair with her once again on his lap.

"That'll make the cold showers a little easier to bear."

Taylor couldn't help but giggle a little as she looked at the ring on her finger. She wondered at her sanity for ever saying yes, though she knew her heart had made her agree.

They sat in contented silence for a while and then they talked about what else the Hufflepuff had overheard. It was mid afternoon when they finally returned to the Gryffindor common room hand in hand.

"I was beginning to wonder if we were going to have to come looking for you." Ron said as he glanced over at the pair.

Hermione saw her friend and the Head Boy holding hands and after a quick glance at Harry and Ginny said casually, "So you two settled your differences did you?"

Taylor shook her head slightly and rolled her eyes, "You might say that. So what did you get done while I was gone?" Looking down as she reached the table she could see the diagram of the Ministry was almost complete.

* * *

><p>AN Well... there you go Greg FINALLY knows! :D So what did you think? When I thought about HOW he was going to find out I just couldn't see Taylor breaking down and telling him. Sure she loves Greg but Harry is her brother and she would NEVER betray her brother and tell Greg. So that left me with him overhearing the truth... and I hope you read VERY carefully because a LOT! was in that conversation that the Hufflepuff overheard! It was likely the most important conversation that I wrote in this story. It (hopefully) explained how I construed_ what_ the prophecy was meant to mean. Hopefully it explained it well enough! Plus yes I know... Greg proposed to Taylor... but really is that a surprise? Let me know what you think! I would love to know your thoughts on this chapter!

THANK YOU to all of you who left a review! I know I say this alot but your reviews really do make my day! :D As well thank you for just reading this far! That means alot! Cause hopefully NO ONE is gonna punish themselves by reading over 400 000 words and not like what they are reading at least a little bit! :D

And THANK YOU to my wonderful beta barbc! Who has been fixing my grammer and spelling mistakes now for over a year and a half! You are the best girl! Well until next time, cytpotter.


	96. The Soul of the Snake

Well today is my birthday... and no my birthday wish didn't come true! I STILL don't own Harry Potter!

Oh well! How about I just give you wonderful readers this chapter and the next as a HUGE THANK YOU!

Hope you enjoy!

* * *

><p>Chapter Ninety-six<p>

**The Soul of the Snake**

The rest of the afternoon the six of them spent refining their plan on how they were going to set up a few diversions and how much time they would need, as well as where they would need sentries to warn them when Voldemort arrived and how many. The Hufflepuff proved a very valuable asset as he had a more thorough knowledge of the Ministry building itself and the buildings surrounding it, having visited the Ministry numerous times with his father or one of his uncles.

Hermione and Ginny followed Taylor up to the girl's washroom just before they were going to head down to the Great Hall for supper.

"So Taylor… what's with the ring?" Hermione asked casually as she leaned against one of the sinks.

Taylor glanced from one friend to the other as her face warmed but she felt a smile pull at her lips.

Ginny's eyes narrowed, "It's not what I think it is, is it?" asked the red haired witch as she reached for the bespectacled witch's hand with the silver ring on it.

Taylor looked at the floor as she shrugged her shoulders. "I know it wasn't right… that with what we have to do…but…"

Hermione gasped and the sixth year one squealed, "Oh my god! The Hufflepuff asked you to marry him!"

Taylor's face burnt bright red but she nodded. Suddenly she felt arms grabbing her and squeezing her tight.

"Oh Taylor! I'm so happy for you!" Hermione cried as she hugged her friend.

"Wow that must have been some talk with Greg!" Ginny giggled as she hugged her friend too.

Taylor's voice quivered a little as she said, "I know it is the wrong time… I shouldn't even have let him back around me…"

"Taylor, the guy loves you. And you love him, anyone can see that. You deserve to have a little happiness in your life. Even with this craziness that we are planning." Hermione said with a warm smile.

"It won't be any harder on Greg now than it was before. Maybe even easier because now he knows you love him." Ginny said wisely as she looked the other underage witch in the eye. "Whatever might happen… you know that you love each other."

That night with the common room once again full of Gryffindors, the six teenagers moved up to the seventh year dorm room to work on their plans.

"So how are we going to signal back and forth with whoever is outside? We can't very well use a Patronus, it would be seen." Ron said thoughtfully as he peered down at their plans.

"We need something that is quiet. The last thing I want is for whoever is outside to get hurt." Harry said firmly. They'd already gotten into a rather heated discussion on who was going to be left outside. He didn't want Ginny included at all, but as Hermione had pointed out, the six of them were going to be hard pressed to carry this plan out themselves.

"What about the coins we used for our DA lessons in fifth year? I could easily charm some coins to relay a simple message, like how many Death Eaters there were. It would be silent and easy." Hermione said as she thought about it.

"Yeah. That's a good idea. Now do you think we should have more than one watcher?" Harry asked.

The Hufflepuff left when the curfew bell rang, to head for his own common room. They were going to get up early tomorrow morning and meet at breakfast and continue their plans.

McGonagall had, at the start of exams that the Prefects and Heads had to write, reassigned most patrol duties to the aurors and teachers, giving those students a well earned rest. Their patrols had been quartered, so that each Prefect or Head only had patrol duty every fourth night.

The next day was Friday and the five Gryffindors and the Head Boy spent the entire day holed up in the seventh year boy's dormitory, working on their plan and working out as many of the kinks as they could.

The part that was causing them the most trouble was the sixth Horcrux, Nagini. How were they going to find the snake on Sunday night, kill it and then still make it to the Ministry on time.

"I think our only hope is to split up. That way we can be at the Ministry ready and still get the snake." Ron said as he stood leaning on the table they were using in the middle of the dorm.

"No. Absolutely not. That snake is going to be in the middle of a Death Eater camp and is going to be hard enough for either Harry or I to get… No offense Ron but neither you nor Greg are good enough to take on something like that. In a stand up fight we aren't either. Not against Bellatrix or Malfoy Sr. We both got lucky a couple of weeks ago. We aren't likely to get that lucky again." Taylor said shaking her head.

"Taylor's right. Our biggest advantage is surprise, but even with surprise on our side we wouldn't stand a chance going in there like that. And we definitely can't split up." Harry agreed with his sister.

"Well, what are we going to do then? We are starting to run short on time." Greg asked shortly.

"I'm going to meet that Death Eater tomorrow night… I could…"

"No! Dammit Taylor! So help me! I'll throttle you if you even finish that sentence!" Harry snapped angrily.

"And I'll second that!" the Hufflepuff threatened with a scowl.

Taylor simply rolled her eyes at the two wizards, "I was going to say I could ask him where we could find Nagini. Jesh!"

"That probably will be our best shot. If we can't take the snake out then these plans will be for nothing. The Horcruxes have to all be destroyed before we take on Voldemort." Ginny said reasonably.

Taylor nodded and thought about how she was going to ask Snape to tell her where Nagini was. If he wanted to destroy Voldemort, then he was likely to help her… Or maybe not.

"I don't like it… we are relying way too much on what this Death Eater is willing to do." Greg said after a few moments. "What if he is playing you?"

"Look, he's not playing me okay. The memories that he gave me… well let's just say I don't doubt his intentions." Taylor said confidently.

"About these memories that he gave you… how do we know we can trust them? The guy is a Death Eater. They could be a ruse to lure Harry and us to the Ministry. I have a hard time believing that there is a Horcrux hidden in the Department of Mysteries… Why would Voldemort ever hide it there?" Ron asked uncertainly.

Taylor couldn't help but glance at her brother before she answered, "Like I told you all, the memory about the Horcrux is from Dumbledore… and I have no doubt about its authenticity."

"Well I have a problem with that." Hermione said sharply. "If the memory is from Dumbledore why hasn't he told us about it before now? He's had plenty of opportunities since we destroyed the locket and tiara. Why let a Death Eater, who we might not even trust, have such an important piece of information? That just doesn't make sense."

Taylor caught her brother's eye once more before she said slowly, "I think, maybe because we weren't ready for that information. For as long as we've known him, Dumbledore has never told us anything before we needed to know it. And this particular piece of information is no different."

"But why use a Death Eater? Why not use the portrait for this too? The more I think about it the dodgier it gets." Ginny put in, concerned.

Starting to pace, Taylor tried to think of a reasonable answer for this. Why had Dumbledore imparted this incredibly important piece of information to Snape? He had asked the wizard to kill him, which Dumbledore had to know would make everyone on the light side mistrust him. Why use someone who would be so hated?

Taylor's feet stopped moving as understanding washed through her. Dumbledore trusted Snape with his life, and to take his life when the time came… The memory, so vital in taking Voldemort down was given to him to show Snape that Dumbledore trusted him implicitly. Snape was asked to do the unthinkable, and rewarded with the most important.

"What did you just figure out?" Hermione asked as she stood in front of the astounded witch.

"Dumbledore gave it to him as a sort of reward…" Taylor said softly.

"A reward for what?"

"He knew Snape…" The moment the name left her lips, Taylor knew her audible musing had been a huge mistake. Her eyes flew past Hermione to land on her brother as fury contorted his face.

"Snape? The Death Eater you are meeting is Snape?" The words were hissed out.

"Yes, but…" Taylor tried to reason with her brother.

"That bastard killed Dumbledore! He was supposed to be on our side and he killed him! And now you are trusting him?" Harry yelled furiously.

"Yes I trust him! That didn't happen like you think it did." Taylor tried to keep her voice calm.

"Don't give me that line of bullshit, Taylor! I saw him! I saw him kill Dumbledore! Dumbledore was defenseless! Without even a wand! And he killed him!" Harry had advanced on his sister until he stood right in front of her, glaring down at her.

"I'm telling you it wasn't what it seemed! Dumbledore…" Harry's irate voice cut her off.

"I can't believe you! You actually think you can trust him? What you told me… it came from him! God Taylor, are you a moron? He's leading you on! He's a Death Eater! I'm surprised he didn't just kill you! Right then and there!"

"Yes I trust him! Will you just listen to me! He saved me! He saved Hermione and me. Snape helped us escape from Voldemort at Christmas! He didn't have to but he did. He confounded Hermione and then caused the distraction so that we could get away!" she yelled imploring her brother to listen.

"He played you then! For whatever reason he played you! Voldemort probably told him to let you guys escape!" The hatred in her brother's voice was unmistakable.

"He didn't play me! He _knows_, Harry! He_ knows who I am_!" Taylor yelled as she glared up at her brother. "He's known since last September when I set him free of that Dark Magic binding spell. If he wanted to betray me, he's had almost a year to do so."

Hermione and Ginny stared at Taylor questioningly, trying to understand what her statement had meant. The Hufflepuff glanced at Ron and he could see the same understanding reflected in his eyes.

"So what is that, just another thing you didn't bother to tell me?" Harry snarled. "What else are you not telling me, Taylor? What else? How can I trust you? How can I believe what you told me?" The words were flung at her. "Maybe I had it right last fall! You can't be trusted!"

"You bloody git, Potter! You're too damn pigheaded for your own good!" Taylor yelled back angrily.

"I'm pigheaded? At least I'm not going off meeting a murderous traitor in secret!"

"That's not fair! I'm not just going off to meet him for the fun of it you know! I'm getting information that we need!" Taylor snapped heatedly as she glared at her brother.

"That's right I forgot. Whatever you want to do, you do! Be damned if it is right or not! Merlin! I can't believe your gullibility!"

The Head Boy had about all he could take of Potter yelling at his witch and was about to step in when a hand caught his arm and Weasley shook his head in warning.

Taylor was about to yell again, when her brother backed up a step and hissed vehemently, "That's it! I'm leaving before I do something I just might regret. Someday!" Wheeling he stalked out the door slamming it shut behind him. Silence blanketed the room sounding very loud after the shouting match.

With a sigh Taylor ran her hands up through her hair, shaking her head.

It was Hermione who broke the silence. "It was Snape who saved us? That's why you never told me who it was… because if Harry found out…"

Taylor met her friend's worried expression and nodded.

"How do you know you can trust him?" Ron asked, his voice very skeptical.

"Because he has risked his life to help us." Taylor said firmly.

"He killed Dumbledore. And Dumbledore trusted him." Ginny's voice was hard as she glared at the other redheaded witch daring her to contradict her.

Taylor sighed, as she wondered if they would ever believe her if she told them the truth. She had barely been able to believe it and she had witnessed it in the Pensive.

Ginny took her silence as confirmation that the other witch didn't trust the traitor as much as she said and turning she walked out to go find Harry. Ron followed her.

"Even I am having a hard time believing you trusted Snape after everything he did. What aren't you telling us?" Hermione asked, as she stared hard at her friend.

"What does it matter? If you don't believe me you won't believe that either. I guess it comes down to if you trust me or not." Taylor's reply was low as she waited.

Hermione sighed, "I don't know. I trust you, but your judgment on this… I don't know." With an apologetic look she headed out of the dorm room.

Taylor looked down at the plans that they had made. She knew that if Harry didn't believe her, if he stayed angry at her, then the likelihood of them pulling this together by Sunday was unlikely. Worry twisted through her. Something big was going to happen soon, she could feel it, and they had to act before Voldemort did. Snape had even warned her that they needed to act soon…

"Hey, it's going to be alright. They all trust you. They'll come around." The Hufflepuff said gently as he pulled his witch into his arms. The worry was clear on her face.

Welcoming his comfort, she leaned into him as she sighed again. "Yeah, but will it be soon enough? Voldemort is planning something. I don't know what, but he is… We need to act before he does."

"Harry really hates Snape." The Hufflepuff said after a few seconds.

"Well I'd say the feeling is fairly mutual. Snape was never nice to anyone, except those in his house but he was particularly nasty to Harry, always. Right from our first Potions class. Of course at the time we had no idea it was because he knew James and Lily from school… He hated James Potter with a passion. Harry looks so much like his dad… Maybe that's why he's chosen to help… through me… because I look something like Lily…" her voice trailed off as her head started to pound unpleasantly. Her head had started to ache earlier but the fight with her brother had really escalated it. She wondered if it was more from stress than anything else. Knowing her brother was a Horcrux was putting a strain on her, even if she had gotten over her anxiety attacks. She knew it had to be incredibly hard on him too. She had seen the strain in his face and more than once the worry in his eyes.

"What do you know that you aren't telling? It might help if…" Greg started but he could feel her shaking her head.

"If they don't at least trust Snape a little then they won't believe it… I'd have to show them. Harry… he'd… I don't think he would accept the memory. I can't put any more on him right now. He has enough to deal with as it is."

"But you do trust the memory?"

"Yes. I do." Her head gave a horrible throb and she rubbed at her temple with her fingers.

"It's nearly curfew, we'd better get this cleaned up before one of the others decide to come to bed."

Together they gathered up the plans and put them safely in Harry's trunk before vanishing the table and double checking to make sure they didn't miss anything. The Head Boy saw his witch massaging her temples again.

"What's the matter?" He asked as he moved over to her. Putting his hands on her shoulders he began to rub them. "You have a headache?" At her nod, he pulled her over to her brother's bed and sat down with her. "That's not surprising. You've had a lot to deal with these last couple of days. Do you have any headache potion?"

Taylor shook her head just a little, "No, I doubt it would help. Plus I don't dare take it. It'd make me drowsy. I just need to close my eyes for a little while I think." The pounding in her head was starting to make thinking painful, and she leaned on the Hufflepuff beside her, closing her eyes trying to get some relief.

Greg frowned. He wanted to suggest going to see the nurse but knew that the witch wasn't very likely to agree. The curfew bell rang, but the seventh year Gryffindor boy's dormitory remained empty. The sound of the Friday night party going on down in the common room could just barely be heard through the silencing charm on the room. He knew he should leave but he couldn't ask his witch to come down with him, not if she had a headache, especially into that noise.

"Here, I doubt anyone will be up for a while. Why don't you lie down on Harry's bed? I'll put up a charm to let us know if someone comes, and I can wake you up if you fall asleep." The Head Boy offered as he picked up his witch and, sitting back down on Potter's bed, he leaned back against the headboard and laid her beside him. Pulling out his wand he cast the charm to alert him as his witch snuggled up against him. Smiling a little he flipped the bedspread over her and was surprised to hear her breathing even out so quickly as his witch fell asleep.

He sat there, content to be with his witch, as he let his mind wander. So much had happened in the last couple of days. To his witch, as well as him. He'd found out his witch had a brother, and that he was a Horcrux… the ramifications of that were still difficult for him to deal with and it was worse for her. Then he had found out why she had broken up with him, and he'd asked her to marry him. Whether it was right or not, he felt a smile pull at his face as he remembered how happy he had felt when she said yes.

The road ahead of them was so fraught with danger… So uncertain… yet he knew if by some miracle they reached the end, that his witch would become his wife. He would do everything he could to make that happen.

He had to admire her, she was so strong. He knew not many could deal with what his witch was dealing with and still remain strong and keep fighting. Shifting a little he glanced at his watch. It was after eleven. The Gryffindors could return at any time. He was just thinking that he'd better wake his witch up when he glanced down at her. His surprise quickly changed to fear when he saw the sweat that covered her face. Her blood curdling scream filled the room and for a second he froze, as fear filled him. That night in the Hospital Wing flashed past in his mind and he grabbed his wand from beside him. Igniting the tip he touched it to Taylor's neck. Her screaming stopped but the terror in her eyes was nearly as bad.

"Taylor? Can you hear me?" He whispered fearfully as he picked her up and cradled her gently against his chest as her whole body shook, but she never even blinked to indicate that she had heard him.

"I've got you. You're going to be okay. Nothing's going to hurt you," His voice wavered slightly as he tried to reassure himself as well as the trembling witch in his arms.

A low whistle sounded as the alert charm was activated and the door to the seventh year boy's dorm opened to admit Ron.

"So you two are still up here! I don't think…" Ron's voice trailed off as the look on the other wizards face registered. "What's the matter? What happened?"

"She said her head hurt so I told her to lay down up here where it wasn't so noisy… She… she had another one of her nightmares!" Greg couldn't keep the fear out of his voice.

"Oh bloody hell!" Ron exclaimed as he wheeled and ran out of the dorm room after his best mate.

The Head Boy waited, knowing Ron had gone to get Harry. The shaking witch in his arms had yet to indicate that she was even aware that he was there when the door flew open and in rushed Harry, Hermione and Ron.

"What happened?" Harry demanded as he sat down on his bed looking at the utter terror in his sister's eyes. He'd seen that look too many times.

The Head Boy quickly relayed what had happened, but there was no surprise on any of their faces.

"You said she was complaining of a headache?" Hermione asked curiously as she sat down on the other side of the bed, her concern for her friend deeply ingrained on her face.

The Hufflepuff nodded.

"She must have fallen right to sleep… How long ago did this happen?" Harry asked as he gently brushed the sweat soaked hair off his sister's forehead.

"Two or three minutes before Ron came in. I really didn't think too much of her falling asleep so quickly. I…?" Greg said fearfully as he met Harry's eyes.

"It's nothing you did. I have no idea what causes her to have these nightmares. You woke her up right away. That's what is important." Harry told the Hufflepuff.

Greg looked down at the shaking witch, her eyes still held no sign of knowing anything but terror. He knew so much about her, yet this he knew so little.

"I'm not sure this has any meaning or not but before she had a nightmare two other times she was complaining of a headache. It might not mean anything but…" Hermione said thoughtfully.

Harry tried to think back to last summer when his sister had her first one, but he couldn't remember, and he said as much. "The one in the hospital that time… It might have been brought on by the potion Pomfrey gave her. I don't know. I… just… don't… know." Harry whispered shaking his head. He'd been so furious at his sister about Snape… He was still angry! This thing with his sister though, it scared him. He'd heard her speak enough to know that she saw a snake after her soul, though he wasn't exactly sure what that meant. He did know that whatever happened to her, it terrified her. And unless someone woke her up she was completely at its mercy.

Slowly recognition came into the trembling witch's eyes but before she was recovered enough to speak the door to the dorm room opened and in walked the other three inhabitants of the room.

Thinking quickly Harry conjured a blanket and threw it over his sister, "Greg you'll have to carry Taylor down to the common room. Hermione can take her up to her room from there. I told her not to drink so much Firewhisky." He said, inventing a story as he went. His best mate caught on quickly, pulling the bottle the two of them had been drinking from earlier out of his robes and pretended to take a drink.

"Yeah, if a witch can't hold her Firewhisky, she shouldn't drink it!" Ron said loudly as he threw his arm around Hermione's shoulder and led her out.

Harry caught the Head Boy's eye and saw him nod nearly imperceptibly.

"No problem Potter! A bloke hates not to share a little with his witch though," the Hufflepuff said as he stood and carried his witch out of the dorm room and down to the common room. He noted it was thankfully nearly empty. Sitting on the sofa, he adjusted his hold on her and looked down.

"You're okay. I've got you. Harry is right here too," His voice was gentle and reassuring. He knew before two days ago it would have been difficult to add her brother's name in there.

The witch nodded a little for the first time, finally responding to his voice. The Head Boy breathed a little easier, his witch had finally recognized him, though her body still shook uncontrollably.

Harry peered down at his sister and saw what the Hufflepuff had seen. She was starting to come back to them. Sitting on the sofa beside Ron and Hermione, Ginny had gone up to bed before Ron had gone up to their dorm room, his thoughts turned to what his sister had told him yesterday morning. It had been a shock for sure and maybe without his sister there for support he probably would have gone to pieces. As it was, he had a hard time dealing with it. His sister's belief that there was hope in the Room of Love kept him from falling to pieces right now. He trusted his sister, but he had a hard time trusting anything to do with Snape. Anger bubbled up inside him, hot and potent just thinking about the traitor. Though for some reason he didn't even think to doubt that he was a Horcrux.

Taylor struggled to get a grip on the terror in her mind. The nightmare, that was so much more than that, controlled her thoughts. Slowly, as the terror began to lose its grip, the realization of what it meant set in. Later she would wonder why it didn't paralyze her with fear, or make her numb and send her body into shock like it had when she found out her brother was a Horcrux.

Sometime during the night she could remember Hermione and her brother asking her what had happened but she couldn't tell them.

She could never tell her brother…

The Head Boy stayed with her and she leaned on him heavily for emotional support. A part of her mind knew it was wrong, knew that the tiny glimpse of what could be that he had given her, was all that she would ever get. She was going to hurt him so deeply… but it was too late… there was nothing she could do now about that.

* * *

><p>AN MWHAHAHAHAHAHA Okay now my evil laugh is over ;) I thought I should let you guys stew for a while on this chapter! But seeing as how it is my birthday I am going to be nice and post the next chapter right away! Hope you guys read carefully cause there is alot going on in this chapter! And a lot of foreshawdowing! Hope most of all though that you enjoyed reading it!

Thank you to all the wonderful people who left a review! those that are signed in and those who are guests! Thank you! Thank you for reading as well! ;) And last but not least Thank you to my wonderful beta barbc!


	97. To Do, What Has To Be Done

And here is the bonus chapter I promised you because it is my birthday! ;);)

* * *

><p>Chapter Ninety-seven<p>

**To Do, What Has To Be Done**

When the sky began to pale to the East she slipped from the Hufflepuff's arms and, leaving a note so they wouldn't worry too much, she looked at her friends. Ron and Hermione were cuddled together sleeping and her brother was stretched out, his legs up on the coffee table, also sound asleep. She longed to touch him, brush his unruly hair from his forehead… knowing it was likely to wake him she didn't. Her eyes fell on the tall dark haired wizard who was asleep on the other sofa, her thumb brushing against the silver ring on her finger. Her heart melted, his face was so peaceful in sleep, so handsome, if life had been different, she would have gladly spent many years with him. She would spend the rest of her life with him… that just happened to be a matter of hours now, not years.

Slipping out of the Gryffindor common room she made her way through the castle. She needed to think and the best way to do that was walking. Unlike her numb wanderings of the day before yesterday, this time she was alert and wary. She needed to get to the end and there was no more time for mistakes. As she walked a plan began to form in her mind. It wasn't an easy one and she would probably destroy more than she wanted but…

As she walked she wondered if that was why Dumbledore didn't answer last night when Hermione summoned him to tell him of this latest nightmare… or why he hadn't been there when she looked into the Pensive. Maybe he had helped them reach as close to the end as he could and now he had to leave it up to them.

Finally, her plan sorted out, she headed for the dungeons to set it in motion.

She was in luck, it was nearly ten in the morning and the one person she needed to see was just walking down the corridor with only one other. Palming her wand so she'd be ready she called softly.

"Oi Parkinson!" The Slytherin witch spun around, her eyes going wide as she recognized who it was. The witch with her was equally surprised.

"What do you want Porter?" Parkinson snapped.

"I want a lot of things but what I need from you is some information." Taylor said in a cool voice as she walked up to the two Slytherins.

"You can go to hell!" spat the other witch.

"Probably but I will get what I want!" Taylor's necklace burned against her neck as the ancient language rolled off her tongue. The spell was similar to the Imperio Curse, and just as powerful, and just as illegal.

A few minutes later Taylor made her way through some of the darker corridors in the castle to a small door which she opened and, going back to the far wall, opened another door with a Dark Magic spell. The room she stepped into was small and dank. It only took her a moment to locate what she was looking for. After carefully pouring the potion that she would need into a flask she had transfigured, she vanished the rest, as well as the other dubious looking potions in the room, before she left and the door sealed itself once more.

Back out in the corridor she glanced at her watch and headed for the Great Hall. She truly didn't feel like being around anyone but she had promised in her note to meet her brother, the Hufflepuff and the others for breakfast. She had no trouble finding them when she walked through the large oak doors. An unbidden thought went through her mind. What if this was the last, or second to last, breakfast she ever had with them? This was a day she needed to enjoy, a day to spend with the ones she loved.

The thought squared her shoulders and lengthened her stride and she greeted her friends with a small smile as she sat down with them.

"Well you look a little more cheerful. The walk did its job did it?" Hermione asked as she studied her friend. She had never recovered from a nightmare that fast before. Maybe that was a good sign.

"Yeah, it did." Taylor answered with a growing smile, as only she knew the double meaning to her friend's innocent question. She really didn't feel all that hungry but she tried a little of everything, even grabbing a bite from the Hufflepuff's plate to see if she liked Eggs Benedict.

The conversation was easy and light. The Head Boy telling jokes and Ron making wise cracks had them all laughing, and Taylor cherished every moment of it. She could see that her brother was even smiling and enjoying this stolen moment. When they were finished eating Taylor suggested that they go out and enjoy the day for a while before they went back to planning, and the others agreed.

The sun was warm and bright as the six of them lounged under a tree. Ginny had them all laughing again and the Hufflepuff added his quick wit as well. The late morning passed into the afternoon as they all sat just enjoying each other's company.

At four o'clock they all reluctantly headed back into the castle to try to finish their plans. Stopping by the kitchens, they grabbed something to eat before they headed up to Gryffindor Tower and the seventh year boy's dorm room.

Two hours later they had the plan for the following night nearly laid out, minus the part about Nagini. As if by silent agreement no one mentioned Snape or the coming meeting that Taylor had with him a little later.

"I'm going to start working on the coins." Hermione announced a short time later, as she pulled her book bag out and took some coins out and dumped them on Ron's bed.

The boys were discussing the best place to have a watcher and finally agreed on a spot.

Ginny and Taylor had gone over to help Hermione.

At quarter after seven Taylor knew it was time to go. The two witches with her on the bed noticed her stand up and giving them a small smile she turned to her brother and the Hufflepuff and Ron. It took only a few seconds for her brother to look up from what they were discussing now and to pin her with a sharp glare.

"What are you doing?"

Unflinching she met his glare. "What I need to do in order for this to work."

"If you mean going to meet the murderous traitor, I don't think so!" Harry said as he straightened to his full height.

Taylor nodded, "I didn't think you would let me go…" in her heart she knew she had to go. She had no choice… Calm filled her up, as her necklace burned, her wrist flicked and she palmed her wand, the ancient words tumbled from her lips, as her wand sliced through the air. "I'm sorry brother." She whispered, as five bodies dropped where they were.

An hour later…

"Argh," Harry groaned as he blinked his eyes sluggishly. He felt like he'd had too much Firewhisky, but he couldn't remember drinking last night… Lifting his head he looked around and he realized he was laying on the floor. It was dark. Shaking his head his thoughts began to clear…

"Bloody hell! I don't remember drinking that much…" Ron's voice grumbled.

"What happened?" Ginny's voice asked thickly.

Sitting up, Harry palmed his wand and lit the lamps, blinking against the brightness. His memory flooded back to him and a long expletive flowed from his mouth as he stood up.

"Is everyone alright?" He asked, as he stepped over to the bed to check on Ginny and Hermione first.

"Yeah, but what… Oh Bloody hell! She didn't!" Greg said as he came to his feet and looked around desperately for his witch. A sinking feeling in his stomach told him she was long gone.

"Yeah. She did!" Harry bit out furiously. His sister had knocked them all out with a Dark Magic spell so she could go meet the traitor Snape.

Hundreds of miles away, in an abandoned, run down shack, Taylor stood facing Snape.

"Promise me you will do it!" Taylor said in a hard voice.

"Of course I will… your plan is simple. Are you sure…" Snape drawled in a bored tone, but the witch interrupted him.

"No! I need to be sure… You need to swear to it! Take the Unbreakable Vow!" Taylor demanded.

Snape stared at her for a long moment. "Surely you don't mean that… I owe you a life debt, that should be enough!"

"No. You saved my life from Voldemort at Christmas. That evens us up. I can't leave this to chance. There is only one shot at it… If we fail… You say you loved my mother then show it and take the Unbreakable Vow!" her voice was brittle.

Snape seemed to size up the underage witch for a long moment. He noticed she did not flinch from his hard look, and when he took her hand it was rock steady. Drawing his wand he said, "I promise to bring the Dark Lord to the Ministry of Magic tomorrow night, under the guise that you are willing to give him Potter in return for your life… I promise to send Nagini by Portkey to the Forbidden Forest tomorrow. I promise I will drink the potion and not interfere in the Department of Mysteries." A thin gold tendril flowed from his wand wrapping around their clasped hands tightening, until it seared into their skin and faded away, the marks it left fading as well.

Taylor nodded and was about to drop her hand when Snape twisted her hand over and stared at the silver band on her finger, his eyes narrowed.

"I hope you were not foolish enough to do what I think you did."

"Yeah, I probably did." Taylor pulled her hand from his and looked at the ring for a moment. "I know this is going to hurt him… But at least I had a glimpse of what might have been if things were different. I love him… but my duty is to my brother. Our happiness is a small thing when compared to the lives Harry can save…" Taylor turned to leave and his forlorn voice stopped her.

"Life is a hard thing to get through once your light… your love… is gone. You are simply reduced to surviving each day."

Looking back over her shoulder she could see the depth of his sadness, and her heart ached for him. "I'm sorry Severus. I'm truly sorry."

Their eyes met for a long moment before he looked away and then Apparated away.

Knowing it was past curfew, she was extra cautious as she slipped up through the castle, checking the Map often and moving silently under the cloak. When she reached the Fat Lady she gave the password and slipped through the portal. The common room was loud and still fairly crowded, the last Saturday night before school ended. After a quick search of the room she didn't spot her brother or the others and made her way up to the seventh year boy's dorm room. Pausing outside the door, she knew she wasn't likely to get a very warm welcome. Steeling herself, she tried the door. It was warded and, palming her wand, she quickly vanished them and let herself in, putting them back up again behind her.

"I'd like to know one good reason why I shouldn't hex you right now!" Harry growled as he watched the door open and shut seemingly on its own.

Pulling the cloak off she said, "How about for one, I have our plan put in motion. And two you left me with no choice."

"No choice? You stun your friends and leave them and you have the nerve to say you had no choice?" Ginny snapped rounding on Taylor.

"That's what I said. No choice. Now we can fight among ourselves or we can double check our plan, as well as decide just how we are going to go about killing Nagini." Her voice was hard.

"How do we even know you are you?" Ron snapped.

"Because Ron, I know Lions only roar on Wednesday, and Boars only wear pink to bed."

Harry was furious with his sister and refused to speak to her for the rest of the evening. The others were only a little less hostile, but their voices were clipped as they asked what she had found out. They were just finishing up when Dean, Seamus and Neville came in.

A while later the others had gone to bed and Taylor sat in the common room on the sofa beside the Hufflepuff, his stiff stance told her just how upset he was. She waited for him to break the silence that had been between them since they had come down.

"I'm not impressed with what you pulled tonight… whether you felt you had to or not. To use Dark Magic on us… I'm rather shocked. It was a cowardly way out."

Taylor nodded her head, she already knew that.

Silence settled around them again.

The Hufflepuff's voice was a little gentler this time, "When you do things like that it makes your friends question whether they can trust you or not."

"I know." She confessed.

Time seemed to play its tricks again and before she realized it the school clock was chiming one o'clock. Her heart took up a heavy thud in her chest and she could feel her resolve starting to waver. Knowing it was wrong but desperately needing his quiet strength, Taylor shifted on the sofa so that she was sitting close enough to touch the Hufflepuff. His arm lifted and settled around her shoulders, pulling her tightly against his side. This was enough for a while, just sitting with him. Though soon that too became not enough and, shifting yet again, she straddled his lap. Running her arms around behind his neck, she kept her eyes lowered fearing what she might see in his, and not knowing just what her's might give away. Instead she studied his lips and lightly stubbled chin for a few heartbeats before she closed the distance and kissed him. The emotions she had been able to keep in check while she was sitting beside him broke free and she poured them into her kiss, trying to say with the kiss what she couldn't with words.

All too soon the need for air divided their lips and this time it was her lips that traveled along his jaw to his ear where she nibbled and received a soft moan, his hands roaming her back beneath her shirt.

Running her tongue along the ridge of his ear she pressed her body into his, his moan deeper this time. "I'm sorry," she breathed into his ear before she moved back to his lips, her kiss demanding as he answered her need with passion of his own.

Breathing heavily their lips moved apart once again. The Hufflepuff's arms held her tight against him and he moved, picking his witch up and laying her down on the sofa, his body covering hers and settling intimately between her legs. His lips found hers as his hand slipped under the side of her shirt to cup her breast over her bra.

Heat pooled low in her belly and needing to feel his skin beneath her finger tips she slipped her hand under his shirt, allowing it to roam his back. Her body answered his and she arched up against him as their tongues danced together. A groan rumbled in his chest as the fingers in his other hand tangled in her short hair pulling gently, his lips trailed down her neck to her sensitive spot, where he worked a moan from his witch.

Pushing his control to the limit, he rocked against her gently as his lips claimed hers once more, his hand gently kneading the small bra covered breast in his palm. Desire pounded through him and his mind barely registered the soft "I'm sorry," that slipped from her lips from time to time.

Finally, their lips swollen and clothes disheveled, they settled together on the sofa. The witch pulled tightly against the wizard as he curled protectively around her, his leg over hers and his arm holding her tight against his chest.

Taylor felt exhaustion pulling at her, as the wizard behind her breathed deeply, but she fought it, not because she was scared to close her eyes, but because she wanted to cherish every moment. Commit it to memory.

Safe in the Hufflepuff's arms, she finally succumbed to her body's exhaustion and slept.

The sun was pouring in through the windows to the common room when she awoke. As if her mind had never really shut down, she opened her eyes knowing full well what today was. Even with that knowledge, and knowing what she needed to do, she resisted, seeking out a few more stolen moments with the sleeping wizard behind her.

Only the knowledge that if she didn't get done what she needed to, that it would be worse, drove her out of the Hufflepuff's sleeping arms. Taking quill and parchment she headed for the owlery.

Returning an hour later she found the Head Boy sitting on the sofa in the common room looking very much like he had just woken up.

"Hey… I didn't think you left the common room." He said sleepily as he stretched and yawned. "Where'd you go?"

"I just had an errand I had to do. Why don't you go have a shower and stuff while I get the others up. We can meet in the Great Hall in an hour." She attempted a smile at him but knew she failed. The weight of what they had to do settled on her. What she had to do…

"It's going to be alright." The Hufflepuff said, as he stood and pulled her against him, his arms holding her tight. "We have a plan, it's a good one. It'll work out. Harry will be okay."

Taylor returned his hug and took his reassurances for what they were, his hope that things would go as planned. Only she knew truly what today would bring.

After the Hufflepuff left, she went to wake the girls first. Ginny was already awake and gave her a tight smile when she entered the sixth year dorm. When she entered her room her eyes fell on the bed that had been hers for the past seven years, and she looked at the picture of her aunt and uncle. They had been good people. They had loved her and she had never had a chance to thank them. Mrs. Briggs face came to mind and her heart ached, as resolve flowed through her. Tonight she would make sure Voldemort could hurt no one anymore. Waking Hermione, she headed for the seventh year boy's dorm and found about what she suspected… four wizards asleep. Only her brother was awake.

Sitting down beside him as he lay in his bed, she put up a silencing charm.

"I'm sorry Harry. I should have found another way to go. At the time it seemed the simplest and quickest way to go."

"I'm not so angry about how you left… I just… he's a murdering traitor! He's…" pure loathing resounded in her brother's voice. "I'll kill him if I see him!"

Quietly Taylor said, "I know brother, I'm sorry." She listened to his vicious oath.

"Harry we can't do this alone. We need someone who Voldemort will listen to."

"He's a traitor! How can you be so sure he won't betray us as well?"

"Because he owes me his life… and he made an Unbreakable Vow with me that he would carry this through." Taylor said quietly, meeting her brother's eyes for the first time. She could see the strain in them, as well as disbelief.

"You made an… Unbreakable Vow? With Snape?" the name was spit out as if it were something foul.

"I needed to know we could trust him."

Harry shook his head at his sister. He wondered briefly if the last nightmare hadn't done something to her… her actions since had been even more erratic than usual. "What am I going to do with you?"

"Accept what I did as necessary and get ready for what we need to do today."

Harry picked up his sister's left hand and looked at the silver ring that was on her finger. "So is this what I think it is?"

Taylor met her brother's eyes but she only saw acceptance in them as he nodded slightly. "I guess… He's a good wizard and Merlin knows he loves you."

"And I love him too Harry." Taylor knew that she should tell her brother that Greg knew… but this just didn't seem the time to get into that. So she asked instead. "Have you talked to Ginny yet?" She saw him shaking his head.

"I don't know what to say to her… How do I tell her goodbye?"

"It's not going to be goodbye, Harry! It's not! I know it! Just tell her how much you love her." Taylor said as she fought the panic that threatened to overwhelm her at the thought of her brother dying. It was strange, she could face the knowledge that she wouldn't make it through tonight, even the pain of knowing she would hurt Greg, so much easier then the thought that she would lose her brother.

Sitting up Harry hugged his sister and she gladly returned the gesture, each whispering their love for one another.

Time played a trick again and all too soon the six of them were heading across the grounds towards the Forbidden Forest as the afternoon sun shone down on them brightly.

Taylor led them through the forest and along the path to the place where the Portkey would arrive, bringing with it Nagini. It would work because that was how the auror Mr. Timmons had brought the Manticore onto school grounds.

Standing off to the side, all with their wands drawn, Gryffindor's sword in Ron's hand as well, they waited. A pop and the snake appeared before them, hissing. Taylor used the combination Dark & light magic spell to determine that Nagini truly was a horcrux.

Just like they planned, they all sent stunners at it and Ron swung the sword, beheading the giant snake. Then they levitated the body into Hermione's hand bag, where it had more than ample room to fit.

There was no celebration, no smiles or feelings of excitement like there had been when they destroyed other Horcruxes. Only a grim satisfaction that this part of their plan had gone off without a hitch.

Heading back to the castle they were met at the front doors by Neville and Luna.

"I know you are up to something and we want to help." Neville said as he met Harry's eyes.

"Neville, you have no idea what you are asking. Go. Enjoy your last few days at Hogwarts." Harry said quietly.

"No. I've been watching you and you are planning something." Neville said forcefully.

"We could use two more people. It would make the whole thing safer." The Hufflepuff said reasonably.

Harry glared at the Hufflepuff as he thought. They did have a hole in their plan and two more would fill in those areas.

"Alright but you come with us now!" Harry said in a hard tone. "And if you have any doubts that you don't want to help. You leave now!"

The Ravenclaw witch and the Gryffindor wizard shook their heads. So after a couple of questions, so that they could be sure that they weren't imposters, and Hermione checked to make sure they weren't under some sort of spell, they took the newcomers up with them to the seventh year Gryffindor boy's dormitory and went over the plan carefully several times until even the two newcomers knew exactly what they had to do.

Time passed and all too soon it was time to go.

Grimly they said their own goodbyes to each other. The three couples clinging to one another for a few extra seconds. Then they made their way down through the castle, meeting only the few Gryffindors in the common room as they used the Map to avoid anyone else. Reaching the one-eyed witch stone bust, Taylor took out her wand and as her necklace burned against her neck, she vanished the wards surrounding it. Alarms sounded and the eight of them scrambled through the opening and into the passage below. Taylor paused only long enough to put the wards back in place before she raced along with the others. They weren't going to try coming out at Honeydukes, they were going to Apparate from the tunnel. They had no intention of returning this way, if they made it back.

Taylor took the Hufflepuff and Luna with her, Hermione took Ron and Neville, Harry took Ginny.

"Ready? Remember the plan. Be careful!" Harry's voice was firm and commanding, all places for doubt left behind. At the grim nods of the others they all spun and Apparated to the Ministry of Magic in London.

* * *

><p>AN Well there you have it... The next chapter is the ending I wrote before Deathly Hallows came out(or for the most part what I wrote before DH came out! I had to tweek it a bit to fit in with this VERY much more detailed and complicated story evolved! I promise not to keep you waiting too long before I post again! I hope you enjoyed this story! Feel free to let me know what you think!

A/N2 just a peice of likely useless triva... All the chapters but 1(chapter21) where Taylor has her nightmares about the Snake after her soul... they all have the word Snake in them. Like I said useless triva! ;)

Until next time, cytpotter.


	98. The Room of Love

Well here it is... The LAST chapter that I wrote before Deathly Hallows came out! The way that I envisioned that the final fight would go!

Happy Halloween! Mwhahahahahahahahaha!

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter Ninety-eight<strong>

**The Room Of Love**

Apparating to the alley, where they had to go for the Ministry Census at Christmas, the three groups quickly made sure that they were indeed alone and put up a silencing charm.

"Okay Ginny, you and Luna know where you are supposed to go right? Remember keep out of sight and if you are spotted get away fast!" Harry said as he turned to look at the two witches who were going to be the spotters. Both witches had taken their Apparating course and knew where the emergency Apparating point was.

Ginny nodded briskly. She wasn't happy to be delegated to just a spotter but Harry had been adamant that she wasn't getting any closer than this. He'd made her promise that she would follow the plan right to the letter. Meaning as soon as she activated the signal coin to let the other's know when Voldemort and his Death Eaters arrived, and how many, she was to leave and go to the Burrow to tell her father what was going on, so that he could notify the Order of the Phoenix for help.

"Yes, don't worry. We know what to do." Luna said, her usual dreamy voice gone replaced by one determined to do her part in the Chosen One's plan.

Harry nodded once. "Be careful!" he warned before turning away from the two sixth year witches. He dearly would have loved to hug his witch again and tell her that he loved her, but he knew that he'd already done that back at Hogwart's and he wasn't sure if he would be able to let his witch go if he pulled her into his arms again. The creature in his chest snarled and gnashed its teeth demanding he stay with his witch. Instead he headed for the phone booths that lead into the Ministry of Magic, steeling himself for what needed to be done.

The others followed, wishing the two witches good luck and to be careful.

The four wizards and two witches squeezed into the phone booth and as they descended below the ground they could see the two witches had already disappeared, heading to the roof tops of adjacent buildings to take up their positions.

When the doors to the phone booth opened the six of them stepped out cautiously looking around to make sure they were alone. The darkened Atrium was deserted.

Harry turned to Neville and the Hufflepuff. "Okay you two know what you're to do right?"

"You can count on us Harry," Neville's voice sounded nervous but he met Harry's eyes and nodded. They were to hide in the atrium and signal how many of Voldemort's followers there were coming, from either the floos or the other two entrances. No one could Apparate within the Ministry of Magic.

"I still think that it would be better if…" Greg said quickly as fear for his witch clenched his heart. He knew that this could easily be the last time he saw her alive. That today was the day she had hinted at all those months ago when she told him she was willing to die for Harry. Even with the full moon nearly two weeks away Greg felt the beast stir restlessly in his mind.

"Look Hunter, if you had a problem with this plan then you should have…!" Ron snapped as he stepped toward the slightly taller Hufflepuff.

"Ron!" Taylor and Hermione admonished at the same time.

Taylor glanced at Hermione and then grabbed Greg's arm and led him off a short ways as the bushy haired witch pulled the three other wizards on towards the lifts at the far end of the Atrium.

Taylor looked up into Greg's anxious face and could see his fear plainly in his eyes, though she knew it wasn't fear for what he had to do. "Greg… I…" she didn't know what to say. That this was goodbye, she knew. Only she knew how final these last few words to the wizard, she had grown to love, were.

Greg could see it in his witch's eyes, the goodbye that her words could not seem to say, and he wrapped his arms around her and crushed her to his chest as the beast began to snarl from within its cage in his mind.

Taylor knew they didn't have much time and the longer she stayed in the safety of Greg's arms the harder it was going to be to go. Gathering every ounce of her Gryffindor courage she let her arms drop from around him. "I love you," she whispered in a voice thick with emotion, "Always remember I love you…"

Greg's throat closed over and he didn't know if he was going to be able to push the words out of his constricted throat. "Merlin, I love you too Taylor." His voice sounded strangled.

Stepping out of his arms, Taylor reached for his hand and led him down the Atrium towards where her brother and friends were waiting. When she reached them it was Harry who spoke.

"Hunter you know what you need to do right?"

"Yeah Potter. I know." Greg's voice was strong as he nodded to the other wizard. "Good luck."

Harry could see the determination burning in the Hufflepuff's eyes and knew that he would hold up his end of the plan. He nodded at Neville and at the tall Hufflepuff. "Be careful."

Taylor let go of Greg's hand and, with only one backward glance, followed her brother and two best friends into the lift that would take them down to the Department of Mysteries.

The trip down in the lift only took moments but the weight of what they were about to attempt hung thickly in the air and the monotone voice announcing that they were there sounded very loud making them all jump a little. Stepping out into the deserted hallway it was Hermione who broke the ominous silence.

"Harry… what if the last Horcrux isn't in there? What if Taylor can't get the sealed door open? Or the magic in the sealed room doesn't work?" Hermione asked fearfully. There were so many unknowns in this plan.

The plan that the others knew, as well as the actual plan that he and his sister had come up with.

Harry took his friend by the shoulders and looked into her eyes, "Hermione, this is going to work. We have a good plan. Taylor will be able to open that door. And I know for sure that the Horcrux will be in there."

"Yeah Hermione, it will work." Ron said in a tight voice as he looked at his best mate.

Harry pulled the bushy haired witch into a quick hug before he turned and clapped Ron on the shoulder. "Remember! Keep to the plan. All you need to do is create a diversion to draw some of the Death Eaters away from the Revolving Room. Stay under my cloak until you have to come out. By then the Darkness Powder should have worked and you can set the Filibuster's Fireworks off. That should give you time to get into the lift and get out of here. That will draw some of the Death Eaters back up to the Atrium with you and by then Ginny and Luna will have alerted the Order and reinforcements will be arriving."

Harry knew that it was a fairly good plan right up until then, but that the danger would be in just how many Death Eaters Voldemort brought with him and the resulting fight that was going to take place. There was a good chance one, if not all, of the students he had brought with him tonight would be killed in that fight.

Ron put his arm around Hermione's shoulders and gave her a squeeze. "Don't worry Harry."

Taylor looked at her two best friends and her heart gave a painful throb, these two were her family as well.

Harry turned and walked down the hall to the Revolving Room, the whole way wondering in a melodramatic way if this was what someone walking to the gallows felt like. He gave his head a shake. Thoughts like that were not any help.

Taylor looked from Ron to Hermione, and giving each a quick hug said, "You guys be careful, and get out like Harry said ok?" Then she turned as well and followed her brother down the hall, where he had stopped at the door to the Revolving Room.

Harry waited with his hand on the door handle until he heard Taylor stop beside him. He glanced sideways at her. Her lips were drawn into a straight line, but her eyes shone with a fierceness that touched his heart. She would follow him into hell, he was sure, and maybe she was just about to. He gave a jerk of his head, opened the door and stepped through. Taylor right on his heels.

The Revolving Room looked just like it had fifth year, black with blue flame torches on the walls and as soon as the door shut the walls began to spin, until the torches were nothing but a blur.

When the walls stopped spinning, Taylor took out her wand with a flick of her wrist, as calm settled over her like an old friend and her necklace began to heat up. Ancient words fell from her lips as she slowly circled the room pausing before each door searching for the sealed door to the Room of Love.

Harry watched as she walked around, hoping that his sister would be able to sort out which was the right door before Voldemort arrived. He was just about to ask her, when Taylor spoke.

"How long do you think we have?" she asked quietly but still her voice echoed slightly in the empty chamber. Taylor paused before one of the doors and the cracks around the door glowed red. Taylor marked the door with a red X just like Hermione had done in their fifth year.

As Harry watched her, Taylor had stopped at the door and marked it. He wasn't sure how she knew how to find it, but a lot of things Taylor was able to do still amazed him. He glanced at his watch. He wasn't sure how much longer it would be.

Silence in the Revolving Room was absolute as they waited.

It wasn't long though before Harry felt his coin grow hot and he pulled it out of his pocket.

_12-back alley_

He tipped it so his sister could see and she nodded. There was no need for words. They knew the plan was now set in motion.

Not even thirty seconds later, the coin grew hot again.

_12-main entrance_

Then it hadn't even had a chance to cool when…

_10-floos_

Taylor felt her heart tremble in her chest. Twenty two Death Eaters were now in the Atrium at the Ministry of Magic where Neville and her Hufflepuff were hiding…

The silence in the Revolving Room pushed at their ears with a weight of its own as they waited, not knowing what might be happening to their friends.

Harry's heart began to hammer in his chest, as he said with a tight voice, "Only a minute, maybe two!" He walked over so that the door with the X was right at his back. "Taylor! Get behind me!" Harry waved his wand and conjured a brick wall in front of him, then he rolled up the sleeves to his cloak. He didn't want them sliding down and accidentally catching on his wand when he needed it most. Taylor joined him behind the wall and they stood together to wait for Voldemort.

Taylor could feel the nerves in her stomach, she almost felt sick. Fear and doubt assailed her mind. What if this didn't work? What if she couldn't get that door open? What if Harry was killed?

She looked over at her brother. His face was set, but he almost looked calm as his eyes watched the other doors, ready, waiting. She grabbed hold of that calm and used it to clear her mind. She could do this. She had it within her power to beat this prophecy and rid this world of Voldemort. The necklace on her neck burned hot once again. She was ready.

Suddenly they could hear sounds coming from outside the room, the muffled sounds of the fireworks going off.

"I love you, Taylor," Harry whispered, glancing at his sister. Her hazel eyes met his and she smiled.

Taylor looked into those green eyes she had seen so long ago, "I love you too, brother."

The door almost across from them flew open and Voldemort and two Death Eaters came flying in, the sound of explosions and wand fire filling the once quiet room.

The door slammed shut and Harry and Taylor stood side-by-side, waiting. The walls spun once more, the blue torches blurring and the red X making a faint blur as it whirled around them. When the walls finally stopped the red X was only two doors away from where Taylor and Harry stood. Waving his wand, the brick wall was once again in front of them. It was better than they had dared to hope for.

"Harry Potter," a soft voice hissed from the cloaked figure in the center of the room. The two Death Eaters stood on either side of Voldemort as he lowered his hood. "And Taylor Porter. I have heard some extraordinary things about you for the past little while."

Taylor looked up at the thin man with the red slit eyes and could feel her resolve to bring him down pound through her veins, pushing everything but that one all important goal out of her mind.

"Yeah, well, it's amazing these days what will make tongues wag." Taylor's voice was cold.

Voldemort chuckled, the sound making the hair on the necks of both siblings rise. "I will be the one who will decide on the truth of such rumours."

"Harry, why do you insist on these little meetings? Your little friends are no match for my Death Eaters, this has just grown tiresome." Voldemort said, his red eyes flashing.

Ron and Hermione had pulled their part of the plan off perfectly. They had been waiting under Harry's invisibility cloak away from the lift and as soon as it opened, and Voldemort and five Death Eaters stepped off, Ron had released the Darkness Powder plunging the hallway into darkness. Moving quickly they had headed for the lifts and just as they reached them Hermione had ignited the fireworks and they used what little light that came from the fireworks to get in the lift and head up through the Ministry. They could see at least two of the Death Eaters heading for the other lift.

Up in the Atrium though, things were not going quite as well and when the lift doors opened it was to see that Greg and Neville were pinned down behind the marble reception desk as two Death Eaters fired at them keeping them pinned down there, as the other Death Eaters threw taunts at the two students.

Ron and Hermione immediately began firing at the group of Death Eaters and were able to see at least two go down before they raced for cover.

Bellatrix's insane laughter filled the air as she called out, "A Mudblood, a Blood traitor, a werewolf and a screw-up! What a pathetic bunch Potter brought with him!"

"Oh I think you are wrong, bitch!" Ginny yelled as she stepped out of the fire. All along the wall green fire erupted in the fireplaces and out stepped Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, Fred and George, Moody, Shacklebolt, Lupin, Tonks and Luna. "How do you feel about a little fairer fight?" George called as he fired at the nearest Death Eater.

Harry squared off against Voldemort. He had to keep him busy while Taylor worked on the door, just behind him. "That's funny. Every time my 'little friends' and I meet up with you and your pathetic Death Eaters, you seem to lose more of them!" Harry spat, letting his hate of the thing in front of him take over.

A jet of red light shot from Voldemort's wand and Harry ducked behind his wall, making sure Taylor was ducking down also, but he was up again as soon as his knees hit the floor and aimed a curse over the wall into the center of the room.

"Leave him, he's mine!" hissed Voldemort, as a Death Eater also sent a curse at Harry. "Harry, I just can't seem to make you understand. I am going to kill you."

Harry sent another curse over the wall and chanced a glance at Taylor who was crouched beside him. He could see she was waving her wand at the closed door and muttering frantically under her breath.

Two more curses hit the wall, and Harry could see big cracks snaking down through it. It wouldn't last much longer.

"You've been trying to do that for almost 17 years now, and you haven't yet," Harry yelled with more bravado than he felt.

"Come out Potter! Or are you going to die hiding like your pathetic father did?" Voldemort hissed angrily.

Greg was relieved when the Order members arrived and evened out the odds. He had moved from behind the desk, where he had been pinned down a short time ago, to openly fight with a Death Eater. He could feel the werewolf easily in his mind and snarls rumbled out of his chest as he put the training that his witch had given him to good use.

All around the Atrium glass shattered and chips of stone flew as deflected spells crashed into walls. Yells of the combatants added to the din as both sides continued to get more help and the green flash from the floos cast the scene in an eerie light.

Shacklebolt was squared off against Malfoy Sr. and Ron, with great relish, had found Draco. Hermione and Neville were up against Nott. Bellatrix had Tonks pinned down, as Lupin fought Dawlish. Mr. Weasley had just put his opponent down before another jumped towards him. Mrs. Weasley and Ginny had Narcissa Malfoy. Luna, Fred and George were fighting two masked Death Eaters together.

As alarms in the Ministry of Magic itself sounded, aurors and Ministry officials began to arrive.

Lucius Malfoy put in a call as well and Death Eaters answered.

Neville was the first one to go down, a nasty stunner smashing through his shield. Hermione just got out of the way and was able to answer with a binding spell of her own.

Lupin deflected another one from Dawlish and then got the drop on him and took him down. He was just in time to see Tonks going down as Bellatrix advanced on her. With an angry yell he raced towards Tonks. Firing he was able to back the sadistic Death Eater off and help Tonks up once again before two other Death Eaters engaged them in a deadly duel.

With a sneer that was so un-Mrs. Weasley-ish that it surprised even Ginny, Mrs. Weasley yelled, "Oh no you don't! You pure blooded bitch!" when Mrs. Malfoy went to use Crucio on Ginny. With fury Mrs. Weasley advanced on the other pure blood witch and had her backing up to get away from her.

Ron found he was quite evenly matched against Draco and the two sparred with words as much as with spells. Their insults getting more vicious, as were their spells.

Ginny found herself without someone to fight, as her mother and Narcissa circled each other like two mother bears. An insane laugh made her spin around and there stood Bellatrix smiling nastily at her. Ginny fired the first spell that came to mind. She knew almost immediately that she was out matched against the sadistic Death Eater.

Greg had just stunned a Death Eater when he saw Ginny and Bellatrix square off. With a snarl that had the nearest Death Eater actually backing away, the young werewolf raced through the crowd towards the red headed witch. He was almost to Ginny when he fired his first spell past her at the Death Eater who had tortured his mate.

Bellatrix was surprised at the force of the spell from the newcomer and an insane smile curved her once beautiful face as the young werewolf stopped just in front of the little girl she had been playing with. She could see the beast shining in the blue eyes and she laughed before she began to fire at him.

Harry felt the wall explode as the next curse hit it, but at the same time a hiss filled the room, like an air lock being opened. Harry flung himself out of the way of the flying pieces of brick, and landed hard on his side beside the crumpled wall, fully exposed to Voldemort and his Death Eaters. He scrambled to his feet and faced his enemy. He didn't feel brave or even heroic, he just knew that it was time to do what he must.

Taylor had rolled out of the way of the exploding wall as well, coming up on the other side of it from Harry. She had just managed to open the sealed door as Voldemort fired his last curse at the wall. She was just about to turn to fight the Death Eater when the door began to close. Fear welled up in her and she turned to the door as the ancient magic fell from her lips, she needed to keep the door open.

Harry knew that Taylor now stood exposed on the other side of the crumpled wall, but there was nothing he could do to help her, his full attention was on Voldemort.

"Oh Harry, I am going to make you beg," came the soft hiss. "Stun the Mudblood! We'll take her with us."

Harry's wand flashed at the same time as Voldemort's but the Death Eater on Voldemort's left side lowered his hood at that same instant, it was Snape. Harry's spell went wide.

Taylor knew she was a sitting duck as she fought to keep the door from closing. A soft thud made her glance over her shoulder to see that Snape had silently stunned the other Death Eater behind Voldemort's back.

"_Crucio_!" Voldemort hissed venomously.

Harry dropped to the ground writhing in pain.

Taylor's eyes locked onto the man who had loved her mother so much and she saw him nod towards the door, silently telling her to keep it open. Then he dropped to the floor as if he had been stunned too, just like they had planned. Voldemort's full attention on the Boy Who Lived allowed their interaction to go unnoticed.

Voldemort laughed as he watched Harry jerk and scream in pain. At last, he thought, I am going to kill Harry Potter. The Boy Who Lived will live no more. "Yes that's it Harry. You are going to die just like your parents did… betrayed by one they thought they could trust! I will use the Dark Magic that your friend can conjure, along with mine, to make all those who dare oppose me bow down before me!" The insane laugh filled the room.

A white mist from the sealed room was floating into the Revolving Room, steadily moving towards the young wizard who lay on the floor and the dark wizard in the center of the room, whose attention was solely on the young wizard who lay writhing at his feet.

Harry's screams were becoming less and less, as the pain from the Crucio curse was going away. Soon Harry lay panting on the marble floor. He was looking up at Voldemort, his wand was still clenched in his hand.

"Now!" yelled Taylor, as the Dark Magic began to make the young witch sweat as the strain to keep the door open became greater.

Voldemort gasped in shock, stunned to see the Crucio curse weaken and disappear from Potter. Never before had anyone ever been able to throw off such a curse.

Harry forced himself to shake off the effects of the Cruciatus Curse and rolled onto his knees his wand at the ready.

Voldemort, suddenly furious that the boy was now facing him again, hissed, "Now you will die!"

Harry's wand flashed through the air at the same time Voldemort's did.

"_Expelliarmus_!"

"_Avada Kedavra_!"

Their spells met mid way and, just like in the graveyard three years ago, they connected. It was almost a surreal moment, as the mist swirled all around Harry and Voldemort with their wands connected. Then the mist began to thicken, swirling around them as it darkened.

Voldemort yelled in surprise. Too late he realized that his preoccupation with Potter might have been a mistake.

The mist turned as black as the marble on the floor, tendrils of it wrapping around Voldemort. He began to scream as the mist surrounded him completely.

Harry felt his spell break, but it didn't matter. Whatever the mist was, it was now doing what none other could do, and as he watched, he saw Voldemort's body begin to shrivel up, like a balloon being slowly deflated. His inhuman scream echoed off the walls, slowly becoming fainter, as the black mist continued to swirl around, angrily drawing the screaming towards the open door.

Kneeling on the floor Harry could see the mist that was still swirling around him thicken. Like a living thing, it moved in on him and he felt it enter his nose as he breathed and suddenly his scar burned white hot. Pain exploded in his head and then everything went black.

Greg's wand was a blur as he fired and blocked spells from Bellatrix, as he advanced steadily towards her, the werewolf as present in his mind as it would be on a full moon making his reactions lightning fast. A snarl came from him, even as he cast his silent spells. He had his prey backing up, the Death Eater who had tortured his mate was going to pay. He could smell the fear that she was starting to feel. When he was no more than six feet from her, and he could see the fear in her eyes, his hand shot out and grabbed her wand, yanking it from her hand midcast. His sudden move made her stumble and, losing her balance, Bellatrix fell onto the floor. Inside him the beast howled, his prey was defenceless, an easy kill.

Suddenly a frightful scream echoed up from the depths of the Ministry, reverberating through the atrium, causing those fighting on both sides to stop and look around.

Death Eaters suddenly grabbed their arms where the Dark Mark was, as pain white hot seared through it. And then as suddenly as the frightful sound had come, it was gone.

"No! Master! No!" Bellatrix wailed as she looked down at her Dark Mark to see it fading on her skin.

Greg stood breathing heavily as he fought for control. The urge to kill the witch at his feet was nearly overwhelming but with each passing heartbeat he could feel the beast slipping back into its cage. The fight was over.

Ginny had seen the dangerous look in the Hufflepuff's eyes when he had come to her aid, and now as she looked down at the sobbing witch at his feet, she approached him carefully.

"Greg, it's okay." Ginny glanced around and many of the Death Eaters had already laid their wands down, as aurors and members of the Order held them at wand point. When the Hufflepuff looked down at her she could see the dangerous gleam in his eye slowly receding and she put her hand on his arm. "It's over."

Ron would have loved to have an excuse to physically hit Draco Malfoy. The two hadn't been able to win, although each sported a few welts from their fight. He'd given the blond Slytherin up to Shacklebolt when he heard Hermione calling his name. He just managed to turn towards her when she reached him and threw her arms around him. He hugged her tight.

Taylor looked over where the black mist swirled around her brother. She had heard him scream and she wondered if the mist had just killed her brother like it had Voldemort. Then, as suddenly as it had turned black, it thinned and pulled back away from Harry and she could see him laying there on the floor. Lowering her wand, with her legs trembling, she walked over towards him as the door to the Room of Love sucked shut with a resounding thud, pulling the last of the mist with it. The red X faded from the door.

The silence was loud after the shrieking of the split souls ended.

Dropping to her knees, a sob already working to close off her throat, Taylor laid her hand on her brother's chest. The steady pound of his heart made her want to laugh in relief.

Ron and Hermione made their way over to where Ginny and Greg stood.

The Minister for Magic had arrived, as well as the Head Auror and they were rounding up the Death Eaters. There was already talk of allowing the Dementor's Kiss for at least some of the previously convicted Death Eaters.

"Ginny! Greg! Oh thank Merlin!" Hermione cried as she reached them and hugged each one.

Greg hugged the Head Girl. He was relieved that she was okay, though he could see she had some cuts on her face and hands. Greg took the hand offered by Ron and shook it. He was glad the wizard was alright as well.

For a long moment none of them spoke, all wondering what had happened to the black haired wizard and the short redhaired witch.

It was done.

That was the first thought that went through Harry's mind as he regained consciousness. His head felt a little… strange. And he realized that the mist had somehow taken the piece of Voldemort's soul that he had been cursed with seventeen years ago. He wondered why he hadn't been hurt, like Voldemort. With a small smile he decided he would have to ask Hermione that. With that thought came another, "Taylor?" he called.

"Potter!" an oily voice snarled.

Harry's eyes sprang open, and he rolled over and pushed himself onto his feet. This wasn't quite over, he had almost forgotten about Snape!

Harry glanced around cautiously, and he could see Taylor picking herself up off of the floor, on the other side of the room. He looked back at Snape.

"I'm going to kill you!" Harry snarled, letting his hate of his former Potions Professor course through his veins. Harry could see the night Snape had killed Dumbledore flash through his mind, a year ago. He could feel the hatred from all those years of abuse at Snape's hands. Snape backed away and Harry followed.

Harry watched, almost glad when Snape's back was to the wall, almost opposite to the sealed door with the red X, that was now almost faded from existence. Harry didn't stop to think about what or why Snape had backed away. All he could think of, was that he would have revenge.

"Potter!" Snape snarled again, just like he had all those times over the last seven years, with contempt and hate.

Harry raised his wand as Snape raised his arms.

"Harry! NO!" screamed Taylor.

"_AVADA KEDAVRA_!" Bellowed Harry and a jet of green light shot out of his wand and slammed into Snape's body. He crumpled to the floor.

Taylor was at Harry's side. Then she was going to kneel down beside Snape's still form.

Harry felt numb, his arm slowly lowered to his side.

A loud crack filled the air as if a piece of the marble floor itself was cracking open.

Snape's body began to quiver, and reshape, growing shorter.

Taylor too, began to change, her nose began to lengthen, and her hair turned black and greasy.

Harry stood there in shock, his mind refusing to take in what he was seeing.

"Ahh..." Harry gave a strangled cry, let go of his wand and dropped to the floor beside the still form of his sister. He crawled up to her head and looked down into her pale face. "Taylor" was all he could choke out, before his throat constricted and his eyes filled with tears.

"Potter," a voice said. Harry didn't hear.

"Harry," a soft voice said, "I'm sorry. It was the only way Taylor could think of to get you to destroy the last Horcrux. She knew you would never be able to kill her. But it was the only way to make sure the Dark Lord never comes back. Harry, are you listening to me!" Snape said, a little more forcefully.

Harry turned to look into Snape's black eyes. He had heard.

"Look Harry, I am sorry. Your sister sacrificed herself so that it would be over, so that the war could end," Snape's voice was soft, and filled with respect. It was so different from anything Harry had heard from his ex-professor before.

Harry looked up at Snape, tears running freely down his face as he gathered Taylor's body up into his arms to hold her. "Go," was all he managed to say.

Snape nodded his head and stood. He looked down at Harry, his face filled with sorrow. "I am sorry."

"GO!" screamed Harry as a great sob filled him and he began to rock back and forth holding his sister tightly to his chest.

Greg knew he couldn't wait any longer and he turned towards the lifts. The Minister for Magic and some of the aurors were just starting to use the lifts to take the captured Death Eaters to other parts of the Ministry to process them. More and more Ministry officials arrived and it soon looked more like a Monday morning than a late Sunday night.

Reaching a lift, he saw Moody, Shacklebolt, Lupin and Mr. Weasley making their way towards him.

"Hold on boy!" Moody growled as he clumped to a stop and his Magical eye moved over Hunter and the three Gryffindors that had just joined him. Moody was full of questions, but all but one could wait, and glaring at the four of them he growled quietly, "Where's Potter?"

Greg met the glare of the old auror, and after a quick glance to make sure that they wouldn't be overheard, he said softly, "Down in the Department of Mysteries. Along with Taylor."

Shacklebolt's eyebrows rose a little and then he said softly, "I think we had better go get them before the Minister or anyone else starts to think past all these Death Eaters."

Less than a minute later, an opportunity arose where a couple of Death Eaters started giving the two aurors that were with them, a hard time and the members of the Order and the four students slipped into the lift and headed down to the Department of Mysteries.

When the lift doors opened, all eight occupants had their wands out, not sure what they were going to find. Cautiously, Moody and Shacklebolt stepped out of the lift first but the corridor was empty and silent.

Harry's heart and eyes warred with each other. His eyes could see through his tears the pale face of his sister that he held tightly in his arms, as he unconsciously rocked back and forth, but his heart rebelled and told him it couldn't be true.

One of the other doors flew open, and Greg, Ron and Hermione came charging into the Revolving Room, wands drawn. Shacklebolt, Moody and Remus were only a few strides behind them. The three students had taken off for the door at the end of the hall, ignoring the calls from the Order members.

Ron and Greg skidded to a halt as the scene in front of them took on meaning. Hermione's soft gasp was the only sound, besides the sobs coming from Harry as he sat on the floor rocking Taylor.

"Oh no…" Ron whispered and Hermione turned into Ron's chest as tears started to pour down her face, as realization of what this must mean raced through her mind. Ron put his arms around her and held her tight.

Greg's heart stopped and he stared for several long seconds before a strangled cry ripped from his throat and he staggered the few feet to his redhaired witch and fell to his knees.

Lupin stood just inside the door, his mind numb. He gave a gasp and sunk to the floor.

Shacklebolt's jaw clenched but he walked to the center of the room and prodded the Death Eater lying there, he didn't move. Shacklebolt then noticed the wand lying on the floor just outside one of the closed doors. He bent and picked it up, surprised to see the scorch marks on it. When he turned it over in his hands he could see a jagged split in the wood, and the magical center of the wand was gone.

Moody felt his old heart give an unsteady thump as he walked slowly towards the Boy Who Lived and the witch he was cradling in his arms. He had been an auror too long to not have at least an idea of what had happened here, noting the stunned Death Eater and the wand Shacklebolt had picked up.

"Let me go! I have to see if he's alright!" Yelled Ginny as she pulled away from her father and burst through the door. She stopped at the sight of Harry sitting on the floor holding Taylor. "Oh Merlin, no," she whispered. On shaking legs she walked over to Harry and knelt beside him. Her heart breaking as tears began to run freely down her cheeks.

* * *

><p>AN So this is the way I seen the final fight happening. This is the final chapter I wrote before Deathly Hallows came out... I just had to mold it a bit with the story that had since evolved into so much more then I ever thought it would. But for the most part... and the most important parts, this is what had been written on July 2007.

But there is one more part of a chapter... that I will post with the next chapter that was also written before DH.

Happy Halloween! (maybe it is fate that this chapter is being posted on October 31...) Yes I know I am evil! :D


	99. Taylor's Letter

I do not own Harry Potter, never have never will. I just like to play in his sandbox.

* * *

><p>Chapter Ninety-nine<p>

**Taylor's Letter**

Harry sat on a chair in the kitchen of the Burrow. He was numb, the pain of seeing his sister… of being… People were talking around him, but he couldn't make out what they were saying. His mind refused to work.

Ginny sat beside Harry, holding his hand, even though she wasn't sure if he registered if she was there or not. The kitchen was full of Weasleys and Order members. Hermione, her eyes puffy and red, sat on the other side of Harry. Ron sat beside her, with his arm around her shoulders. Neville, who was nursing a broken arm, and Luna, who was just recovering from a nasty jelly legs curse, sat across from the others. They were explaining what had just happened at the Ministry only an hour ago.

"So you lured Voldemort to the Ministry and down to the Department of Mysteries," Moody clarified as he looked from one young pale face to the other. "So what happened in the Revolving Room?"

In a hollow voice Harry told them briefly what had happened with Voldemort being pulled into the sealed room by the mist.

"So he is gone? Voldemort is really gone this time?" asked Tonks quietly.

Harry closed his eyes as he whispered, "Yes… all… The Horcruxes are all gone."

It was Hermione who, in a thick voice, explained to everyone who didn't already know what a Horcrux was and how they had to all be destroyed in order to make sure that Voldemort could never return again.

"So that is what you guys have been doing all this year? Looking for those Horcruxes?" Fred asked and he received a nod from his youngest brother.

Moody and Shacklebolt asked a few more questions which, between Ron, Hermione and Ginny, they were able to answer. All except what had happened to Taylor.

It wasn't long before Mrs. Weasley spoke up in a firm voice, "That is enough for now. It is late and these six need to get some rest. There will be time enough tomorrow to ask any more questions."

Mrs. Weasley then ushered the six Gryffindors up the stairs to a bedroom. It didn't matter to her that two of them were not hers, or even ones she considered hers, she just knew that they couldn't return to Hogwarts tonight and it was dangerous to try to return them to their homes this late at night.

A half hour later, up on the top floor in Ron's bedroom, the two couples sat. Ron sat on his bed with his arm around Hermione and Ginny sat beside Harry on the foldout bed holding his hand. No one seemed inclined to talk and the silence was broken only by the creaks of the house and the occasional bump from the ghoul in the attic.

Suddenly there was a tap on the small window and a white owl sat on the window sill looking in at them.

Giving his head a shake Harry whispered, "Hedwig?" and the owl hooted softly.

Ron stood up and opened the window and the snowy owl flew in and landed beside Harry, holding her leg out for him to remove the letter that was tied to it.

"Who's it from mate?" Ron asked curiously as the snowy owl flew over to Pigwidgeon's empty perch.

Harry stared at the letter. All that was written on it was his name, and with a wrench of his heart, he recognized the hand writing. His hand began to shake.

It was Hermione who bent down and with a quiet voice said, "It's from Taylor."

Harry felt his chest squeezing as pain pulsed through his heart. He didn't know when but he found his head resting against Ginny's shoulder as she hugged him tightly, her hands rubbing gently in soothing circles. Harry allowed himself to be comforted by his witch for a while, but soon he leaned back and wiping at the tears that were on his face, he opened the letter with the tip of his wand. With a shaking hand he looked down at the letter and his eyes filled with tears that dripped off his nose and down onto the parchment.

Hermione had to swallow the lump in her throat as she asked softly, "Do… do you want me to read it to you?" She had no idea what might be in the letter and wanted to give her best friend the option of whether he wanted it read aloud or not.

Harry looked up at Hermione and with a slight nod of his head gave her permission to read the letter from his sister. He knew it would be a while before he could get a good enough grip on his emotions to read it.

Hermione cleared her throat and, with a quick look at Ron, sat down beside him on his bed and began to read.

_My Dearest brother,_

Hermione gasped and looked wide eyed at Harry before she continued on…

_Please forgive me. If you are reading this then everything went as planned. Voldemort has been destroyed and the last remaining Horcruxes have been destroyed. Please forgive me for deceiving you like I did. It was the only way I could think of to make sure he never came back. No one will have to suffer what we went through ever again. Mom and Dad's sacrifice will not have been in vain. Please do not blame yourself, it was **I** who planned it this way. And you are not allowed to blame Severus Snape either, the Unbreakable Vow that I made him take wasn't so much so that he didn't betray us but so that he would take the Polyjuice Potion when the time came. I needed to make sure he would not lose heart and change his mind. I needed him, unfortunately so I could use your hate of him. For that Harry I am truly sorry. The memories that Snape gave me are at Hogwarts in the Head Mistress' office with the other vials of memories there on the top shelf. You need to go see them, they will explain everything that I could not about Snape. Then you need to let McGonagall see them, as well as any Ministry official so that another innocent man can be allowed to be free. Brother I'm sorry. _

For Harry, Hermione's voice disappeared and he could hear his sister's voice as she told him what she had done.

_I pray that Ron, Hermione, Ginny, Neville and Luna are alright, please give them all my love. And Greg, he is going to be hurting too I know. Please help him through this._

_I know you must be wondering when I found out I was a Horcrux as well, and how I could handle it when I couldn't handle when I found out about you. It was my last nightmare, I connected the dots and I knew. Just like my nightmares told me where to destroy Voldemort the last one made me realize I was a Horcrux too. I knew what I had to do, and I did it. It isn't your fault Harry, it was the only way. Please forgive me. I made a promise in my first year that I would do whatever it took to help you defeat Voldemort, and when I found out you were my brother, that just made the promise all that more important to me. I don't want you to feel guilty and blame yourself, just like you couldn't have gone on knowing that you had a piece of Voldemort in you that could be used to bring him back neither could I. I believe the night Voldemort came to kill you he had decided, like Dumbledore said, to make another Horcrux. He used the deaths of our parents to split his soul but when he tried to kill you and the protection that Mom gave you, by sacrificing herself, I believe when the spell rebounded it shattered his soul and you got one piece of his soul and I got another. You could see Voldemort and speak Parseltongue, I could use Dark Magic because Voldemort could use Dark Magic._

_Harry you are the best brother anyone could ever hope to have and I love you so much. Please go on for me. Play Quidditch, become an auror and marry Ginny and above all else please be happy, because that is what Mom, Dad and I would want you to do._

_I love you, I hope someday you can forgive me,_

_With all my love, _

_Taylor_

Harry fought the terrible rolling in his stomach. His sister had been a Horcrux too. She had used his hate of Snape to make him kill her! His sister had gone into the Ministry tonight knowing that she would not come out. With an anguished cry Harry came to his feet and drove his fist into the wall.

"How could she! How could she even think of doing something like that!"

Ron glanced at Hermione and saw the shock on her face that he was sure was on his. Sure he had known Taylor was Harry's sister but the news that both Potters had been Horcruxes had come as a terrible shock.

Ginny was equally shocked. She had always wanted to know what Harry had kept from her, always had she wondered at the connection that he had with Taylor. To find out that she was his only sister now… Ginny felt her heart break all over again for the wizard she loved.

"You knew you were a Horcrux?" Hermione asked as her mind whirled with all the information she had just read, as the shock started to wear off. "I suppose that was what made Taylor have those anxiety attacks?" Hermione could see Harry nod his head ever so slightly. "And you didn't tell us because you knew that we would have…"

"Freaked. I would have probably have freaked." Ginny said with a shake of her head.

"That was the same reason Taylor never told you, I suppose." Hermione mused out loud. "And the reason you never told us that she was your sister? It would have been too dangerous. If Voldemort had found out…" Hermione answered her own questions as she continued to mull over everything.

Ron glanced at Harry and could see his best friend wasn't ready to talk, so he filled the two witches in on everything that he knew about the unknown Potter child.

It was nearly sunrise when Harry found himself sitting on his bed with Ginny curled up beside him and Ron softly snoring, as Hermione lay with her head on his chest and Ron's arm firmly around the bushy haired witch.

He couldn't sleep. Every time he closed his eyes he could see his sister lying on the cold black floor in the Revolving Room. He was responsible for that, not Voldemort, not a Death Eater, but him and only him. She was a Horcrux. The very thought was enough to make him shake. Dear Merlin if he had known… Why couldn't she have just gone over to the mist like him? Why couldn't she have let the mist take the Horcrux out of her like it had him? That his Horcrux was indeed gone he knew, his scar for the first time in seven years, was completely silent, no more twinges, prickles or throbs. Oh sure he knew he still had the physical mark but the Horcrux was gone. On the day that the most evil wizard of all time was finally gone, he found he couldn't drudge up a smile to acknowledge that the wizarding world was again free. It was free because his sister had gone to great lengths to make sure that there was no possible way that Voldemort could return. Going so far as to use his hatred of a man against him.

* * *

><p>To Be Continued...<p>

AHHHHH I just HAVE to leave an A/N! :D Not much of this chapter was written before DH came out but Taylor's Letter... or the jist of Taylor's Letter was already written! I had to of course re-write it to fit this story now. There is a couple more chapters to come. Thank you for reading!


	100. Gone

I do not own Harry Potter(but I can always keep hoping!)

I am sorry that I made you all wait for this chapter! Sorry Real Life got in the way! Hope you enjoy!

* * *

><p>Chapter One Hundred<p>

**Gone**

Greg sat with his head bowed as the past evening played through his mind again and again. Lifting his head up he looked at the deathly pale witch that lay in the hospital bed. He knew he had come so close to losing her, could still lose her... His heart clenched at the thought and the beast in the cage in his mind snarled.

The door opened and in walked a Healer and his father.

"Greg," the Healer said in a gentle voice.

The Hufflepuff looked up at the Healer, she was his aunt Carol.

"We have run all the tests I know to run and they all come back with the same result. Somehow Miss Porter's magic is… for a lack of a better way to put it… _gone_. Though how that is possible I have no idea." the Healer said with a very concerned voice.

Greg's eyes widened in surprise and he glanced at his father before saying, "You say her magic was drained? That ahhh… has actually happened before. Though never to this extent."

"You say it's happened before? How?" Greg's aunt Carol asked sceptically.

Greg glanced worriedly at his father, he didn't know if he should tell his aunt about Taylor's use of Dark Magic.

"I think maybe you should tell Carol everything you know. That is the only way she is going to be able to help Taylor." Greg's father Dan said as he nodded to his son. He could tell his sister but he had a feeling that there were things that his son knew that he didn't.

Greg looked at his witch lying in the bed. She was so pale and the magical monitor that was monitoring her vitals beeping softly showing just how slowly his witch's heart was actually beating. He had already cautioned the Healers about giving his witch any type of sedative. Unsure of what he should do he rubbed his hand over his face.

"Greg, what you tell me, I will take into the strictest of confidentiality. I will not tell anyone, but I need to know everything I can in order to help her. As of right now I have no idea even how to start treating her, because I have no idea how someone could be, as you put it, drained of their magical power. To my knowledge it is_ impossible_."

With a heavy sigh Greg told his aunt about the two previous times it had happened and what his witch had told him about it and the spell she had always said went wonky. After a short pause he also told her about Taylor's ability to use Dark Magic and that it was a Dark Magic spell that went wonky.

When he finished his aunt was silent for a few moments before she said, "I can see why you hesitated to tell me. That sort of information about someone could be dangerous. I am going to have to be very careful who I ask…"

"Taylor is not a Dark witch! There is a difference between…" Greg started ready to defend his witch.

"Greg! I did not think she was." Carol frowned at her nephew a little to let him that she did not appreciate him jumping to conclusions. "I know the difference between Dark Magic and the Dark Arts. As an Advanced Healer it is my job to know the different types of magic so I can recognize and treat patients who are injured by them. Though I have to admit this is beyond anything I have ever come across." The Advanced Healer asked a few more questions and then she left, promising she would be back to check on her patient in a while and to let her know immediately if anything changed.

Dan looked at his son and rubbed a tired hand up over his face. Moody had sent him an urgent Patronus at 9:20 telling him that there was a disturbance at the Ministry and that his son was there. He had gone right away and found his son carrying Taylor out of the lifts as aurors held apparent Death Eaters at wand point in the atrium. Moody told him to take the witch to St. Mungo's but to only let those he trusted completely around the witch. He had brought his son and the young witch to his sister who was an Advanced Healer. He had a first cousin who was a Healer as well. He had questioned his son while they waited in the waiting room about what had happened and he was shocked to find out the truth. He was even more shocked when he heard that He Who Must Not Be Named was finally dead. Potter and the witch in the bed had somehow pulled off what had seemed impossible, with his son's and a few other students' help, though he had seen a number of Order of the Phoenix members there as well.

Conjuring up a seat, he sat down beside his son. He knew he would never get him to leave the witch. The fierce look in his son's eyes when he had suggested they go home had caused all other such suggestions to halt on his tongue and remain unspoken.

In his mind Greg could see again the flickering of the blue torches on the black marble and, there by the wall, Potter holding his witch in his arms as he rocked back and forth gently. He didn't remember walking over to them but he did remember reaching out his shaking hand and brushing his finger over his witch's still warm cheek. He had no idea how long he stayed like that just touching her check. It could have been seconds or hours, though he dimly suspected that it was only a minute or two. The first thing he truly became aware of was Moody's gnarled hand on his shoulder shaking it.

_**Flashback**_

"Hunter, move! Potter, put Miss Porter on the floor!" Moody's voice was gruff and commanding.

"Alastor, can't you leave the poor girl alone! Even now!" Lupin cried in an anguished voice as he stood from where his knees had given out at the sight of his best friends' daughter in her brother's arms. He had seen that scene too many times to not know what it meant.

Moody didn't even bother to look at the older werewolf. His eyes, both of them, were staring too intently at the witch being held by Potter as she lay on the black marble floor. His voice was only slightly less gruff but just as commanding as he said, "Harry, please son. I need to look at Miss Porter properly." For a moment he wasn't sure if the young wizard was going to listen but then slowly he lowered the witch to the floor. Moody could feel his knees' protest as he knelt down by the girl, his magical eye telling him what his other eye refused to believe.

"Harry, tell me what happened to her."

Harry's voice was almost unrecognizable as an agonized cry tore from his throat, "She was… it was an Un-for-giv-able… it was the kill… Oh Merlin! Please no!" Greg doubted that Harry even knew that Ron and Hermione had joined Ginny beside him on the floor as he still knelt beside his sister.

With an uncharacteristic tremble in his hand, Moody reached out and pulled the top of the long black cloak that the witch was wearing down just a little so he could see her neck better. What he saw there shocked the old auror. There on her neck were two necklaces both melted into the skin on her neck. But one, which looked to have been a red stone pendant of some sort, was cracked in two, as well as being burnt deeply into the skin. Below the pendant Moody could tell that the witch's heart was still beating very slowly.

His hand even shook a little harder as he reached up to feel for a pulse in her neck, not believing his magical eye, and as his fingers made contact with the carotid artery he could feel it… a weak, slow pulse.

"Alastor?" Shacklebolt asked as he saw the old auror touch the young witch's neck, something no auror who had just been told that the killing curse had been used on someone would feel the need to do.

Moody looked up at the tall auror who had been teaching at Hogwarts this past year and, as plans already started to form in his mind, said. "Kingsley, Miss Porter is not dead. At least not yet. We need to get her to St. Mongo's now."

There was a collective gasp from both Order members and students in the Revolving Room.

"Alastor… are you sure?" Arthur asked uncertainly.

Over his shock the old auror's voice was brisk once more as he said, "Yes Arthur, I am sure. Just as sure that we need to get her and these kids out of here before anyone starts to ask too many questions. There will be time later to fill the Ministry in on what all has happened here. For right now we still cannot trust anyone." Pulling his wand out, the old Auror conjured his Patronus and, after giving it some quick instructions, continued. "Arthur, I want you to take Potter and the rest of the kids back to the Burrow. Hunter, I just sent for your father. I want you and him to take Miss Porter to St. Mongo's. Your aunt Carol will look after her."

Greg heard but he found it hard to keep up with what Moody was saying as he looked down at his witch's pale face. Could it be true? Could she still be alive?

"I want to go with Taylor!" Harry demanded in a fairly even tone.

"No Potter. You need to go with Arthur. We need to get you out of here. Voldemort might be gone but we still don't know who all his followers are. The Ministry is still dangerous until we have time to sort out any more hidden Death Eaters. Hunter and his father will raise less commotion at St. Mongo's. Miss Porter will be safe there and get the help that she needs." Moody's gravelly voice softened a little as he added, "Harry you need to trust me and do as I ask."

Harry nodded. How could he argue? His sister needed help and he was still reeling from what he had done…

Greg stared up at the auror and when Moody nodded at him he bent forward and picked his witch up off the floor. He cradled her to his chest as he stood, her weight somehow reassuring in his arms. He glanced at Potter and could see the fear and turmoil in his eyes. "I'll look after her Harry."

The Gryffindor nodded slightly and Ginny took hold of his hand. Ron and Hermione stood silently on his other side.

_**End Flashback**_

Greg rubbed a tired hand over his face. That had been hours ago now. Was it possible that his witch's magic had been drained completely? Why would she try a spell that she knew had gone 'wonky' in the past when she was trying to defeat Voldemort? What happens to a witch if their magic disappears? He had seen the necklaces melted into her skin and wondered if that was from a Dark Magic spell she had used or was it somehow the result of the killing curse. He shuddered at the mere thought. Sighing he looked at his witch's pale face. He still had questions about her and a lot of questions about what had happened in the Department of Mysteries tonight. Though those could wait. He was more worried right now what was going to happen to his witch.

As the night wore on his aunt Carol came in periodically to check on Taylor. Towards morning, Greg noticed that his witch's heart rate was starting to speed up to a more normal rate and his aunt Carol made the comment that his witch's other vitals were also getting stronger.

Greg wasn't sure how long his eyes had been closed but suddenly they snapped open and he sat up in his chair looking carefully around as the werewolf paced restlessly in his mind. Something had woken him up. He glanced at his father sitting slumped in his chair and could hear his even breathing as he slept. Then he looked over at his witch and was surprised to see her looking back at him.

"Taylor!" Greg cried, jumping to his feet so he could see her better. His voice was a little softer as he continued, "Thank Merlin! You have had me worried sick!" Greg heard his father wake up and say that he was going to get Carol, before he hurried out the door. Greg's attention was on the pale witch looking up at him with tired eyes. "How are you feeling?" He asked gently as he reached up and stroked a finger over her cheek.

The door opened and Carol and Dan came in. The Healer had been in her office just across the hall when Dan had come to get her.

"Miss Porter, it is good to see you awake." The Advanced Healer said with a kind smile as she approached the bed.

Greg could see the confusion in his witch's eyes as she glanced around and then looked back at him. Her voice was barely more than a whisper when she asked "Where… am I?"

The Healer beat Greg, as she said in a kind but professional tone. "You are at St. Mongo's. Do you remember what happened to you?"

Taylor was surprised to hear she was at the wizarding hospital. Her mind felt sluggish as she tried to think of what she would have done to land her here instead of the Hospital Wing at Hogwarts. She looked around again wondering where her brother was. It was the thought of her brother that brought her memories crashing back to her. Looking back up at the Hufflepuff she asked, "Where is Harry? What happened?"

Greg glanced at his aunt before looking down at his witch again answering, "Harry is at the Weasley's. Don't you remember what happened?"

With an effort Taylor nodded her head, she felt tired and so weak. "Yeah Harry… in the Revolving Room… Voldy is gone."

Carol glanced at her nephew. She had never heard anyone refer to He Who Must Not Be Named in such a way.

With a bit of a grin at his witch's reference to the dark evil wizard he said, "Taylor's references to Him take a little getting used to." Then he sobered and asked, "What happened to you? Aunt Carol said your magic has been drained…"

Taylor nodded her head slightly. Yeah that was what she was feeling, that exhaustion, though much worse this time. Suddenly a fearful thought came to her and she used the adrenaline that shot through her body to force the next words out. Even with the two adults in the room she needed to know for sure. "Greg, do you remember the spell to reveal a Horcrux?" She could see the Hufflepuff's eyes go round as fear leapt into them. She couldn't spare the energy to look to see the reaction of the other two people in the room. "Do you?"

Greg felt the werewolf in his mind snarl at the mere thought of what his witch was hinting at.

"Damn it Hufflepuff!" Taylor cried, even if her voice was far from being as forceful as she'd like.

The Healer watched the exchange curiously. She had never heard of a Horcrux and wondered why it was so important to the witch. It was obvious that it was taking a lot out of her already exhausted body to find out. If her patient didn't settle down in a moment she would be forced to step in.

"Taylor? Please do not mean what I think you mean!" Greg whispered fearfully as his mind began to connect dots that until now had seemed rather confusing.

"Do you remember?"

Swallowing hard the Hufflepuff nodded. He could see the plea in his witch's eyes and he couldn't ignore it; not when it was costing her so much. He could see the exhaustion in her face already. "Yeah, Hermione showed me one day."

"I need you to do it. I need to know!" Taylor could already see the refusal in his eyes. "Please Greg. It's the only way to make certain!"

Greg could feel his hand shaking as he drew out his wand. The werewolf howled in his mind. If he did this and it was positive...

"Please!"

Closing his eyes he steeled himself and with a wave of his wand he performed the spell.

Taylor felt the magic flow through her and then a small whiff of pale smoke floated up away from her to indicate that the spell had found no Horcrux. Completely exhausted, she closed her eyes. It was gone. Her plan had worked.

Greg felt his knees go weak with relief and he put both hands on the bed to support himself. He could see his witch's face relax as she passed into unconsciousness once again. A hand on his arm reminded him that he wasn't alone.

"Maybe you had better tell me what that was all about," the Healer said in an even tone as she waved her wand over the witch to make sure that her patient wasn't in any sort of trouble. She had been about to stop her nephew when Dan had grabbed her arm and shook his head as he watched the two young people intently.

Greg glanced up at his aunt and then at his dad. This wasn't something that he could tell them. Taylor's ability to use Dark Magic, well that had been different. A number of people knew about that, and what he had been able to say about her magic being drained wasn't much and his father already knew most of it. Shaking his head he answered as truthfully as he could without actually telling anything vital. "It was... a curse. She wanted me to make sure that there was no more curse."

The Advanced Healer's eyes narrowed, "I checked Miss Porter thoroughly myself for any curses and I didn't find one nor anything to suggest that she had one. What is a Horcrux?"

Greg's mind was whirling with this new found information. It answered so many questions about her behaviour the last few days. He wondered when she had found out. He was fairly positive that she hadn't known when she had told Harry he was one. The Hufflepuff wondered if Harry knew... He had a feeling his witch hadn't told her brother that. With an effort he answered his aunt. "It's a very obscure curse. You wouldn't see it unless you were looking for it specifically."

It looked like his father and aunt had more questions but after a moment they both nodded. They would let it go at that for now.

Taylor woke up again a couple of hours later and talked to the Healer, answering her questions as truthfully as she could. She felt a little better this time, not quite so exhausted, though she still felt very weak.

Professor McGonagall was there the next time she awoke and Taylor asked about returning to Hogwarts. She knew her brother would be worried. The Hufflepuff had told her about Moody sending Harry to the Burrow along with the others. The Head Mistress said that she would see if it was possible and after a lengthy talk with the Advanced Healer, who only agreed on the condition that she could monitor Taylor's progress through regular reports from Madame Pomfrey, as well be allowed to come to the school to check on her patient once a day. McGonagall had agreed.

It was decided that the best time to return to the school was supper time when most of the students would be in the Great Hall. So lying on a stretcher, Taylor was taken by floo to the Head Mistress' office and floated down through the school to the Hospital Wing. Greg came with her, as well as his father and his aunt Carol. When she was once again laying in one of the beds in the Hospital Wing, the Advanced Healer checked her over thoroughly and then spoke in length with Madame Pomfrey. Moody came and after nodding at her, went over to speak with Greg's father. The Hufflepuff drew up a chair and sat down beside her.

Taylor could feel her eyes growing heavy. She still felt incredibly weak and she tired very easily, usually only staying awake a half hour at a time.

Greg noticed her fighting to stay awake and said softly, "Go to sleep. I'll be here." He reached out and took her hand in his, squeezing it reassuringly.

Unable to fight it any longer, Taylor was asleep in a few minutes.

The Advanced Healer and Madame Pomfrey came over and checked their patient over once more before Carol said, "If there are any changes let me know immediately. Otherwise I shall be by around supper time tomorrow evening." Turning to her nephew she said, "Miss Porter is still very weak. Though she has improved a lot since this morning, make sure you don't let her overdo it. I know she will want to see her friends but you can tell them that at this point she really needs her rest, as do you."

With a blush the Hufflepuff said goodbye to his father and aunt before he returned to his seat beside the sleeping witch.

Harry was sitting in the deserted Gryffindor common room with Ron, Hermione, Ginny and Neville. It was supper time and the rest of the students were in the Great Hall having supper.

That morning Mrs. Weasley had told them that Taylor was awake and speaking. Harry had felt relief like he had never thought possible. When he had gotten that letter from Hedwig last night he had thought for sure that his sister was... gone. Of course he'd had to go with Kingsley and Moody to talk to the Minister of Magic and give the Minister a full account of what had happened. He'd left out a few details like using an Unforgivable on his sister! He also couldn't explain to the Minister how he had survived the mist from the sealed room. Though when Kingsley showed the Minister Voldemort's scorched and broken wand, the Minister hadn't been as concerned with the little details, as that Voldemort was truly gone.

Moody had asked him a lot of hard questions but Harry had basically stuck with what he told the Minister. Until he could talk to his sister, he didn't have any answers to many of the questions anyway. One burning question was how could she do that to him? How could she think that it was okay for him to kill her! How could she use him like that! Why did she do it?

"Hey Harry! Hey mate!" Ron called as he poked Harry in the ribs with his wand.

Harry glanced up from where he had been staring into the empty fireplace.

"Harry, are you okay?" Hermione asked with a worried look at her best friend. She had noticed he hadn't been himself all day. She could blame some of it on his sister being hurt in the Department of Mysteries. She didn't know how Harry would have handled losing his sister by his own wand. It still gave her chills when she thought about what Taylor had done. How could she do that to Harry? And to know that he was her brother... Hermione shook her head. She'd been thinking of it non-stop ever since she had read the letter from Taylor.

Harry glanced up and tried to smile at his friends, but his facial muscles just didn't seem to want to work. "I'm fine... I was just thinking."

Ginny picked up his hand and threaded her fingers through his. It had hurt to see Harry so... withdrawn today. She knew he was thinking about what had happened at the Ministry last night and blaming himself. Ginny had already made up her mind she was going to have a girlfriend to sister talk with her best friend, as soon as said friend was out of the hospital.

Ron shook his head sadly. He knew that most of the wizarding world was celebrating. They had gotten back to the school late that afternoon and the students had welcomed them like heroes. They had been basically mobbed not long after they had come through the gates to the school as throngs of students cheered and fired streamers and bangs from their wands. Of course Harry had wanted to escape from them but he hadn't been able to until he had given them a brief overview of what had happened. Ironically it was Neville and Luna who had stepped forward and, with a thankful nod from Harry, began regaling the crowd with more details allowing the four of them to slip off and hide in the common room. Ron knew Harry hated to be the center of attention like that but that his friend was going to have to get used to it for a while, at least until some of the euphoria wore off and people could go about living their lives once again.

"Harry! Oh Harry!" cried Colin Creevey as he crawled through the portal, his face alight with excitement. "There you are! I've been looking for you! Professor McGonagall thought you'd be at supper but when you weren't she sent me looking for you with a message!"

Harry could have groaned. Why had the Head Mistress picked Colin? Whatever the message was, would probably be all over the school by now! Gritting his teeth at his irritation he asked, a bit crabbily, "What is the message, Colin?"

"Professor McGonagall told me to tell you that Taylor was being moved to the Hospital Wing!" Colin beamed at Harry, his eyes alight with hero worship, even more now than when the wizard had been a first year.

"Taylor's coming here? When?" Harry asked sharply as he sat forward on the sofa.

Colin grinned at Harry for a few seconds as if he were relishing the last little bit of information. "At 5:30."

Harry twisted around in his place to look at the old clock above the message board. It read 5:50.

Harry leapt to his feet and called his thank you, as he raced past the grinning sixth year. Ron, Hermione and Ginny raced after Harry as he rushed down through the castle and only slowed when the doors to the Hospital Wing loomed in sight. The doors were closed when they reached them and they knocked to see if they could get in. Harry paced restlessly as he waited for the school nurse. He needed to see his sister, to assure himself that she really was okay.

When the door finally opened, Madame Pomfrey looked at them with a stern look but after a second it softened just a little and she opened the door. "I suppose it's no good telling you lot that there is no visiting, is there? But I need to caution you that Miss Porter needs to rest and if you are disturbing her from that, then I will put you out! Is that clear?" The four of them nodded their heads.

Harry wasn't sure what he would find when he walked around the curtain. He'd seen his sister in bandages and hurt so many times that this time he was sure that she'd look... an image of someone in intensive care in a muggle hospital came to mind, with wires and tubes running all over the place. What he saw when he rounded the curtain was his sister curled up on her side. He was struck at how little she looked. Her face was very pale against the white bed sheets and her hand was held by the tall Hufflepuff as he stretched out in an over-stuffed chair drawn up by the head of her bed. Sharp blue eyes met his as the werewolf took them all in and put his finger from his other hand to his lips indicating that they should be quiet.

Taylor never knew how long she slept but when she woke up the next time, she yawned and stretched. She could feel the Hufflepuff's hand on hers and she reluctantly pulled it away from him to stretch that arm as well. She had given her glasses to Snape when he drank the Polyjuice Potion and she supposed no one had thought to get them back from him, so she squinted as she looked around after her stretch. Even without glasses she'd recognize the black haired wizard on the other side of her bed.

"Harry!" Taylor said with a huge grin. She would have liked nothing better than to sit up and throw her arms around her brother, but even as happy as she was, she just felt too weak to do more then reach her arm towards him. When he didn't immediately return her greeting she squinted up at him but she couldn't see his facial expression, nor his eyes. His tone of voice though, when he spoke, told her what his face would have looked like.

"Do you have any idea... what you... do you think that... Taylor! You have a lot of explaining to do!" Harry ground out, now that he could see that his sister was alive and well, the anger at what she had done to him came back full force.

Taylor pulled her hand back and sighed. She should have expected him to be angry. She was just so glad to see him and know he was alright that she hadn't thought about how he would feel.

"I know Harry. I am sorry..."

"Sorry just isn't going to cut it this time Taylor! I'm so mad at you right now! I..." Harry`s voice was low but full of fury.

Greg's eyes narrowed and the werewolf growled, as he stood up from his chair. "Potter either you cool it or you leave."

Taylor heard the menace in the Hufflepuff's voice and she looked over at him, not being able to see his eyes she could easily guess that the dangerous look was in them. There would be time for arguing later. She knew she had a lot to answer to her brother for, but right now she just didn't have the energy to fight with him.

"Greg, it's alright. Harry has every right to be pissed off at me." Taylor said as she pushed herself up in the bed until she was sitting. It was hard to have any kind of conversation when you were lying down. Taylor looked at her other friends and smiled at them, though she wasn't sure what their faces showed. Just sitting up was exhausting and she could feel herself quickly nearing her limit. "I am sorry, Harry. I did what I had to do. I know you hate when I do that but... Now Voldemort is gone and he can never come back."

Greg would have loved to say more but he could see how much it cost his witch to even sit up, and even though the beast would have loved to tear into Potter, even verbally, he refrained and kneeling beside his witch, he put his arm around her back and helped her to lie down again.

Taylor felt the exhaustion closing in on her and allowed Greg to keep her from collapsing backwards. Her eyes were so heavy she could barely hold them open. Drawing on the last of her strength she whispered, "I'm sorry, Ha'ry"

Harry watched stunned as his sister allowed the Hufflepuff to lay her down and he had to strain to hear her voice as she whispered and then she was asleep. He looked from his sleeping sister to the Hufflepuff as the tall wizard brushed a finger over her check and then settled back into his over-stuffed chair.

"What? What just happened?" Harry asked, as fear diffused his anger.

Greg glared up at the other wizard before he glanced at the others, who hadn't said a word yet. He knew then that they didn't know. "Maybe if you were willing to listen, instead of flying off your broom handle Taylor could have told you!"

Harry looked from the aggressive set of the Hufflepuff's jaw to his sister again before asking fearfully, "Maybe you had better tell me what is going on."

Ginny caught Harry's hand. She had been willing to let him confront his sister. She was sure that had been what Ron and Hermione had been thinking as well, but now that it was clear that something was seriously wrong with Taylor, she was ready to offer any support she could for her boyfriend, as well as for her friend in the hospital bed.

"Greg please tell us what is wrong. The only thing Mrs. Weasley could tell us this morning was that Taylor had woken up and everything seemed to be fine." Hermione said as she drew her wand and quickly conjured some chairs so that they could all sit down.

With an effort Greg forced the aggressiveness of the beast away. He could tell that something had happened to upset the Gryffindors, and as it seemed they were willing to let Harry have a go at his witch, then it stood to reason that Taylor had pulled some sort of stunt he was unaware of yet. Taking a deep breathe he told them about his day with Taylor and what his aunt Carol had told them.

"Taylor's magic was drained… but that only happened before when she tried to summon a Horcrux," Hermione said concerned as she began to think.

Harry's voice was almost strangled when he managed to whisper, "Taylor's magic is… _gone_?"

* * *

><p>AN Well what did you think? First of all I want to let you guys know that orginally... back 5 years when I first wrote The Room of Love and Taylor' s Letter... that I had intended on her dying. That she would make the ultimate sacrifice like Lily did and die to save Harry. That was of course BEFORE I read DH and found out Harry was a Horcrux! That also explains WHY this story is called the Curse of the_ Seventh_ Horcrux... I never in a million years thought that Harry was a Horcrux as well! (I know silly me!) But as I wrote about Taylor and she evolved even more in my mind... and Greg popped into my head and then just wouldn't go away! Then I began to question that... so I had to come up with a possible way for her to survive. More will be explained in the next 2 chapters I promise! Hopefully you like it so far! :D

Now I need to say a HUGE THANK YOU to you guys who wrote pleading that Taylor wasn't dead! I am sorry I made you wait for so long but... in an evil way it made me happy cause that was what you were supposed to believe! :D I LOVED each and every review! Not only for these chapters but for this whole story! THANK YOU!

Thank you for reading! Thank you for sticking with this story! and Thank you to my wonderful beta barbc who has made this story readable! Until next time, cytpotter.


	101. The Soul of a Horcrux

After a Hundred and One chapters do you really think I own Harry?... No but I can keep wishing! ;)

Only two more to go! Hope you enjoy!

* * *

><p>Chapter One Hundred One<p>

**The Soul of a Horcrux**

It was Wednesday before Taylor started to feel stronger.

When she had woken up again Monday night, her brother and the others had still been there but she could sense the shift in mood from the previous one. She wasn't surprised that the Hufflepuff had filled them in on what was the matter with her. Her brother and friends were there for her and any arguments that they were going to have would be put off until she was feeling better.

Last night, Greg's aunt Carol had been back to check on her. The Advanced Healer had performed a few regular tests and then passed Taylor her wand. It was then that the magnitude of what had happened to her set in.

Gone was the familiar tingle in her fingers when she held her wand. Taylor had even turned the wand, so she could look at it closely to make sure that it was hers and that it wasn't damaged. The dark brown yew wand was undamaged. With a horrible foreboding she tried to do the simplest of spells… and nothing happened. Not even a wisp of magic came out of the end of the wand, like even a ten year old could make happen. Her magic was gone.

It was Harry who had asked in a fearful tone if it was permanent.

Greg's aunt's voice had been sad when she explained that as she had never heard of anything like this happening before, she had no idea if Taylor's magic would return. That was why Taylor was feeling so weak and easily became tired. Her body was learning to adjust to the absence of the magic that flowed through all witches and wizards. It was that magic that made them who they were and without it… they weren't magical. With a sad shake of her head she had added that she had never heard of an unmagical person becoming magical, if they weren't born that way.

Professor McGonagall had been in to see Taylor after the Healer had gone, to wish her well. Taylor suspected that the Head Mistress knew what the Advanced Healer had told her earlier. Plus, McGonagall had wanted to talk to the two Heads and ask them if they would oversee the planning of a huge party that the students seemed determined to have Wednesday night.

Taylor looked at the sun pouring in the high windows of the Hospital Wing. She had been happy when Hermione had found her spare pair of glasses and brought them to her. At least now she could see. It was late Wednesday morning and her friends from Hufflepuff were just leaving. It had been good to see Hannah, Sally-Anne, Connor and Ernie. They had been by yesterday too for a while. There had been others who had stopped in to see her and she was always glad to say hi to them and chat for a short time. The young werewolf never left. The moon was approaching, less than a week away, and his symptoms were stronger than ever. Harry left only to go sleep and eat. Ginny, Ron and Hermione were about the same. Without classes, they had no responsibility to be elsewhere or so they said. Regardless, Taylor truly appreciated their company.

Finding herself alone with her best friends once again, Taylor knew there were things that they needed to talk about. Her brother had been very patient yesterday and she suspected that he would wait some more, but she wanted to talk to him about it. Maybe they could figure out what had happened to her magic.

"So… what happened in the Atrium on Sunday night? I was quite worried when I saw that Ole Voldy brought twenty-one of his slackers with him." Taylor said to break the ice, as it were. None of her friends had mentioned Sunday at all.

Hermione glanced at Harry and then told the shorthaired redhead everything that had happened. Ron had put up a silencing charm so that they couldn't be overheard. The other three who had been there added their view and, from the lack of any comment from her brother, Taylor knew they had already discussed this, which didn't surprise her.

When they were finished Taylor nodded. She was thankful none of them had been seriously hurt.

"Taylor… there is something that we need to talk about." Harry spoke up for the first time since the discussion began.

Taylor met the green eyes of her brother and could see emotions warring in them. Anger and fear were the most prevalent.

"I know. You want to know when I found out I was a Horcrux and why I used Snape like I did."

Harry's voice turned to ice when he said, "I want to know how you could use _me_ like that!"

Taylor dropped her eyes away from her brother's. She had wanted to protect her brother from getting killed and she had ended up hurting him, by making sure that Voldemort couldn't come back. She could almost feel the Hufflepuff bristling and knew he was about to snap at her brother, so she reached out a hand and took a hold of his, squeezing it to let him know she was okay.

"I didn't know what else to do. I suspected that the ancient magic in the Room of Love would sense Voldemort, like a Patronus will go after a Dementor, and it did. Just like we had planned together." Taylor paused. She didn't look at her brother, as she continued with her explanation. "I was going to take out the other two Death Eaters like we had planned, but once I opened the sealed door I had to keep it open. If I hadn't have planned with Snape… and he wasn't there to take out the other Death Eater for me… our original plan wouldn't have worked anyway…"

"Taylor! So help me!" Harry ground out, as he glared at his sister. He knew then that she had planned with Snape that he would be in the Revolving Room with them. Something else that she had conveniently forgotten to mention.

"Harry! Look, we needed him okay! Regardless of your feelings for the man, we needed him! This would not have been possible without him!" Taylor snapped, as anger coursed through her.

Hermione interrupted before the two siblings could get started on one another. "So you knew Snape was going to be in the Revolving Room but you didn't know the door would try to close again… What happened next?"

Taylor sent her friend a grateful look and continued. "Once Snape stunned the other Death Eater he simply lay down to make it look like he was stunned too, if Voldemort should happen to look around. The mist… from the Room of Love… it closed in around Harry and Voldemort. Though more seemed to be going for old Voldy. It made the Cruciatus he was using on Harry go away… I yelled at Harry and he got up and… Voldemort, he yelled the killing curse. Harry's and Voldemort's spells met and then I lost sight of them. The mist had become too thick to see. The screams… I realized they were the screams from the broken soul… Voldemort's soul was split so many times that it was like a Horcrux, evil cold and twisted. When the mist took the Horcrux from Harry and there was that scream again… I knew then that it was safe to let the door close. I was shaking, not only from holding the door open but because I realized the true power of the ancient magic. When Lily…" Taylor looked up from where she had been staring at the floor, seeing the events unfold once more, and she saw Hermione smile. She knew that her friends knew at last. "When my Mom died to protect Harry, she called forth magic that didn't know anything but love. That love is pure and unconditional. It was Mom's sacrifice that gave me the idea that Harry could destroy the Horcrux in me… the screams from the evil of them that gave me the idea that it could be separated from my soul and I had a chance."

"You went in there planning on dying." Greg's voice was strangled as he stared at Taylor.

"It was the only way to make sure he couldn't come back. What else could I have done?" Taylor whispered as she prayed they would understand.

"You could have told me!" Harry yelled as he threw his arms up in the air in frustration. "We would have come up with something! Damn you Taylor! You should have told me!"

"How would you have handled that Harry? You didn't tell Ginny about your Horcrux! Or Ron and Hermione! Why? Because _YOU _were prepared to _DIE_ so Voldemort couldn't come back! So don't tell me I should have done any different!" Taylor yelled as she pointed her finger at her brother.

"Yes I did! But it was always _ME _who had to face Voldemort! It was _my _responsibility!" Harry roared back.

Greg growled but Taylor squeezed his hand tightly. "And you did! You took Voldemort down! Voldemort is no more because of you!"

"_I killed you_!" Harry bellowed furiously.

Taylor looked away from the hurt and anger in her brother's eyes. "I would have _died _to save you. I was willing to _die_ so you would never have to worry about that… about Voldemort ever coming back. How could I tell you Harry? How could I tell you that I had to die?"

"There had to be another way than changing into that traitor and getting me to kill you! God Taylor! Do you have any idea how that made me feel when I saw it was you and not Snape?"

A long tense silence followed Harry's last statement before Hermione spoke up softly, "You thought that you had to die… but what changed? You said that you realized something from the screams of the Horcruxes?"

Swallowing hard, Taylor nodded. "Mom's sacrifice was selfless and it protected Harry for fourteen years, completely. By willingly dying, I would have destroyed the Horcrux so it couldn't attach on to anyone or anything else. But when I heard the screams… there was a different feel in the magic. I can't really explain it… but a glimmer of hope coursed through me. Dumbledore once told Harry that his magic was so strong because he had such a capacity to love. What if that power… that magic to love was because Mom died for Harry? For us?"

"In my nightmares… there is always a snake. A snake who always wraps around me… It is after my soul…" Taylor felt her body begin to tremble as she tried to explain her nightmare to the others. "It wants my soul and when I start to scream…. Then it goes into my mouth… after it… its tail… it wraps around my heart." Taylor locked eyes with her brother's green ones, as she struggled to finish telling. "…You once asked me what part of me I put into the binding spell I used on Snape in Grimmauld Place last summer… well it was the snake from my nightmare. When Moody opened that door and I saw him lying in that bed… I could _see_ the snake… about to go after his soul. It was like I could feel it… I had no choice but to save Snape from it." Taking a deep breath she forced herself to go on, to make her brother realize that there had been nothing else she could have done, then or at the Ministry. "My last nightmare… when I heard Voldemort laughing… I could hear Mom for the first time…screaming… begging for Voldemort to leave you alone. Then there was the green light… and then the snake as it crawled up over me…" The silence was complete in the Hospital Wing. "I knew… I knew that I was a Horcrux too. My scar is less visible… unlike yours on your forehead, so you could hear Voldemort. Mine is over my heart… where the snake's tail curls around." Taylor could hear the low rumble coming from the Hufflepuff as he growled holding her hand in his. She knew that this had to be difficult on him as well. "When Mom died to protect you, Harry… and me. Well that was selfless. She called forth ancient magic, pure magic… the power of love."

"Avada Kedavra strips the life essence out of a body along with the soul…"

"What if I could use that power for something good? The Killing curse is unstoppable. So I had to give it something to kill and that was the Horcrux. But how do I separate _it_ from me? By summoning it. I know now that the reason my magic was drained when I summoned a Horcrux, was because I was one, or a part of one anyway. So when I summoned it… well it took all my magic to separate it from my soul."

"As soon as the door sealed, I rushed over to make sure you were okay and then I went over to Snape. He pulled the two vials of Polyjuice Potion out of his robes, added the last ingredient and we drank it. Snape even argued with me about it but he had made his promise with an Unbreakable Vow. By the time Harry came around, I had Snape's cloak on. I provoked Harry and… when I saw him starting to cast, I lowered my wand and summoned the Horcrux… I was still sacrificing myself, the summoning charm is not defensive… I felt my magic drain and then everything went black."

"When I woke up in St. Mongo's, I had Greg check to make sure the Horcrux was gone…" Taylor trailed off as she looked at the floor. She could feel the Hufflepuff's hand shaking a little and she squeezed it once more.

Silently the others processed all that they had just learned and it was a few minutes before Hermione spoke.

"Where did you get the Polyjuice Potion, if you just found out you were a… on Friday?"

It only took a few minutes to explain about finding Parkinson on Saturday morning and questioning her about some illegal potions that had been floating around the school in the past couple of years. How she had then gone to the hidden room the Slytherins had been using, taking the Polyjuice Potion and destroying the rest of the potions in the room.

Taylor glanced over at her brother but he was staring at the floor. She caught her bottom lip with her teeth and began to chew on it. Maybe she shouldn't have told them everything…

"Excuse me, I need to…" Harry said as he stood abruptly and walked out around the curtain.

Ginny glanced at her friend in the bed and then left as well. Hermione and Ron stayed for a few more minutes but Taylor decided that she was going to take the coward's way out and she lay back down in her bed and closed her eyes, as if she were tired like she had been for the last two days. When the last two of her friends left, she rolled on her side away from the Hufflepuff and the tears she had been able to keep away until now, ran down her face.

Greg waded through the things he had just found out. He had guessed at some of it but to hear his witch talk so calmly about planning how she was going to die… It wasn't long before he could hear her crying and as the werewolf began to whine at the pain in his mate, Greg reached over and, picking up the blankets and all, sat her on his lap and held her tight.

The stress from the last few weeks, not just from the last week, came crashing down on Taylor and she cried. She cried because she had hurt her brother and even her friends with her actions. She cried because the Hufflepuff that held her had been hurt too with her rash decisions. She cried as well because suddenly the world was free of Voldemort, and she had no magic left.

Greg held the girl in his arms until her sobs slowly died down and she fell asleep. Even when Madame Pomfrey came to check on her, the werewolf didn't put her down, only growling quietly at the nurse when she said he should.

Harry had slipped out of the castle and out across the grounds, wanting to be alone for a while. When Ginny joined him a short while later, the two sat in silence for a long time. It was Ginny who finally spoke.

"I don't know what I would have done if you told me that you were a Horcrux before we went to the Ministry… I don't think I could have let you go in there knowing that you had to die… Knowing you had to face Voldemort was bad enough… but knowing you were the Horcrux…" Ginny's voice was strained as she spoke softly, her eyes staring out across the lake as gentle waves rippled against the rocks. "I'm not saying I agree with what Taylor did… but knowing how she feels about you, and now understanding why she feels that way… I can at least understand _why _she did it."

Harry stared at the water not really seeing it. "She made me use the killing curse on her Ginny! How could she think that was alright? Dear Merlin! She is my sister and I killed her!"

Ginny heard the pain in her wizard's voice and her heart constricted painfully knowing how much that hurt him. "I know." She was quiet for a long time before she said quietly. "What would you have done in her place?"

Pain filled Harry's chest. That was the one question he kept asking himself. The reason why he didn't completely lose it. What would he have done if he knew he could save his sister and sacrifice himself to make sure Voldemort didn't come back. He knew the answer. "But why did she have to use him? Why did she have to use my hate of that traitor to…" He knew the answer to that as well. He couldn't have knowingly killed his sister, even to save the world from Voldemort's rule. In his heart he knew there hadn't been another way. However painful it was for him, logic told him that it was likely the only way that he would have been able to destroy the Horcrux that had taken refuge in his little sister nearly seventeen years ago. That she had somehow figured out a way to live through it… maybe that was the miracle he needed to make himself dwell on.

The two sat for a long while before Harry spoke again. "She trusted him… How could she trust Snape, when I saw him kill Dumbledore?"

"Maybe the answer is in the memories that she said she saw. There must be something in them to make her trust Snape like that." Ginny said quietly.

Harry only nodded but soon he stood and, after helping his witch up, he set off across the grounds heading for the Head Mistress's office and answers he hoped he could get from the memories in a vial there.

When Taylor woke up, the setting sun shone in through the hospital windows just before it dipped behind the trees of the Forbidden Forest. Her head rested against the Hufflepuff's chest as she watched the sun disappear.

"I was beginning to think you were going to sleep for the rest of the evening." The deep voice rumbled in the chest by her ear.

Taking a deep breath, she sat up to look into the deep blue eyes of her wizard. She could see the hurt that remained in his eyes, even as the dangerous look of the werewolf shone in them as well. "I'm sorry. If there had been another way… Maybe if we had more time… I don't know. All I know is that the Horcruxes all had to be destroyed, so that Voldemort could never come back."

The young werewolf looked off towards the last of the setting sun shining through the high glass windows for a long while before he spoke. "I can understand your desire to make sure that evil wizard never comes back… but what I can't understand is why… _Why_ couldn't you have just gone into the mist from the Room of Love… like Harry."

Taylor sighed. How could she explain something she barely understood? "You have to understand that when I went into the Department of Mysteries, I had no idea _what_ I was going to find when I opened that door. Yes I knew that it contained the _power of love _but not what that meant… not really anyway. I wasn't even sure if we would somehow have to get Ole Voldy inside the room or not. Nor if Harry went in, if I would be able to get him back out… it was an unknown. Whatever the magic in that room is… it felt… almost like my Dark Magic. It was powerful! I think somehow I knew that I couldn't go into the mist… I'm not sure how to explain it… even though in my nightmare I knew that there was safety in that room, I knew if I entered I'd never get out…" Taylor was silent for a few moments as she remembered that particular nightmare. "That was why… when I realized I was a… well that I was a Horcrux… I immediately started to think of how I could destroy it…" She heard the snarl from the werewolf's chest at the mere mention of the Horcrux and she rubbed her hand soothingly on his chest and waited for the growls to stop. "When I was able to get the door to the Room of Love open and I realized that I had to keep it open... I knew then that there was no way I would ever be able to get into the room myself… somehow I had known that… that was why I had needed to come up with the other plan to get rid of the Horcrux… right or wrong… live or die… I _couldn't_ let Voldemort have a chance of _ever_ coming back! You know, it was _you _who saved me… when I heard the screams from the Horcruxes, the _hope_ that there might be a way to kill it and live to see you again made my heart swell!" Taylor looked up at the wizard who still held her in his arms, the arms that she felt so safe in. "I had something to live for… someone to live for… my mother sacrificed herself calling forth that powerful magic… she only had one soul to give so she gave it up for Harry and me. The snake that I saw in my nightmares… it was the Horcrux that latched itself onto me that night. Voldemort's soul… so weakened by his killing and the creation of other Horcruxes shattered that night into three pieces… one went into Harry, one went into me and the bit of soul that was left flew out the window too broken to support life and unable to die. I knew what I had set out to do and that was to destroy the Horcrux in me... but hope suddenly burst into me as I heard the Horcruxes die… I had something to live for… what did I have to lose by trying what I did? The rest you know."

Twilight turned to darkness as the Hufflepuff thought about what his witch had said. There was still some of it he didn't understand… he wondered if even the witch in his arms truly understood it and maybe it didn't truly matter if he did. What mattered was that his witch had planned on dying to rid the world of Voldemort and at the last minute came up with a way to live… to be with him. As the faint pound of music from the dance in the Great Hall reached his very sensitive ears, his arms tightened around his witch whispering his thanks to any god that might be listening.

The next morning, long before most of the students were up, Professor McGonagall and Hagrid paid her a visit. The Hufflepuff had refused to leave her side and none of her friends were back after the talk from the day before. Though in all fairness, with the celebration dance last night and the early hour, she didn't expect them for a while.

"Miss Porter… I am glad to see you awake. I was hoping I could have a word with you… One that maybe is long overdue."

Taylor looked up at the Head Mistress surprised and suddenly a little wary… her meetings with the Professor in the past tended to end with her in detention!

McGonagall hadn't missed the shifting of the Head Boy as she addressed the young witch. In a way he reminded her very much of the way James Potter had always been ready to defend and protect Lily Evans. She didn't doubt for a moment that James would indeed be pleased with his daughter's choice in boyfriends. However, she wanted to talk to the young witch alone.

"Mr. Hunter, would you please excuse us for a little while? I am sure Miss Porter will fill you in on everything after I leave."

Taylor's eyes widened and she felt, more then heard, the Hufflepuff's refusal even before he said anything, so she beat him to it. "Maybe you could go grab a bite to eat and a shower… you are starting to smell like a dog!"

Greg was about to argue, but he saw the soft smile on his witch's face, even if her eyes held a bit of mischief. He hadn't left her side for more than a half hour at a time all week, and while he could feel the werewolf protesting, he reluctantly agreed to go. He did need a shower and a change of clothes and if he went now he would be back before his witch's brother and friends came… and he planned on being there when… or if they did.

Taylor watched as the Head Boy walked out around the screen and she listened until she couldn't hear his footsteps any longer, before she looked up at the Head Mistress and Hagrid who had been unusually quiet.

"How r'ye feelin'?" Hagrid asked, as soon as McGonagall put up a silencing spell. He had heard what had happened to James and Lily's daughter and while he had never known for sure, he had always suspected that Taylor was their daughter. Minerva had come to see him last night, telling him who she was and asked if he would like to go see the young witch in the morning with her. He had readily agreed.

McGonagall drew up a soft chair for herself and a very sturdy chair for Hagrid. When they were seated she began. "I suppose you are wondering why I wished to speak with you Miss Porter… Or I should say Miss Potter…" (Taylor gasped and stared at the grey haired witch) "Yes Taylor I know who you are. I was there the night when Hagrid brought you with your brother to the Dursley's. I was also privy to the fact that it was an underage Miss Potter who was starting Hogwarts with her older brother. Though I doubt that anyone else other than those sitting here know this. Albus did a very good job of hiding who you were. Though now I feel it is time that you know… at least what Hagrid and I know." McGonagall's voice was kind and warm, as she told the young witch about the night that she was found. When she finished, Hagrid began.

He told of how he had gone into the ruined house and up the stairs, finding first Harry and then hearing another child cry. How he had to move debris out of the way before he could get to the spot where the crying was coming from and how he had picked up the invisibility cloak off of the tiny baby. "An there ya were… no bigger than me hand. Wrap'd all up in eh' tiny pink blanket. An holdin' the blanket in place was a necklace wi' a red pendant…"

Taylor slowly sat up in bed as she stared at the huge man… the necklace with the red pendant… but she had always thought that had come from her Aunt Helen and Uncle Herbert… With a slightly shaking hand she reached inside her pajama top and pulled the broken pendant out. "You mean this pendant?"

Hagrid squinted at the broken, blackened pendant but he soon nodded, "Yeah, tha looks like the one. Tho' it wasn't brokin' then."

McGonagall's eyes narrowed as she leaned forward staring at the necklace, "Miss Potter may I see that?"

With a nod Taylor took off the necklace and handed it to the Head Mistress who looked at it carefully and then handed it back to the witch in the bed.

They talked for some time until McGonagall said "You have to make some hard decisions Taylor… first I would like to know if you have thought about making known who your parents are… and the ramifications of such, especially now, given what has happened to you…"

"You mean my loss of magic?" The Head Mistress nodded. Taylor was silent a moment before she said slowly, "There was a time when I would have leapt at the idea that everyone know who I am… That I am James and Lily's daughter… but now…" Taylor thought about who did know. Her brother, Greg, her friends, Lupin and a couple of her professors, the people who knew her, the people who really mattered. "I am proud that James and Lily are my parents… but those who really matter already know. In a month or so I am going to marry and my last name will change anyway… I will always know who I am… I guess I will go from being a muggleborn to a squib…" Taylor laughed a little as she shook her head.

"Taylor, you have already sat your NEWTS and I believe your parents would be proud of your marks!" McGonagall gave one of her rare smiles before she continued, "so you can graduate from this school with the rest of the seventh years… and no one need to know that you have lost your magic… unless you want to tell them."

Taylor nodded slowly. She could go to the graduation ceremony that was scheduled for tomorrow morning. She would complete her schooling… just like her parents. The idea of going in front of the whole school and the parents who gathered to see their children graduate was a little scary… but she knew deep down that she wouldn't miss this opportunity for the world! She would see her brother graduate! She had come to this school not knowing anything about magic, now she would leave knowing all the good and bad things magic could do… and she would return to being a muggle. She had come full circle.

"Professor, I will go to the graduation ceremony… as Taylor Porter because that is who I am. I may be leaving Hogwarts without any magic but something my uncle said long ago suddenly makes sense…" Taylor could see her uncle and the prairie grass that stretched out behind him as he had spoken to her on that day so long ago. "My little Taylor, if you don't remember anything else I have taught you, remember this… It is not what we are that matters, nor what we can do. What matters is how we chose to use our skills, no matter what they are. Great or small, strong or weak. In the end, everyone is just a sum of their fears and how we choose to overcome them. When you stay true to your heart, nothing is impossible…" Taylor's voice trailed off as she looked out the high windows in the Hospital Wing. Sure she had lost her magic but she had gained a fiancé, a brother and the best friends anyone could ask for in the world. She was James and Lily Potter's daughter and she would face this challenge as she had faced all the others… head on!

"Besides Professor… what is another secret in my life?"

McGonagall could feel a swelling of pride in her as she watched the young witch come to a decision… a true Gryffindor in every sense of the word. She had a feeling that the magic-less witch would make the most of what she had been dealt. Her voice held some of that pride as she continued. "I also wanted to let you know that I have seen the memories that Severus gave you and I have set about to make sure his name is cleared of all charges…"

Taylor nodded, glad that the wizard who had suffered greatly for doing what he was asked, would finally be free. She knew too that her brother had seen the memories… what would he think now? Would it help? Or just upset him even more for accusing an innocent man?

* * *

><p>AN Hopefully this chapter explains what happened in the Revolving Room... and why Taylor lost her magic. I wrote and re-wrote this chapter several times... I hope that it is believable and answers some of your questions!

Thank you to those who reviewed! As well those who have alerted and Favorited this story! And if you have read this far... well :D here have a cyber cookie cause you deserve it for sticking with this story this long! A HUGE thank you to my wonderful beta barbc who has made this story readable! Well until next time, cytpotter.


	102. To Protect The Soul

If I owned Harry Potter... _Real Life_ wouldn't of gotten in the way of posting this chapter!

I am so sorry for the long wait! RL has just been hectic! It's a bit longer then normal so hopefully that will help some!

And this chapter I need to tip my hat to HadaGracia who I hope you are still out there reading! Cause you gave me the idea not only for this chapter but the need for what is explained in this chapter! So Thank you!

* * *

><p>Chapter One Hundred Two<p>

**To Protect The Soul**

The Head Mistress and Hagrid were just about to leave when Greg came back around the curtain, looking freshly showered and shaved. His eyes raked over the witch sitting in the bed, making sure that she was indeed okay.

Hermione and Ron came to see her around ten and, as if by unspoken agreement, Harry wasn't brought up.

Taylor knew her brother was angry at her, and she really didn't blame him, so she would give him some time to cool down and realize that she had done what she needed to do… again.

Moody and McGonagall had stopped in briefly just after lunch to talk to her about where she planned to go after school let out and Tonks' parents' house had been brought up. Like Moody had said, it was warded so would offer her that protection but it was also fairly close to Dan Hunter's house so that could be a meeting point for Slughorn to take the Wolf's Bane potion for both Lupin and Greg. It wasn't said, but Taylor had the feeling that Lupin had wanted to ask her to come stay with him, but as he didn't have a house of his own, that he had agreed to this alternative for several reasons. One being the fact that he had asked Tonks to marry him on Saturday and he hadn't had a chance to tell her or Harry before everything that went on at the Ministry on Sunday night.

Glancing up at the clear blue sky through the high windows in the Hospital Wing, she could hear the faint sound of people laughing out on the grounds, so when at two o'clock Connor and Justin came around the curtain with their broom sticks over their shoulders, Taylor encouraged her friends to go down to the quidditch pitch for the fun game that the Hufflepuffs were playing. It took quite a bit of coaxing before the werewolf would agree, but after Taylor had said that she needed to get some sleep and she would be fine under the nurse's watchful eye, Greg had agreed. She knew he needed to do something physical to get rid of some of the tension she had seen in him ever since she had woken up in St. Mongo's and she was hoping this would help… she knew his friends would help to keep him occupied.

Taylor was a little tired after her morning, but after a quick nap she was awake again. Her body was becoming used to the absence of magic and Greg's aunt had said that she would be released from the hospital tomorrow, in time for the Graduation ceremony. Of course the Advanced Healer had insisted on numerous follow-up appointments and Taylor had agreed. Anything to be able to get up and move around again!

Taylor smiled sadly as she looked at the ring on her own finger. She had survived the war but now she was facing a life full of even more uncertainty. She was engaged to a hybrid werewolf who, as he had already shown, was far more aggressive than any others when the moon wasn't even a factor. A shudder ran through her when she learned that he had gone up against Bellatrix and won… something that she knew not even her brother, or many in the Order, would have been able to do. Not that she thought that he would ever hurt her, or anyone, but it would always be something that was there, just lurking below the surface. Now too, she had no magic… no magic to help him, no magic to protect him, no magic… at all. Sure she knew she would be able to survive. Muggles did it every day, but what had been her driving force ever since she could remember would no longer be possible… she would no longer be able to protect those she loved. Wallowing in self-pity was a new thing for her and as the birds sang outside and the laughter of young witches and wizards floated on the air, she found herself doing exactly that.

That was how the ex-Potions Master found the magicless witch.

"Professor Snape!" The sight of her old potions professor caught her off guard.

"Miss Porter…" The tall darkly dressed wizard said with a small twitch of his thin lips before he continued. "However I do believe that given the circumstances, and the fact that I haven't been your teacher in over a year, maybe we could dispense with the formality… Taylor."

Taylor felt her mouth open and close a couple of times before she stammered, "Oh, yeah sure… ahh Severus?" Her face turned warm at the awkwardness and she suddenly felt a little weird sitting in her pajamas, in a bed, talking to the man who had loved and still loved her mother.

"If it is easier… your mother always called me Sev…" A hint of red tinged the normally pale face of the former potions teacher before he seemed to gather himself and continued on. "I am sure you are likely wondering why I am here… well I wanted to… thank you. I have been cleared because of the memories that you gave to Minerva and Hermione's statement about my involvement in bringing down the Dark Lord."

A smile grew on Taylor's face. So her brother had given the memories to McGonagall. She had told Shacklebolt and Moody what had happened in the Revolving Room, as well as before, and they must have gone to the Ministry and given them those memories as well. "I'm glad. And it was the least I could do after all your help. None of it would have been possible without everything that you did and the risks you took. Though I don't think you have me to thank. It was Harry who gave the memories to Professor McGonagall, and Moody or Shacklebolt who passed on what happened in the Department of Mysteries."

"I will be sure to thank them then as well, next time I see them."

A few awkward seconds passed before the potions master spoke again. "I heard about what happened… to you. I thought maybe if I came to see you… maybe I might be able to help you understand what… most likely happened." At Taylor's curious glance, a shadow of a smile passed across the older wizard's face before he continued. "You and your brother weren't the only ones who were left the gift of a portrait."

Her eyes went wide as the words sank in and suddenly a lot of things became much clearer, like how Snape had known they were looking for a book and which one and how he had known she was alone out by the lake that day. He had a portrait of Dumbledore as well. She looked back up as he continued.

"It was Albus who also told me about what has happened to you… and we think we know what happened… or maybe what caused you to lose your magic anyway." At Taylor's nod Snape drew his wand and after conjuring a comfortable looking chair sat down by her. His eyes then went to the necklaces that were lying on the night table beside her bed. The one with the broken red stone and the melted silver one that Greg had given her. With a wave of his wand he levitated the one she had always thought that her uncle had given her and carefully took it in his hand. His voice was soft, almost reverent when he began speaking again. "I'm not sure if you know this… but I gave this necklace to your mother not long before… I guess I should start at the beginning. As you likely know Lily… and Potter went into hiding because of the prophesy that Sybill Trelawney made… the one that I partially heard. I was young and stupid and I didn't know at the time that the prophesy would be about Lily… if I had I would _never_ have told the Dark Lord but I wanted to prove my worth and so stupidly I told him. When I found out that Lily was possibly the one the prophesy was about, I went to the Dark Lord and begged for him to… to spare her. I was frightened though and I started looking for a way to somehow protect her. At the time there were many who claimed to have protective charms or things that could protect you but most, if not all, were false. So I turned to the Dark Arts. I had heard in passing that there was a potion, that if brewed properly could be used to protect one from certain things. I knew it was a long shot but I needed to do something… it was called '_Protego Animus'_

Taylor felt her eyes go round as the meaning of the potion's name came to her, but Snape simply nodded and continued.

"So I set about brewing it. It took over two fortnights to brew and when it was done I poured it onto the necklace I bought and took it to Godric's Hollow to see your mother. I'm not sure now if Lily suspected I might have put something on the necklace, or if she simply put her own unique charm on it as well. As you know, your mother was a master at charms, and she often created her own charms spells… Filius might be able to tell you more about the charm… possibly, though I have my doubts, as Lily was very creative with her charms work. Or it could have just been the protection that she gave you and Harry… by sacrificing herself…" His voice had become thick with emotion and he paused a moment, his fingers gently playing with the melted chain as he swallowed and cleared his throat. "Whatever it was, this necklace now had a protective charm on it as old as time and so it was never detected… not by the school wards, not by any Ministry checkpoint or anyone else. Maybe if it had've been somewhat remarkable I might have noticed it… but it was a muggle made necklace that I bought in a corner jewelry store not far from my home. At the time I hadn't cared how common it was, just that it didn't have any magical properties already bestowed upon it."

Taylor watched as the man who had been her professor for six years sat for a moment, once again staring at the remains of her necklace, lost in his own memories.

"The only thing Albus and I can figure is that the night the Dark Lord came to Godric's Hollow, Lily ran up stairs and covered you up with Potter's Invisibility cloak, to try to keep you hidden… as no one knew about you, we figure that she was hoping that the Dark Lord wouldn't discover you as well. The way that the necklace was wrapped up in your blanket… Albus figured that it had been put there before the Dark Lord ever got there. At the time he suspected it might have a charm or two on it and that is why he took it along with you, when he left you with your uncle Herbert. Whatever the charm was, it doesn't really matter now. What does matter is that somehow the necklace protected you from the evil of the Horcrux that you had in you… We think the reason that you dreamed about the snake coiling around your heart, as it tried to take your soul, was because in a way that was what it was trying to do. Lily's sacrifice calling forth that ancient love helped to protect you, not only from the Dark Lord but from the power in the Room of Love. We figure that was why the mist didn't hurt Harry… well, that and that his soul was not only pure but intact. It would have worked for you too, if you hadn't needed to use your Dark Magic to keep the door open." A short pause and then, "When did you think of trying to sacrifice yourself like your mother did, to call forth that ancient magic to get rid of the Horcrux?"

Taylor met the dark eyes of her ex-professor and was startled by the intensity shining in them. "I went into the Revolving Room ready to die because I thought that was the only way I could get rid of the last Horcrux… it wasn't until I opened that door that I began to wonder if calling forth the Horcrux might give the Killing Curse its soul… because that is what it does; it takes the soul and the life that is connected with that soul… if that makes any sense." Pausing as the idea floated around in her mind, not like before when Dark Magic used to just come to her… no this was more like a slow realization that what she thought was sound in theory.

"Yes, that is what is thought to occur when someone is hit with the Killing Curse… why there are no marks left on the body, because a soul and the energy that makes us live has no visible signs."

"Energy… yeah that makes sense…" Taylor nodded as she was lost in thought. "If I could give the Killing Curse something to kill, then maybe I would have a chance… A chance that until a few months ago I would never have even looked for…" at this Taylor looked up into the dark eyes of Snape and saw understanding in them.

"Yes, love… a love I wished I had've fought harder for… and maybe things would have turned out much differently."

Taylor felt her heart ache for the loneliness and longing in the man's voice and she reached out her hand and laid it on his. The gesture seemed to startle him at first, but then a ghost of a smile pulled at his pale face and he grasped her fingers with his, squeezing softly before continuing.

"Once the idea came to me, I knew I had to try, so I followed through with our plan… but when Harry started to cast, I summoned the Horcrux…"

"And the energy that it took for your magic to try to pull the Horcrux from inside you was what the Killing Curse struck…" Snape finished her statement as he nodded. "Yes this is what Albus and I figured happened… once he told me how your summoning charm drained your magic in the past."

"But why did it drain my magic? Harry summoned different Horcruxes and he never once had his magic drained." Taylor asked confused.

"Again we think it had to do with _what_ Horcrux you had in you." At her confused look he continued. "Our souls are more like an apple pie then a cake…"

Taylor felt a grin creep across her face at the analogy, even as Snape's face turned to a scowl… one like she had seen countless times in class, but as he held her hand she felt him give her fingers a light squeeze, and she knew that he wasn't mad, just not sure how to show his emotion. It made him an intimidating teacher but a harder to read friend.

"In a cake all the ingredients are mixed together equally, so when you take a piece of it you get equal parts of all the ingredients. However in a apple pie, one slice may have more apple pieces, cinnamon and nutmeg in it than the next, just like when a soul is ripped apart to create a Horcrux… all the ingredients are there, but some have more apples and spices then others. Your Horcrux let you use Dark Magic like the Dark Lord could and Harry's let him see what the Dark Lord was doing and speak Parseltongue."

Taylor nodded it made sense… "So my piece of the pie was strongly rooted in Dark Magic… which is ancient magic… which was what mom called forth to protect Harry and I…"

"Yes… and that is why we think that when you tried to summon the Horcrux your magic tried to separate from you… You and your soul can live without magic. By willingly sacrificing yourself, the ancient protection in your necklace and what your mother called forth, engaged and did what we thought was impossible and separated you from your magic at the same time as it extracted the Horcrux from you. Saving you from the Killing Curse similar to how Harry was saved on the night Lily died. Except, that night the ancient magic caused the Killing Curse to rebound onto Voldemort."

Taylor nodded slowly as the information sunk in… it did explain so much, except one thing. "But why then did my magic drain every time I tried to summon a Horcrux?"

Snape sighed and looked out the window at the blue sky. "This is all theory, Taylor. No one has ever had anything like this happen to them before, but I think what was happening was that when you tried to summon a Horcrux, the magic in the necklace and from your mother combined to try to get rid of the thing that could hurt you."

"Thus draining my magic…" Taylor nodded. That made sense because she knew it would take a lot to try to pull something from inside her like the Horcrux had been. "So why did the necklace get hot when I used Dark Magic?"

Snape raised an eyebrow at her and she pulled her pajama top out some to show him the faint marks on her neck, and the angry red marks that were there caused by the melting of the two necklaces in the Department of Mysteries. He leaned in to have a closer look at the oval shaped, faint scars then sat back for a moment.

"You say the necklace became hot when you used Dark Magic?" He pondered for a few more seconds before he nodded absently. "The potion that I used on the necklace was for protection… I'd have to run this by Albus to be sure, but I think that likely it was a warning. The Dark Magic that you used was from the Horcrux… so the necklace was trying to warn you every time you drew from that form of magic. It got hotter the more powerful spell you used?" At her nod he continued. "Then I would say that was what was happening… it was trying to protect you. You just never listened to it!"

Taylor had to grin at the exasperated look that he gave her. It wasn't funny but still she couldn't help it.

"So have you made plans for where you are going tomorrow? Surely you are not planning on going off with Hunter?"

"No I'm going to stay with Andromeda and Ted Tonks for a while…"

Snape nodded, "They are good people. Even if Andromeda was related to Black… guess one can't choose who they are related to."

Taylor rolled her eyes. She knew that Snape would likely never get over his hate of Sirius. "I don't know how long I'm going to stay there…"

"You won't be able to marry until you reach your seventeenth birthday. Which isn't likely until sometime in early September."

She was startled by his statement and said, "How do you know that?"

"I am a skilled _Legilimen,_ but I do not need it to see how much you love that young man. Your mother used to look at Potter the same way. They were married shortly after they graduated."

"Oh… but you don't disagree? I thought you might…" Taylor could feel a blush spreading up over her face at the turn in the conversation. She never thought she would discuss something like this with her ex-potions professor.

"Greg Hunter will be able to protect you. His hybrid werewolf makes him more protective and his ability to call on that werewolf when he needs it will make him capable of protecting you, now that you have no way to protect yourself. So no, I do not have a problem with you marrying him… as long as he takes his Wolfsbane Potion."

Taylor knew that Snape really didn't have a say over what she did, but she felt with him like she did Lupin. A pull towards them, as they were links to her parents, and what they thought did have an impact on her, so she was glad that Snape didn't disagree with her marrying the Hufflepuff. Though she would have anyway and maybe that influenced his acceptance too in a way. She knew Lupin was worried about it, but more for how they would make out financially and socially than any worry that it wasn't the right thing to do. "I don't think that will be a problem… as long as I can still brew it up… do you think I will be able too? Make the potion I mean, without my magic?"

A bit of a smile pulled at the potions master's lips as he rolled his eyes ever so slightly. "Do you _not _remember what I said in your first potions class?" When she gave him a blank look, he continued in a bit of a huff. "How you ever managed to pass my classes I am not sure!"

Taylor gave him a cheeky grin, "Oh I don't know… maybe it was because I was good at it?"

"Yes well, at least Lily managed to pass that on to you!" At the chuckle from his former student he continued. "I said, that you were there _to learn the subtle science and exact art of potion-making_… and if I am not mistaken I did mention that wands were of little use?"

"Yeah you did, and then you set about picking on Harry!" Taylor retorted as she felt the old irritation at Snape for always picking on her brother. Though right now she was more interested in getting the answer to her question, than arguing about past slights on her brother, so she quickly said, "So my not having magic won't stop me from potion brewing? If that is so… then muggles could technically brew a potion?"

"Yes that is technically true. Though where would they get the ingredients? Or the knowledge of potion-making? It makes it highly improbable that they would be able to do so. Though some squibs are quite capable of making the more simple potions, it takes one trained in potion-making and with some talent to make the more advanced ones. As you can well attest to."

Taylor nodded slowly. That made sense and just maybe she would be able to continue with potion making. Maybe even making the Wolfsbane Potion for Greg and Lupin. This thought alone lifted a weight off her shoulders and made a true smile spread across her face.

"I know what you are thinking, and while I do believe that you might be able to make the Wolfsbane Potion for Hunter, and Lupin as well, I think it will be wise to test your brewing capabilities thoroughly before you attempt to make something as touchy and important as that. Though I do believe that you should be capable of making the potion in the future. I would be willing to assist you and make sure you are up to that challenge if you would like."

For the next few minutes they talked about him tutoring her in potions, once she was recovered enough, and where they could do this as well. Taylor could feel the first rays of hope that her life wouldn't be totally dependent on those who could still use magic. That she would be able to still do some of what she had spent the last seven years of her life learning. By the time they heard people enter the Hospital Wing, she felt her heart was somewhat lighter, and hope once again brought a smile to her face.

The wind whipped through his hair as the werewolf snarled in delight. His keen senses were keyed in and he used his superb hearing, as well as sense of smell and eye sight, to hone in on the desperately weaving golden snitch just a few feet in front of him. His Nimbus responding to the slightest touch, as his fingers reached out and grabbed the struggling little golden ball with wings!

"Hunter! You know you can let that snitch be caught by others on your team! You were supposed to be playing KEEPER! You know guarding those big round hoops over there!" Called an exasperated Connor as he zipped past the supposed "keeper".

Greg blushed and then grumbled as he turned his broom back towards the goal hoops, letting the snitch go. The sight of the fleeing gold ball was almost too much for his werewolf to resist chasing! Though the rest of the Hufflepuffs and several Gryffindors just laughed and kept right on playing.

The wind, sun and exhilaration of finally being able to move and get rid of the tension in his body made Greg realize just how tightly he had been wound ever since Sunday night. The rigors of flying on his broomstick and the fatigue that was setting into his muscles were actually a welcome feeling. So he had thrown his heart, soul and werewolf into his flying, impressing his friends and scaring them too at times with his daring antics on his broom. The reaction times of the werewolf that was so close to the surface of his mind right now, made the dangerous moves feel easy. It was a terrific way to relieve the stress he had been feeling. He would have to tell his witch when he saw her again in a little while. His eyes found the high windows of the Hospital Wing and he could just smell a whiff of her every so often, but it was enough to know that she was safe. No fear or alarm.

Suddenly the werewolf snarled and snapped at the cage in his mind, as Greg sat high up in the air at the uppermost goal hoop. Out over the grounds he could see a dark haired figure come out of Hagrid's house. It took only moments to drop down to the ground by the benches, and with just a few curt words, headed out away from the Quidditch pitch and the fun game that was still going on.

With long strides it didn't take long to eat up the ground and before his quarry even made it out onto the vast expanse of lawn that reached up to the castle, he had reached him.

"Potter! You and I need to have a little conversation!"

Whipping around Harry could see the long purposeful strides of the Hufflepuff and suddenly was glad that Ginny had gone off with a couple of her friends. He didn't even get a chance to ask what the other wizard wanted, before he was right in front of him glaring down with a wild dangerous look on his face.

However when the tall wizard grabbed him by his arm and started off towards the forest Harry found his voice. "What the hell do you want, Hunter?" Harry had the crazy thought that if he could have, the other wizard would have Apparated away with him and Harry was suddenly glad to be on Hogwarts' grounds. As it was, even sputtering his objections, it was only seconds before the bigger wizard had him hauled into the forest, out of sight of anyone else who might happen to be around.

"Shut up Potter!" The werewolf ground out between clenched teeth.

Harry opened his mouth but that was as far as he got before Greg's finger poked him in the chest. "I said _shut up!_ I am going to speak and you are going to listen! Taylor isn't here and I am going to say my piece!"

Harry's mouth snapped shut with an auditable click as the werewolf's wand jabbed the air. All Harry could do was glare back at the other wizard. He had gone down to see Hagrid that morning when he had finally gotten out of bed a little after ten. The memories in the pensive had been both shocking and painful… to find out that the man, who had been so horrible to him for six years, had loved his mother… he had also accepted how his sister could trust Snape so much… could begin to forgive the man whom he had thought had killed Dumbledore in cold blood…

It took another poke from the angry looking werewolf to bring his mind back to the present.

"Look Potter. I have something I need to say to you and you are going to listen!"

Harry felt his breath hitch in his throat, as he looked up into the dangerous glint in the piercing blue eyes of the Hufflepuff. Suddenly all that he had heard about the hybrid werewolf being extremely dangerous hit home and he swallowed nervously.

"I am going to marry Taylor."

Harry felt his eyes go round and his mouth fall open. That had not been what he had been expecting out of the aggressive werewolf.

Taking a small step back Greg ran his hand up through his hair. The werewolf so close to the surface, that it was a struggle to remain in complete control. Taking a deep breath he closed his eyes for a moment and then began to say what he had rehearsed in his mind.

"I am going to marry your sister, Potter. I know that as the eldest in her family that I should have asked your permission first but… well… last weekend was a bit nuts. Wasn't it?" Greg felt his lips twitch in a semblance of a smile before he continued. "Then with everything that went on at the Ministry…" he had to pull in a shuddering breath. "Well, I am letting you know now. I AM going to marry Taylor."

Harry waited for a few more moments and, when the Hufflepuff didn't say any more or lift the silencing spell he had put on him, Harry pointed at his mouth.

"Oh…. Yeah sorry!" the grin was a bit sheepish, even if the dangerous look still lingered in the blue eyes.

"I knew you asked my sister to marry you… she told me." Harry might have said more but the Hufflepuff started to pace as he began talking again.

"I know you are her brother and only family. I respect that. And I should have maybe asked you first… but I love Taylor… and that brings me to something else I want to talk to you about!" The werewolf's eyes seemed to almost glow as he stopped in front of Harry and it was everything that Greg could do to keep control once more, as the beast snarled in his mind. "Taylor will be more than my wife… she is my mate! And I will protect her from all threats! Including YOU!"

Harry was shocked. "I would never hurt my sister!"

"_Potter_ you _Killed_! _Her_!" The werewolves hands actually shook as they clenched and unclenched at his sides.

"I didn't know it was her! I…" Harry felt his voice catch in his throat, as pain clogged it.

"And that is the only reason why I haven't…" the words were no more than a snarl. "I _KNOW_ what she did… I know she tricked you! Maybe after the full moon I can even accept _WHY _she did it… but for right now I need to _focus_ on the fact that she survived… that she is still here…"

Harry wasn't sure if he could speak, as guilt and anger coursed through him. The wound in his heart still too fresh.

It was a few minutes before either said anything. It was Greg who spoke first, still seeming intent on getting what he wanted to say off his chest.

"Taylor is hurting too, you know. She went into the Revolving Room ready to… She would have given her life to save you… she did what she did to make sure that Voldemort couldn't come back…"

"Don't you think I know that!" Harry snapped.

The Hufflepuff stopped his restless pacing to step into the shorter wizard's personal space. "Do you Harry? Do you really? _You_ who have been famous since before you came here to Hogwarts!"

"Do you think I wanted that attention! I NEVER wanted it!" Harry snapped angrily and he might have continued but the werewolf cut him off.

"That doesn't matter! You had it! What did Taylor ever get? Nothing! She risked _everything_! Countless times! Because she felt obligated to YOU!" Greg felt his whole body tremble with anger, as he not only fought the werewolf but his own anger that had been bottled up inside for so long. "Do you know that on our first date she told me that she wouldn't likely make it through the war? She was ready and willing to _die_ to make sure that Voldemort didn't win! That she didn't think past the war because she didn't think she would survive it!"

Harry felt his heart clench because he had heard his sister say that very same thing to him on a couple of different occasions. "I know… _I know_ okay!" The reminder from the werewolf made him realize once again just how committed his sister was to making sure Voldemort was defeated. Once again he was reminded that he shouldn't dwell as much on the fact of what she made him do, but that she had somehow figured out a way to escape death. "I know…"

"Merlin, Potter do you know how many times I saw her refuse to do something or go somewhere because she thought about _YOU_ first? About what _you_ thought! Or what _you_ were going to do?"

Numerous memories flashed through Harry's mind as he saw the many times that his sister did indeed do what he was going to do… from something as simple as school classes, to going to the Ministry of Magic… on more than one occasion. "Yeah I know…"

"Well know this, Harry…" Greg stepped right into the shorter wizard and glared down at him. "As my wife and mate, I will not allow _anyone_ to hurt her and that includes you!"

Harry wasn't certain, but he had a feeling that there was more that the Hufflepuff wanted to say, but the dangerous glint, that had been there the whole time, filled the blue eyes making them glow with menace. What he did know was that right at that moment the werewolf… even without the full moon… had almost taken control of the wizard to make its point. A point Harry knew the Hufflepuff would keep, even as the hybred werewolf stalked up across the grounds.

* * *

><p>Protego Animus = To Protect the Soul<p>

A/N I hope you enjoyed this chapter... and there is one more short one plus the last one to come... but I can't promise when those will be posted! But it will be as soon as I can! I promise!

Thank You! Thank You! THANK YOU! To all those who have read this story this far! You all make me soooooo happy! And the reviews... well they are like peices of chocolate cake! but without all the calories! :D I JUST LOVE them!

Until next time, cytpotter


	103. Graduation

Sorry for the long wait! RL and my muse are all to blame! Hope you enjoy!

* * *

><p>Chapter One Hundred Three<p>

**Graduation**

Harry watched as the hybrid werewolf walked up across the grounds and what the portrait of Dumbledore had said just over a month ago about Voldemort dabbling in something he did not completely understand yet again, rang clearly in his ears. Sure the werewolf and Hufflepuff combined had warned… and even threatened him but what was important to Harry at least was that even when the werewolf had seemed to be in control, it hadn't struck out at him. With a slight nod of his head Harry knew he could accept that Greg Hunter would not only protect his little sister from all threats… he wouldn't ever hurt her. Well as long as the Hufflepuff took his Wolfsbane Potion and that was something he could make sure always happened!

Harry knew he needed to have a talk with his sister but he was delayed in getting there first by Hermione and Ron who wanted to talk about what he had seen in the Pensive. Then he met up with Ginny and found it very easy to slip off with her for a half hour or so before supper and find an empty broom cupboard. He knew that after supper it would have been so easy to just put it off for even longer but he wanted to clear the air between them. He hated this tension he felt every time he thought of his sister and wanted to start putting things back the way they were before or as close as they were likely to ever get.

So when he walked into the Hospital Wing that evening he turned to his friends and asked them if he could have a few minutes alone with his sister. The Hufflepuff glared at him defiantly but Taylor was able to quietly convince him to go as well. Though the tall werewolf growled softly as he went by, that _silencing spell_ or not that he would still be able to _smell_ what was happening… A bit startled by the comment, it was a few seconds before he indeed did put up the silencing charm even as he wondered at what the werewolf had said.

Taylor wasn't sure what to expect from her brother and she took the moment that he stood at the end of her bed staring absently at the screen behind him to study him. She could see the lines of tension that pulled at his mouth and had it set in a firm line. His shoulders were tense and his hand was clenched around his wand. His messy black hair seemed just a bit wilder then normal and his green eyes when they finally found hers were serious. Knowing she had a lot to answer for, she started.

"I'm sorry Harry. I know that isn't enough, but I truly am. I never wanted to hurt you but I also couldn't live knowing that I was a Horcrux… and neither could you have lived knowing that you had something in you that could bring Voldemort back. I wish that there had been another way! Maybe I should have just gone into the sealed room… Or… Merlin I don't know! Jumped off the London Bridge!"

Harry felt his eyes roll in spite of himself. "The London Bridge? Really Taylor? You are a witch! You know that wouldn't work!" Then his chuckle died in his throat as he realized what he had said and the fact that his sister could no longer cast even a simple levitating charm crashed over him. "Oh Merlin, I'm sorry Taylor, I didn't…" He sat on the side of his sister's bed and reached for her hand, his own suddenly trembling slightly.

"It's alright Harry." She could see disbelief in his eyes and she squeezed his hand. "I was the one who tried the lame joke remember?" With a sigh she tried again. "I'm sorry. I really am. For everything. I guess my rash decisions finally caught up with me." With a self-depreciating snort she continued. "I am sorry that I used you… your hate… against you. At the time it seemed like the only way…"

"Hey…" Harry squeezed his sister's hand to get her to look up from the bed, where she had dropped her eyes as she spoke, to look at him. "I know why you did it. I understand… and if our situations were reversed I might have even done something similar…"

Taylor's eyes widened a little, though she had no doubt that what her brother said was true…

"I know now why Snape did what he did… Why you said that he was asked to do the worst and then gifted with the most important… In a way our situations are similar…" Harry paused as he thought about how both he and Snape had been coerced into killing… and was glad that things had turned out the way they had, because if he had killed Snape he would have lived to regret killing an innocent man. "I think I can even come to forgive him… in time."

Taylor smiled, it was more then she could have hoped for.

As the two talked, the tension slowly disappeared. While Harry would never forget what his sister had done he could start to accept it and if he didn't quite forgive her completely he was well on his way. The wounds that had seemed so insurmountable only a few days ago, now had begun to heal and while Taylor hadn't paid the ultimate price with her brash idea, the loss of her magic would always be a reminder of not only her impulsive decision but also the fact that against all odds, not only had she survived but Harry had as well.

The next morning at 9:00 am, only two hours before the Hogwarts Express would pull out of Hogsmeade, taking the students home for the final time that year, the court yard was full of chairs holding those graduating and their families. Taylor sat with the rest of the seventh years surrounded by her friends and the Hufflepuff who had refused to sit with the rest of his house. Head Mistress McGonagall called out each name from the scroll she was holding, very reminiscent of the way she had seven years ago when each student had been called forth in the Great Hall to sit on the stool and have the Sorting Hat placed over their heads. This time though each student had gone up onto the raised platform to receive their graduation scroll. When all their names had been called the Sorting Hat began to speak.

"This year has brought with it some of the most dangerous times that this school has seen in many years… we have lost some of our own, others have been irrevocably changed… and yet here you are ready to go out into the world as adults. A world that is finally free from the fear and terror that has held it in a stranglehold; free because some of you were brave enough to fight for our freedom. A feat that would make Godric Gryffindor, Helga Hufflepuff, Rewena Ravenclaw and even Salathar Slytherin proud. It was by working _together_ that the world is once again free, by reaching out and trusting when it seemed impossible to do so, that we once again have our freedom. _Alone_ we are vulnerable but _together_ we are _strong, powerful _and _courageous_. Just something you all should remember as you go out into the world…"

With that the hat became silent and it was a few seconds before someone started to clap and then more joined in until nearly everyone was standing applauding. A cheer went up and suddenly the air was full of wizarding hats as the graduating students all threw their hats into the air.

It was a few minutes before the five Gryffindors and lone Hufflepuff found themselves alone. Ginny had just made her way over to them as well.

"Well that was a different speech! Imagine all four houses working together! I think that Hat has finally lost it!" Ron said with a snort.

"No Ron, the Sorting Hat was correct… It did take someone from each house to help bring Voldemort down…" Hermione started to explain but Harry cut her off.

"Yeah well right now I really don't care! You can explain it to us all later, right now I want to get over to that table and get a glass of pumpkin juice! You'd think someone would invent a spell to cool a wizard off under these hot robes!"

The friends all laughed and made their way through the throngs of parents and students towards the refreshment table set up on the far side of the court yard where they had their graduation ceremony. Before they made it to the table Mr. and Mrs. Weasley and Mr. and Mrs. Granger reached them. Mrs. Weasley hugged Ron, kissing him on each cheek as he turned bright red, sputtering protests.

"Oh Ronald! You have made me so proud! Four Exceeds Expectations and one Outstanding! What with everything that has gone on this year!"

Then when Mrs. Weasley let go of Ron she hugged Harry gushing about his three E's and three O's. Taylor grinned as she saw her brother turn as bright red as Ron had been, as the matronly witch kissed him too. Then she was more then a little shocked to find herself pulled into a hug as well, getting the same treatment as her brother and friend. She had managed to do just a little better than her brother earning one more Outstanding then him.

Hermione's parents were no less pleased at their daughter's accomplishment of straight O's but they were just a little more reserved in their congratulations.

The Hufflepuff remained beside his witch, the werewolf demanding that he stay near. He had been more than pleased when he had finally been allowed back around the curtain after his witch talked with her brother. To see the happiness shining in her eyes as the two siblings held hands had made telling his wolf side to cool it much easier. He had been equally pleased with the arrangement that McGonagall had suggested about his witch going to live with the Tonks… even if it was only for a couple of months. He knew she would be safe there and the fact that they already had a son-in-law who was a werewolf only made the situation easier. He… or his werewolf… had a problem with his witch coming to the graduation ceremony. The need to protect his defenseless magicless witch was nearly overwhelming but with reassurance from her brother and the two other Gryffindors and the knowledge that his witch's secret wasn't known yet had finally convinced him. That and the very fact that his witch had said in no uncertain terms that she was going, with or without his permission. In that moment the hybrid werewolf knew that while his witch might have lost her magical powers, she hadn't lost her tenacity for life. A fact that he was sure would drive him crazy for the rest of his life… and that he knew he wouldn't trade for anything, for it was what made his witch who she was. The call of his name made the werewolf look away from congratulations of his friends' families.

"Greg! Oh son I am so proud of you!" Mr. Hunter said as he reached his son and gave him a hug.

"Oh dear! I am so happy!" Mrs. Hunter cried as she hugged her son tight.

Taylor was released from Mrs. Weasley in time to see her Hufflepuff get greeted by his family. A smile pulled at her lips. She had as many O's and E's as he did, just in different subjects.

"Oh Taylor dear! It's so good to see you again!" Mrs. Hunter said when she let go of her son and pulled the young witch into a hug as well. "I was so happy when Dan told me that you are going to join our family!" The Hufflepuff's mother talked excitedly, asking if the witch had any place to go and inviting her over to their place as long as she wanted. Even asking if she could help plan the wedding.

Moving out away from the Weasleys and Grangers, Harry watched from a little ways away as his sister was warmly congratulated by her future in-laws. He was proud of her. His little sister. A grin pulled at his lips. He had no doubt that his mother and father would be proud too. Against seemingly insurmountable odds they had both managed to not only destroy the most evil wizard in the world, they had both lived to graduate.

"Hey, so what is a sexy wizard like you doing here all alone?" Ginny asked quietly as she slipped her hand into his.

The creature in his chest purred as he grasped his witch's hand… all in all, things had turned out better then he had ever dared hope they would. Life would never be the same but he knew that they would all be alright. Their future was now bright and waiting outside the castle walls for _all_ of them.

* * *

><p>AN Well there you go... just the epilogue to go. I hope you liked it. I am sorry this took sooooooooooooooo long but between RL and my muse refusing to co-operate well... lets just say that trying to get this chapter done was like pulling hens teeth! I was really worried about finishing this story correctly... making it not only believable but tying up all the loose ends as well. When I finaly wrestled this chapter out(and combining about 3 different versions of this chapter together!) I was pleased with it. I just hope you are.

I want to say THANK YOU to all of you for sticking around to this, the last chapter(there is an epilogue that will be posted tomorrow!) for you to have read this far... well you deserve many many cyber cookies! I am sorry if I didn't respond to your reviews... RL was crazy! But please be assured that I read EVERY SINGLE ONE! and cherished every one as well! Thank you to my wonderful, patient, gently encouraging beta barbc... without her help this story wouldn't be what it is nor likely complete!

I would love to know what you think. I have finished this story to the best of my ability, after six long years after I started to write it. It has had highs and frustrating lows but I think I have grown as a writer and I can honestly say I am proud to have been able to share it with all of you. Until next time, cytpotter.


	104. Epilogue

And here is the very last chapter... I hope you enjoy!

* * *

><p><strong>Epilogue<strong>

Ten years later

The door bell chimed as Taylor peeled carrots at the kitchen sink. "Greg! Can you get that?"

"Sure." The Hufflepuff called as he came out of the den and headed down the hall towards the front door. He had been watching the football game on the tele while he was lighting the fireplace. Their house, that they had bought after they got married, was a muggle built two story with all the conveniences of the muggle world. Though the wards surrounding the house with anti- apparation and muggle repelling charms were very magical.

"Harry! Ginny! How are you! Come in!" Greg greeted as he opened the door to see his brother-in-law and sister-in-law standing there with their two little boys.

"Good. Though with Harry's driving it's a miracle we even got here!" Ginny griped as she stepped into the house and, after returning the hug from the tall Hufflepuff, set her youngest down on the floor to take off her heavy cloak.

Harry gave his eyes a slight roll at the taller wizard as he shook his hand muttering, "You know how _slow_ muggles like to drive."

"Auntie Tay-wor!" squealed James as he raced down the hall.

Taylor bent down to scoop the three year old up into her arms and give him a hug. "Hi James! And how is my favorite little munchkin doing today?"

"Oh just great! If you don't count him grabbing his father's wand and setting fire to the sofa before we came!" Ginny griped as she picked up her youngest and balanced Albus on her hip.

It was all Taylor could do to keep the grin off her face, as she shot a look at her brother. "Yes well… You know wand safety should be added to _all_ prenatal classes. Though a refresher in broom storage wouldn't hurt either! Seeing as how Greg let _his_ son get a hold of his Nimbus the other day and he almost flew off out of the yard with it!"

Harry sent the accused Hufflepuff a grin before he ducked his head. "Well I'm sure it was an accident."

Taylor rolled her eyes as she gave Ginny a one armed hug before turning and doing the same to her brother, as she still had his oldest son balanced easily on her hip.

Ginny gave a humph before heading down the hall towards the kitchen.

Shooting a quick grin at the two wizards Taylor headed after her sister-in-law, asking how she was making out.

"So I take it the mood swings have started again?" Greg asked as he slowly led the shorter wizard into the den where the fire was merrily burning in the fireplace and a huge Christmas tree glowed from the corner.

Harry glanced at the football game that was still playing on the television set before he sighed and said "Yeah they sure have. Though this time I swear they are _worse_! But don't tell Ginny I said that!" shooting a quick glance out towards the kitchen where he could see his wife and sister were chatting.

Greg chuckled and, clapping a hand on his brother-in-laws back, just shook his head.

"So have you been to see the pre-natal Healer yet?" Taylor asked as she put James in the large play pen with the toys and his year and a half old brother Albus. The play pen was in a corner of the kitchen and contained all the things a little wizard could want to play with; play wands that squeaked or made a puff of smoke. Toy cauldrons that glowed on the bottom as if they had a real fire under them, as well as more muggle things like large building blocks and a toy telephone. Along with an anti-climb charm to keep the rambunctious toddlers in the pen.

Ginny sighed as she leaned back against the countertop and rubbed her burgeoning belly. "Yeah I was there earlier this week. I have five more months to go! Where is Daniel? Still down for his nap?"

Taylor smiled at her friend as she put the carrots on the stove and went back to peeling potatoes. "Yeah. He is just getting over a cold so he hasn't been sleeping very well lately. So how is your mother and father doing? Harry said they went to Romania over the holidays to see Charlie and his newest baby?"

Ginny smiled and told about her parents and how they had gone to visit her brother.

When the door bell rang again a faint cry could be heard from upstairs.

"Greg! Grab the door, I'll go get Daniel." Taylor called as she headed up the stairs to get their four year old son. "Hey there young man, how are you doing?" She asked as she opened the light blue door and entered an equally pale blue room decorated with stencils of broom sticks and snitches. Picking up the little boy with messy black hair and blue eyes she headed back down the stairs.

"Hey Taylor! And how are you doing Daniel? Just waking up from a nap?" Hermione asked as she finished taking off her cloak and stretched out her hand to rub the little boy's back as he clung to his mother's neck.

"Hi Hermione, and Rose how are you doing?" Taylor asked as she looked at the little girl held securely in her father's arms.

"So what! No greeting for me?" Ron asked as he gave his best mate's sister a quick one armed hug with his daughter in his other arm.

"Oh yeah! Hey chopped liver!" Taylor grinned as she turned to the other couple that had arrived at the same time.

"And here I thought you had grown up finally!" Ron griped but he ruined the seriousness of his voice by making a face at her.

"I see things never change." Lupin said hugging his godson Daniel and best friend's daughter together.

"Hi Remus. Hi Tonks. Hey Teddy! My! Aren't you growing!" Taylor grinned as she greeted the eight year old with bright purple hair standing beside his father. As Greg greeted the newcomers as well, taking their cloaks.

It wasn't long before the witches had all migrated to the kitchen and Hermione helped finish peeling potatoes as Taylor checked the large turkey that was roasting in the oven, while Ginny and Tonks watched the four children in the pen to make sure they weren't misbehaving.

"I wish we had of had one of these when Teddy was little." Tonks said as she flicked her wand and levitated the wooden block James had just thrown at his cousin Daniel safely down to the floor.

"Yeah it's great for when I have to cook or am busy brewing a potion I don't have to worry about Daniel getting into anything. Though it's a little small for the four of them!" Taylor laughed as she put the turkey back in the oven.

"I'm going to get Harry to put one in our living room. I'll need it especially when the new baby comes along." Ginny said as she shook her head at James as he tried to take the fake wand from his other cousin Rose.

In the living room the four adults had given up the football game for some Christmas cartoons that were on that Teddy wanted to watch. The door bell rang once more and Greg went to greet his parents, his mother going to the kitchen where the rest of the witches were and his father joining the wizards by the tree.

"So how does Ginny like being a stay at home mom?" Dan, Greg's father, asked as the conversation about quidditch died down.

"She likes it just fine. She really loves being with the boys. It was hard at first but now that I'm not off playing anymore it's better." Harry replied. He had given up playing professional quidditch just after James was born. He didn't want to be gone all the time and miss his son growing up. Ginny had decided she would give it up as well when she had first gotten pregnant and they had discussed her returning to the Harpies but Ginny had said that she'd had enough and it was time for her to raise her family.

"So how is the job coming? I heard Moody is going to retire?" Remus asked his best friend's son. The older werewolf had had a few reservations about Harry becoming an auror but he'd heard from Alastor that Harry was very good at it, something that at least the last remaining Marauder could take heart in.

"Yeah, he is finally going to retire. Well he has only been doing it part time now for almost a year. Morison is a good head auror, Kingsley knew what he was doing when he appointed the job to him. We have worked together fairly often and he has taught me a lot." Harry said with a smile, he was enjoying his new career. He was glad that he had taken some time and played quidditch for a few years but with the prospect of having kids he wanted to do something that he had wanted to do ever since career discussions at Hogwarts in fifth year. Plus it kept him closer to home and most days, with the wizarding world still enjoying its freedom, he was home by 5:30.

"You must be getting close to retirement as well, Dan?" Ron asked.

"Yeah one more year and then I'm going to call it quits. Though working with Hermione has been a lot of fun. She really knows her stuff!" Dan answered with a chuckle. He was still working in the Department of Mysteries and even though the brilliant muggle-born witch usually worked in the Magical Creature Welfare Department, she had been invited to come down to the Mysteries Department a few weeks ago to help out with a new artifact that had been discovered. Dan had quickly come to appreciate the witch's genius.

"Yeah Hermione has been practically vibrating when she comes home at night!" Ron laughed as he thought how his wife had been so excited to get the chance to work on the new artifact. He hadn't seen her that excited since Hogwarts. Ron was happy with his job as well. He had gone to work for his brothers, Fred and George, a year after graduating when they had offered him a chance to open a Weasley`s Wizard Wheezes branch in Hogsmeade. They had started out small but now had one of the larger stores in Hogsmeade and Ron was really enjoying himself. It was something he was a little surprised to discover that he was really good at.

"How is your new job coming, Remus?" Harry asked.

"Good! I am really enjoying it! Thanks to Hermione and the new law that she got passed last year! The hours are good and I really enjoy helping people find the books they are looking for. Of course it doesn't hurt that I get to read any of the books I want." Remus said with a smile. He had started to work for Flourish and Blotts a couple of weeks ago, the pro werewolf law making it possible for werewolves to get jobs and making it illegal to not hire someone based on their lycanthropy status. Of course having a wife who was an auror helped too, as he remembered one customer saying something and Tonks setting him straight right away.

"I thought you might like it there." Harry said with a smile. He was glad to see the happiness in his friend. "So how is your job coming, Greg? I thought I might get down to see you last week but something came up at the last minute."

"It's good… I wasn't sure I was going to enjoy it at first but now I find it fascinating! I thoroughly enjoy the research aspect of it and my uncle Ben is really great to work for. The hours are good… and I don't have to take muggle transit anymore!" Greg said with a bit of a laugh as he told them more about his research job at the Ministry in the Magical Healing Department.

"So Taylor finally let you start apparating to work did she?" Ron joked.

"Yeah, well you know my wife! Adamant that we can do it the muggle way! Though after the third near accident in the car she relented." Greg grinned as he answered.

"That's Taylor! How is she making out with her muggle job anyway? She still enjoying it?" Harry asked wondering how his sister was making out with her part time job at the muggle post office that she had taken, even though he had tried to talk her into taking the job at the Ministry that he had found for her.

"Yeah she likes it… her boss gives her a hard time sometimes but she never complains. It's easy enough for her to get to work, as it's close enough to walk and Daniel is now in preschool." Greg told them.

Taylor placed the large pot of potatoes on the stove and checked the rest of the vegetables cooking away.

"So Taylor, how is your potion making going? I heard Severus now has a small shop just off Diagon Alley… you still making potions for him?" Hermione asked as she waved her wand and levitated a giggling Rose away from Albus who was trying to play with the toy cauldron.

"Good, it's going good! I finally convinced Sev to open the store and he has been really busy ever since!" Taylor said with a fond smile. When she had lost her magic she had never thought that she would be able to make a living making potions, and while she wasn't there yet, she was still very busy making potions for Severus to sell in his store, when she wasn`t working at the post office just down the lane.

It was over a year after she had graduated when Sev had come to her and asked if she would like to help him make potions to sell. He had been asked by different people to make potions for them and had started to do it as a side business. Nothing illegal, but a surprising number of wizards and witches were inept at making potions. Well not so surprising to the former Potions Master, but still surprising that they would pay for him to make them. Many requests came from werewolves for Wolfsbane Potion. Hence he had turned to Taylor to help him, working out of his house for years until finally taking the plunge and opening the small shop off Diagon Alley.

The table was set and Taylor was just finished making the gravy, when she heard a knock on the back door. Knowing who it was, she quickly asked Ginny to pour the gravy and headed out through the mud room to the door at the back of their house. Peeking through the curtain she opened the door with a wide smile.

"Hi Sev! Come in!"

"Taylor, no, that's fine. I know you have company. I just wanted to drop off the orders for the next week."

It might have been over ten years since the ex-Potions Master had been cleared but still he remained alone, much preferring his solitude to company. The one exception was the red haired, bespectacled witch before him.

"Hi Severus," Greg said with a warm smile as he joined his wife at the door. His senses keen, as the full moon was only four days away, alerting him to the visitor. He had grown rather fond of the wizard who had helped Taylor so much not only with her potions making but becoming, if not a father figure, then most definitely a doting uncle. He had come to read the man and knew much of his surliness was just a mask kept in place to hide his true feelings. "Would you like to join us?"

"No, thank you Greg. I really must be going." The ex-Potion Master said, his normally snarky tone conspicuously absent in his sincerity.

"Are you sure? There is plenty of room and lots of food." Taylor knew that the private wizard wasn't likely to join them. He never did. Though he often came to visit her when she was alone, or just the young werewolf and their son were home. The tension between her brother and the man who had loved their mother so much had lessened a great deal over the years to the point where the two were even civil to one another.

Severus passed the scroll with the potions that had been ordered for the following week to the young witch who stood in the door. Her red hair, now long and tied up in a ponytail, reminded him so much of her mother that even now after all these years his heart ached. It was bitter sweet though as he tried to spend as much time as he could with the bespectacled witch and her family, taking solace in the fact that he watched over her and kept her safe.

"Thank you but no…"

Taylor was just about to ask Greg to grab the package that she had gotten for the Potions Master when with a quick grin and a wink her werewolf husband passed it to her. "Well if you are sure. Then here, and Happy Christmas Sev."

Taylor saw a tinge of red color the usually pale checks and caught just a glimpse of twinkling eyes as the black robbed figure turned, the usual brisk good bye tinted with an almost happy sound. Greg`s arm came around her shoulders as they watched the Potions Master go out through their little white picket fence and she could have sworn there was a smile on his face as he turned and Apparated away. Turning the happy couple went back into their house that was filled with the sound of friends, family and laughter.

The End.

* * *

><p>AN When I started to write this story 6 years ago I NEVER imagined that it would evolve into this. I thought 20 maybe 25 chapters would do it... well I was wrong but what it became is so much better(in my oppinion anyway!;) And I have to say that I am pleased with how things turned out. Taylor, Greg and Harry will always be there in my mind... ready to point out something that they should of done or should do I am sure but I think I have left them in a place in this story that they are happy. I know I am! :D

THANK YOU so much for reading! You have no idea HOW MUCH it has meant to me that people took the time to read this story! This is the First story that I have ever wrote(and while I have wrote several before I finished this one!) The Curse of the Seventh Horcrux will ALWAYS have a very speacial place in my heart! So to know that others have enjoyed it as well... well words can't express how much that means... So I hope a simple THANK YOU will do.

I also would like to say hi to a great story supporter, harrypotter4lifeand4eva and her dad who has a birthday soon! Happy B'day and hope you enjoyed this last chapter!

I have to say one last time THANK YOU to my wonderful, patient, beta barbc. Without her encouragement, prodding and support plus talking her ear off about this story almost ceaselessly on car rides to the rink! This story wouldn't be what it is today! So THANK YOU! You are the best!

Well I can't give my usual farwell seeing as this IS the last chapter so I will just say THANK YOU! Your humble author, cytpotter.


End file.
